Aroostook County, Maine is home to a haunted truck route known for the tombstones that can be seen along Route 2A. It is a dark and dangerous road full of sharp turns and blind corners, especially in winter conditions with ice and snow (Insider.com). Many drivers have reported the sighting of a young girl standing alone at the side of the road, far from any homes or businesses. There have also been multiple stories of a woman who screams for help from truckers and other drivers when they pass by, but she mysteriously disappears when a driver slows down (Insider.com).

Highway 299 crosses the state of California from east to west. The stretch is full of ghost stories, especially within the five miles of road between Old Shasta City and Whiskeytown Lake. Shasta State Park has actually been called California’s Ghost Town, a town that dates back to the 1850s when the area was known as one of the busiest gold rush destinations. Shasta still has eerie ruins from the abandoned town, while Whiskeytown is now underwater from a flood. You can still walk in and out of some of the deserted shops from the parts of the ruins that still stand. Highway 299 is an excellent stop for someone looking for a historical adventure, but the empty towns are also a breeding ground for hauntings.

Of course, this list would not be complete without the Historic Route 66. There are plenty of stops along Route 66 that are charming and nostalgic, attracting tourists from all over, especially in California. However, there are parts of the highway that are attractions for a different reason, for example, the abandoned Tri-County Truck-Stop in Villa Ridge, MO, not far from St. Louis. The old truck stop looks spooky even from afar, but paranormal investigators have taken a close look inside and deemed this place haunted. According to St. Louis Magazine, it is not as empty as it looks, with multiple reports of strange activity, ghosts wearing red flannel, and appliances falling on their own.

Many truck drivers will be familiar with stories from this area, which is also known as Spooksville Triangle. The “triangle” is made up of Insterstate 44 and the surrounding roads between three towns: Joplin, Missouri; Columbus, Kansas; and Miami, Oklahoma. For over 100 years, drivers have reported red and yellow lights that appear at random and bounce across the roads without explanation. This does not just occur in one location; multiple spook lights have been seen all over Spooksville Triangle. No one knows where the light comes from, but there are a few stories of native legends that died in the area and area carrying lanterns. In addition to the lights, the surrounding towns carry the same supernatural feel, including the Joplin truck-stop.

The Devil’s Highway runs through Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah for about 200 miles. For years, it became a driver’s worst nightmare due to an obscene amount of accidents. While the accidents may have been related to a number of causes, people made the connection between the accidents and the name of the highway that includes 666.  People began to avoid traveling on the road out of fear, and stories started to pass around such as the haunted semi-truck that tries to run cars off of the road. An article from the Federal Highway Administration states that the governor of New Mexico addressed the highway in 2003, deciding to support renovation and change the name, with Colorado and Utah following suit.  Eventually, the name was changed from Route 666 to Route 491 to help with the bad stigma and superstitions.

Highway Haunts Across America

There is no question that truck driving is not an easy job. From long hours, staying awake through boredom, and working in solidarity, it is easy to assume that drivers’ imaginations can wander, and their eyes might play tricks through illusions. The stories of these highway haunts, however, are more than just a coincidence. With the hours of travel and locations that truckers find themselves, it is not uncommon for a driver to encounter a ghostly situation. Truckers beware of the spine-chilling routes that can be found during a trip.

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