Spooks and haunts found in central Kansas this Halloween season

Halloween is approaching — and the opportunity to be spooked, haunted or terrified is here for parts of central Kansas.

Whether it's a walk through a haunted forest, a chance to shoot zombies with paintballs or a thrilling train ride through a zoo, here's a look at some of the haunted houses and attractions from Salina to Hutchinson.

Smoky Hill Hollow haunted house and trail

Previously hosted at the Saline County Rural Fire District No. 3 in Hedville, the Smoky Hill Hollow has a new location just north of the fire station.

From 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26, people can travel the 15 minutes west of Salina to 3500 N. Hedville Road for a cheap thrill at just $5 a person.

Falun-Salemsborg Lutheran Parish Haunted Forest

Going on its 20th year, the Haunted Forest , which raises money for the youth ministries at the parish, is back again.

From dark to 11 p.m. on Oct. 19, 25 and 26, at the 3831 W. Salemsborg Road location in Smolan, people can be scared with what is described as PG-13 thrills and "not for those faint at heart" for $10 a person with only cash accepted. The forest is not recommended for those 10 and under.

The evening can begin with a $5 chili feed beginning each evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Fellowship Center before getting in line for the thrills of the forest.

Zombie Expedition at Elite Sports

Already underway for its 2024 season, Elite Sports is hosting a zombie paintball experience from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays until Nov. 2 at its 7928 S. Old Hwy 81 location.

Starting at $20 a person, which gets them 100 rounds of glow-in-the-dark paintballs, guests will be taken on a route through the Elite Sports compound to fire at live human targets dressed in their zombie best.

Those interested can register online now at zombieexpedition.com to reserve a slot or can get general admission tickets at the sales window which has a wait time expected to be up to 90 minutes.

McPherson Museum Haunted House

The McPherson Museum and Arts Foundation is hosting a haunted house from dark to 11 p.m. on Oct. 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 and 31 at the museum, 1111 E. Kansas Ave.

Admission for the haunted house, which isn't recommended for people under the age of 16 is $15 a person, but those who bring a donation of food for the Canned Food Bank receive $2 off.

Using volunteers from the community as spooky characters, the museum uses this event as a fundraiser for the foundation.

Haunted Zoo: Little Train of Horrors at the Hutchinson Zoo

The Hutchinson Friends of the Zoo and Hutchinson High School Thespian Club are hosting a themed ride on the Prairie Thunder Railroad train to raise funds for both organizations.

Timed entry for 30-minute slots begin at 6 p.m. with the final train leaving at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 25, 26 and 27. Tickets are $6 per person, but the zoo offers a buy three, get one free deal.

Online ticketing is available now on the zoo's website , but will close each day at 5 p.m. each day of the event. The zoo said tickets can be purchased at the gate if there are spaces available but recommends purchasing them in advance to guarantee a spot.

This experience is not recommended for children under the age of 5 with children under 16 required to be accompanied by an adult.

This article originally appeared on Salina Journal: Spooks and haunts found in central Kansas this Halloween season