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While cruising through the midwestern state of Missouri, you might find yourself on a stretch called Lawler Ford Road. It's important to also know what the locals call it: Zombie Road.
No one seems to be sure where they came from, but the hotel is well known for having a top floor and basement completely infested with angry spirits. In fact, pets aren't allowed to stay in the rooms on the top floor, because they invariably begin to get out of control.
Route 66 is divided into sections, and, of course, the sixth section just had to be called Route 666. Unfortunately, this stretch of road, which runs through New Mexico and Arizona, lives up to its name.
Why is it nicknamed Zombie Road? Well, first things first: there are no zombies. There are, however, tons of ghosts! From a ghastly woman who screams at drivers from the window of a dilapidated house, to the floating spectral light said to be the ghost of a girl hit by a train, it's hard to get through this stretch of road with your wits still intact.
On the western end of Route 66, in the town of Flagstaff, Arizona, lies one of the most haunted hotels in the United States: Hotel Monte Vista.
Of all the stories that have come out of Route 666, one of the most unsettling comes from a man who was driving by himself down a lonely stretch of road when he saw a truck, engulfed in flames, hurdling toward him. He veered off the side of the road, and the flaming truck continued speeding down the road.
Unfortunately, Cook was a pariah in his hometown, too, and the local church only agreed to bury his body if his grave remained unmarked. This fact seems to anger Cook, and locals say you can see him standing at the edge of the church's property (not pictured), seething with rage.
Billy Cook Jr., native to Joplin, Missouri, embarked on a road trip of terror along Route 66 in 1950. After murdering six people and a dog, Cook was arrested and swiftly executed in California. His body was sent back to his hometown of Joplin for burial.
In eastern Missouri lies Meramec Caverns, a small but respectable tourist attraction that attracts around 150,000 visitors a year who are interested in gazing at the stalactites and stalagmites. Some visitors might see more than they pay for, though.
Not only are there alleged witches buried in the back of the cemetery (not pictured), the souls of whom light up the night on occasion, but there's also a woman buried by an uncaring husband whose gravestone cracked every time it was repaired. Eventually, this spooked the husband so much that he left town!
In the heart of Miami, Oklahoma, is a beautifully restored theater known as the Coleman Theater. The Coleman first opened its door in 1929, but it was built upon a past that has come back to haunt it.
At the turn of the 20th century, in the town of Guthrie, Oklahoma, a man named James Phillips was imprisoned for a since-forgotten crime. He was sentenced to death by hanging, but there was just one problem: the town had no gallows.
According to local legend, the Coleman was built on top of an old mortuary. The cremation room is said to still lie directly beneath the theater's main auditorium, and not only can the heat of the furnace still be felt, but strange whistling sounds also seem to rise up from the theater's floorboards.
The Kansas stretch of Route 66 is only 13 miles (21 km) long, but in that little sliver lies the tiny town of Galena, which has an unfortunate history of ghost stories.
A small Texas town along Route 66 known as Dalton is home to one of North America's most feared and fascinating cryptids: the Goatman.
Travelers crossing the Argyle Bridge just outside of town should beware. The Goatman is said to live in the surrounding forest, waiting for unsuspecting travelers to pounce upon and devour. Locals say the Goatman can also be seen just before disaster strikes.
Along Route 66 in Texas is an events venue known as the Catfish Plantation. Apart from hosting weddings and conferences, it also hosts its fair share of ghosts.
In Dallas, Texas, there was once a sizable orphanage known as the Buckner Orphan's Home. It was home to dozens of children waiting to be adopted by loving parents, until one fateful night in 1897.
The all-wood orphanage caught on fire and burned to the ground, taking with it the lives of 15 boys who didn't make it out in time. Even after all these years, it is said that the smell of burning wood still lingers in the air, and the cries of the boys can still be heard.
Facing that tree, was a small, wrought-iron gate (not pictured) that became known as Hell's Gate, as it was the last sight that the doomed soldiers would see. Legend has it that more than 100 soldiers were hung at the location, and their spectral wails can still be heard in the area today.
The summer of 1946 was a summer of terror for the residents of Texarkana, a town split down the middle by the state line of Texas and Arkansas.
The most famous of Catfish Plantation's spectral residents is named Elizabeth Anderson. In the early 20th century, Anderson was all set to marry the man of her dreams, until an envious ex-boyfriend arrived and murdered her. Ever since, the eternal bride-to-be roams the grounds in her white dress, and can be seen gazing out the windows of the main house's dining room.
In Arlington, Texas, deep within River Legacy Park, there stands a tree where members of the Confederate Army would hang any captured Union soldiers.
One of the oldest ghost stories to take place along Route 66, long before it was Route 66, starts in the 1600s in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It all began when the Spanish governor of Santa Fe fell in love with a local woman and sought the help of two witches, who brewed him a love potion to give to the woman.
Strange, disturbing lights, inexplicable sounds, and other frightening phenomena are common in the hills of Menaul. Most feared, however, is a cave (not pictured) where locals say a strange light can be seen, coming from a place very deep within.
Sources: (Ranker) (Weird US) ('Haunted Route 66: Ghosts of America's Legendary Highway')
It was the summer of the Phantom Killer, an individual who took five lives at night and was never caught—and left no trace. No trace except the souls of those slain, which are said to be doomed to wander Texarkana for eternity.
Just a few hours away from Santa Fe, in the New Mexican capital of Albuquerque, it's a widely known fact amongst the locals that the hills bordering the suburb of Menaul (not pictured) are haunted and dangerous.
The Meramec Caverns are famous for housing a colorful collection of ghosts. Among them is a woman frequently seen standing in the murky water of the cavern pools, and a tall man in a dark suit who, according to some, is the ghost of the infamous Jesse James.
By the time the governor, Juan Treviño, got back to his love, she had married another man and the love potion was ineffective. Treviño marched back to the witches and demanded a refund. When they refused, Treviño attacked them, and they then proceeded to confiscate his sword and behead him with it. Since that day, his headless ghost has wandered the deserts of New Mexico, searching for his skull and the witches who took it from him.
So, of course, they had to build some. Throughout the whole construction process, Phillips could witness the building of the gallows from his prison cell, eventually causing him to become anxious to the point of a fatal heart attack. Ever since Phillips' death, locals swore they could hear his footsteps anxiously pacing around his cell.
For many people, a road trip down the Mother Road, the United States' iconic Route 66, is a dream vacation. From Illinois to California, the rolling and ever-changing landscapes, the small towns and big cities along the way, and the simple joy of cruising down one of the longest roads in the world make for a perfect adventure. Unfortunately, you can get more than just your kicks on Route 66. The iconic highway is notoriously haunted, and weaves through some pretty supernaturally shady areas. For some, that might make the trip even more enticing, but for others, it might be a dealbreaker.
Whichever way you're leaning, read on to discover some of the creepiest and spookiest stories about Route 66.
Eerie tales and legends from route 66
Tales that'll make you think twice about that road trip
LIFESTYLE Creepy
For many people, a road trip down the Mother Road, the United States' iconic Route 66, is a dream vacation. From Illinois to California, the rolling and ever-changing landscapes, the small towns and big cities along the way, and the simple joy of cruising down one of the longest roads in the world make for a perfect adventure. Unfortunately, you can get more than just your kicks on Route 66. The iconic highway is notoriously haunted, and weaves through some pretty supernaturally shady areas. For some, that might make the trip even more enticing, but for others, it might be a dealbreaker.
Whichever way you're leaning, read on to discover some of the creepiest and spookiest stories about Route 66.