Halloween at Walnut Hills

Halloween Camping at Walnut Hills: Three Haunted Weekends

Walnut Hills hosts three Halloween weekends each fall, from late September into early October, with a haunted trail, trick-or-treating on closed roads, costume judging and a Halloween dance party. This year’s dates are on the Walnut Hills events page.

Book your siteSee this season’s events
3 weekendslate Sept to early Oct
Haunted trail7:30–9:30 PM
Trick-or-treatsite to site, roads closed
Costume judgingfamilies and kids

What a typical Halloween Saturday looks like

Each Saturday follows the same pattern, but the team changes the trail and the activities from weekend to weekend.

Daytime: pumpkins and candy

  • Food trucks on Saturday, and a Sunday breakfast truck on some weekends
  • 11 AM pumpkin painting, a Halloween craft and a candy search in the hay pile
  • Noon tie-dye

The team spends weeks decorating the whole park beforehand, so it feels like Halloween from the moment you pull in.

The site decorating contest

Seasonal campers compete for first, second and third place each weekend, and they keep upgrading their displays between weekends. Short-term campers have their own contest: each weekend’s winner earns a free camping weekend on next year’s Halloween weekends. Displays get more elaborate as the weekends go on.

5 PM costumes, 6 PM trick-or-treat

Family costume judging is at 5 PM at Pavilion 1. From 6 to 7 PM, kids trick-or-treat site to site with the campground roads closed to traffic. Many parents worry about neighborhood trick-or-treating these days, and closed roads with so many families joining in make this a safe, festive alternative.

7:30 PM: the haunted trail

The haunted trail runs from 7:30 to 9:30 PM and grows every year. It starts mild while there’s still light, so young kids can walk it early. Later, with costumed actors and lights down, it gets truly scary (yes, the chainsaws have no chains). Bring little ones first and come back later with the teenagers.

8:30 PM: Halloween dance party

While the trail runs, DJ Dave pipes spooky sound into the woods. Then his Halloween dance party at Pavilion 2 goes from 8:30 to 10:30 PM, with drop-down lighting, smoke machines and a mix of classic Halloween songs and current hits. It’s one of the best-attended dances of the year.

Why there are three weekends

Walnut Hills started with one Halloween weekend. The next year we added a second, and the year after that a third, because the weekends kept booking out far in advance. Having three weekends gives more families a chance to come, and since the trail and activities change each time, some families book more than one. For a closer look at fall at the park, see Halloween camping in Michigan: fall weekends at Walnut Hills.

Book early

Halloween weekends are among the first dates to fill each year, so book early. Rates are dynamic and vary by date and site; choose your weekend on the Walnut Hills rates page to see your price.

Tips for a Halloween weekend

  • Pack layers. Fall evenings in Michigan get cool after sunset.
  • Bring candy to hand out if you’re decorating your site; trick-or-treaters will find you.
  • Plan costumes for the whole family, since judging includes family groups.
  • Quiet hours still start at 11 PM, so the night winds down after the dance.

Need decorating ideas? See RV Halloween decorations that win.

Questions

When are the Halloween weekends at Walnut Hills?

Three Saturdays from late September into early October. The exact dates are on the Walnut Hills events page each year.

Is the haunted trail too scary for little kids?

Early in the evening it’s mild enough for young kids. It gets much scarier as the night goes on, so bring little ones first.

Are the roads closed for trick-or-treating?

Yes. Campground roads close to traffic during trick-or-treating, so kids can go site to site safely.

Do I have to decorate my site?

No, but many campers do. Short-term campers have their own contest, and the winner each weekend earns a free Halloween weekend the next year.

Is each Halloween weekend the same?

The schedule follows the same pattern, but the team changes the trail and activities each weekend, so no two are identical.

How early should I book?

As early as you can. The Halloween weekends book far in advance, which is why we grew from one weekend to three.

Ready to book?

Rates vary by date and site; see our rates page.

Book your site

Walnut Hills Family Campground · 7685 Lehring Road, Durand, MI 48429 · (989) 634-9782