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The Hauntings of Zombie Road

Located a half-hour drive from downtown St. Louis in the small town of Wildwood, Missouri, there’s a strange winding trail known as Zombie Road. This 3.6-mile stretch of road dates back to when Native Americans resided on the land and has developed an infamous reputation for being haunted. Visitors have reported seeing ghostly apparitions of children and shadow figures as well as hearing unexplained cries. Unseen forces and other poltergeist activity have even attacked some. The area is closed off at night due to the treacherous nature of the path, but many have experienced ghostly activity in broad daylight.

What Is The Story Behind Zombie Road?

Zombie Road was constructed in the 1860s to get the railroad to the Meramec River. As railroad and waterway shipping declined, it fell into disrepair. Even after it was paved in 2010, the pavement quickly cracked due to the narrow, winding nature of the trail, giving it a distinctly unkempt look. Hikers can also see remnants of the old railroad tracks, which are rusted and covered in debris. The overall eerie vibe of the trail has made it ripe for ghost stories, and some locals are adamant that the stories are true.

Want to learn more? You can hear all about the many ghost stories of the greater St. Louis area by booking a tour with St. Louis Ghosts today!

The History of Zombie Road

Train Tracks
Copyright by US Ghost Adventures

Zombie Road is officially known as the Rock Hollow Trail and is sometimes called the Al Foster Trail. The path that makes up the road is potentially hundreds of years old, having been made by the Indigenous people of the area. In fact, the largest Native American burial mound in the United States is thought to sit underneath Zombie Road. When it was designed for railroad services in the 1860s, it became known as Lawler Ford Road. At that time, the Union used the road extensively throughout the Civil War.

Zombie Road was the site of numerous tragedies due to train derailments, with engineers and railroad workers losing their lives. In 1876, a woman named Della Hamilton McCullough was hit by a train and killed along the road.

As for how Zombie Road got its bizarre name, its roots go back to the 1950s when the trail was used as a lovers’ lane for teenagers. It also developed a reputation as a place to drink and do drugs, leading to local authorities closing off the trail at night. Police are so serious about keeping people off the road after dusk that trespassers can be fined up to $1,000.00, which nonbelievers joke is the scariest thing about Zombie Road.

The Hauntings of Zombie Road

Ghosts in the Forest
Copyright by US Ghost Adventures

For decades, countless unexplained occurrences have been reported along Zombie Road. Hikers have claimed to have an overwhelming sense of dread and unease along the trail, even in broad daylight. Witnesses have also heard disembodied cries and the voice of an old woman who yells at those who walk the trail. Some believe it’s the unquiet spirit of Della Hamilton McCullough, who was killed by a train 150 years ago. The cries could be those of rail workers who died violent deaths during the multiple derailments along the road in the late 1800s.

Other ghostly sightings include shadow figures that hide in the dense woods surrounding Zombie Road and a blue light that hovers over the old rail line, almost as if the ghost of a train is haunting the site.

In 2007, the Booth Brothers filmed a horror documentary called Children of the Grave at Zombie Road for the SyFy Channel. According to Christopher Booth, there is a “shadow nest” of ghost children who haunt the woods surrounding the road. The documentary crew even captured photos of the child entities who roam the forest.

Turning Skeptics Into Believers

One of the most chilling firsthand accounts of the Zombie Road hauntings came from a woman named Alex Matuszek in 2013. Alex was in town visiting her aunt, and the two decided to go horseback riding along the trail when unexplainable things started to occur. “I was not a believer before, totally a believer now,” Matuszek said regarding the existence of ghosts.

As Alex and her aunt made their way further along the trail, they heard a terrifying noise. “We hear this high-pitched squeal almost sounding like it was from a teenage girl, young woman,” Alex explained. “As we hear this sound, I feel this sharp pain on my leg.” Alex removed her riding boot and rolled up her pants to discover deep scratches on her leg. There was no explaining the scratches since her pants and boot would have protected her leg from any branches or animals that might scratch her. The incident left Alex and her aunt thoroughly spooked.

The Haunting Story of the Zombie Killer

Zombie Killer
Copyright by US Ghost Adventures

One of the oldest ghost stories dates back to Zombie Road’s time as a lovers’ lane in the 1950s. The story goes that a patient escaped from a nearby mental hospital and hid in the woods surrounding Zombie Road. He would kill local teens who came to the area and allegedly continued his killings after he died and became a ghost. This unknown individual is known as the Zombie Killer. While there’s no evidence he ever existed, he has been associated with the shadow figures often seen by visitors hiking the trail. Some go as far as to claim that he appears as a giant entity in the woods.

Haunted St. Louis

A series of tragedies, an urban legend of a serial killer, and ghost children are just a few of the stories that make Zombie Road a particularly creepy place to visit. Although the trail is only open during the day, the ghosts there don’t seem to mind stepping out into the light.

Zombie Road is just one of many haunted sites found throughout the St. Louis area. The city is brimming with ghost stories, which you can learn more about by booking a tour with St. Louis Ghosts for your next visit. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Missouri hauntings.

Sources:

https://www.ksdk.com/article/features/zombie-road-wildwood-st-louis-county/63-539520e9-8247-43ba-8f9a-22b44481a024

https://www.roadrunner.travel/tours/classic-roads-zombie-road

https://www.roadstotravel.net/usa-zombie-road-missouri

https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/4359-zombie-road.html

https://www.jahernandez.com/posts/zombie-road-in-wildwood-missouri

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/trip-ideas/missouri/zombie-road-mo

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St. Louis Ghosts exposes the ghastly hauntings that lurk underneath this charming jewel at the great gateway to the west. Built on ancient Indian graves, this City on the Mississippi hides a Gateway to a legion of ghosts.

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