HellsGate Haunted House 2023

HellsGate Haunted House
3101 Canal Street
Lockport, IL 60441
https://www.hellsgate.com/
Visited on: Friday, October 20, 2023

Vital Signs:
Opened: 2016
Number of attractions: 1 (but a 3-part adventure)
Size: 2 acres (trail/cemetery) and 14,000 square feet (mansion)
Number of actors: 150+
Setting: Outdoor/Indoor
Parking: Free, off-site (bus transportation from parking to property)
Fun Fact: Enjoy the outdoor midway area after the attraction! Take fun photos, have some food and drinks, play some midway-esque games, and celebrate the season! A few familiar faces have made their way to the mansion after escaping from their cages at Statesville Haunted Prison!

The name “HellsGate” has quickly gained a reputation of extremely high quality, and legendary in their production standards. Although only open less than 10 years, the demented minds behind the project, Zombie Army Productions, have been operating various haunted attractions since 1996. Some of which have also gained national and worldly fame, such as Statesville Haunted Prison. With Statesville closing at the end of the 2021 season, HellsGate inherited a lot of new residents and for the last two years they have been making themselves at home.

For those that don’t know, HellsGate Haunted House is based off of that urban legend of the creepy, abandoned haunted house that is at the end of the dark road with a bad reputation. This would be the point in every horror movie that all of us would shout at the screen, “don’t go in there.” But, come on, that’s exactly what we are here for!

Getting to HellsGate is a lot like going to a major theme park. You can’t simply drive up to the front door and get in line. Here, your adventure starts in an off-site parking lot, as you take a private bus down the path that has been nicknamed “Murder Road.” As you finally are delivered to your final destination, you arrive at a bustling “landing” or ‘terminal” where people are having fun, grabbing a beverage, dancing, and interacting with multiple characters and enjoying the scene. As we were talking to several patrons, they actually asked to stay in line LONGER because they love the wait line entertainment and didn’t want it to end!

When it is finally your time to get creepy, you are led from the tent to the beginning of the trail. As you take a few steps into the darkness, the party music from the wait area fades away, and you and your group are engulfed into the woods. Traversing through a number of crypts and creatures, one of the awe-inspiring newest features for the 2023 season is a brand new cabin. This isn’t a façade or movie set, this is a huge, real, weather-fighting standing structure that seemingly just popped out of nowhere! Inside, the details are overwhelming! From your standard cabin decor, to rattling boards, to a sink with running water – this is straight out of a nightmare!

As we finally made our way through the woods and trail, we have that familiar welcome back to the mansion, known as Moorestone Manor. (And might we say some of the most beautiful photo opportunities as you walk through the real gates to enter the grounds!) The staff, properly dressed in period-serving clothing, prepares to welcome -and warn you of the horrors inside. After a nice porch routine, we entered the first room for our official welcome by The Twins. (You might have seen them before, because they have seen you. They see EVERYTHING.)

The tour through the manor whisks and weaves us through classic interactive scenes like the study, to behind the walls, the kitchen, library/museum, and more. But, we really get excited when we get to slide on down to the basement and say hello to the dragons! (Not to mention, get another opportunity to dive into the darkness!)

We never try to spoil anything, but as you catch your breath and check out all the amazing gifts and mementos on your way out of the manor, you are then spit out right into the midway. Here you are put back into a party atmosphere, there are more chances for pictures, drinks, food, and interaction with many of their icon characters!

Monsters of Note: Fluffy, Sharky, Hoax, Heretic, Mother, Slider Jesus, Bruises, Dirt Baby, Earl, The Twins, and Buna

The Bottom Line: From the beginning to the end, HellsGate is a complete adventure that will be the highlight of your Halloween season and haunted house travels. The operation, detail, design, and acting are above and beyond pictures and words, and provide a fully-immersive deep-dive into the darkness. Make your plans now, as tickets have been selling out and you don’t want to miss your opportunity to see -and feel the adventure that is HellsGate!

But, don’t just take our word for it, check out this exclusive media from our visit:

Highlight Video on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyrGlcyOYc-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Highlight Video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1542073989961074
Instagram Gallery: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyrOr_ru6L1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==