Published: October 02, 2007 11:19 pm      

Forest Frights

Trail of Doom 3 scaring up a crowd in Murray County

Jason and Brandy Ridley’s friends and family often walk or ride four-wheelers and motorcycles through the woods near their Eton home in rural Murray County.

About three years ago, they were walking through those woods when it hit them: “We should make a haunted trail!”

Add about 40 of their closest friends, some spooky lighting effects, scary costumes and realistic scenery and you have the makings of some first-class terror. The resulting “Trail of Doom” opens for its third season this Friday.

“We started with 15-20 people working with us the first year, and it’s just gotten bigger and better every year,” Brandy Ridley said.

That first year, the Trail of Doom was open just one weekend, with about 300 visitors. Last year, it was open three weekends, and 800 came out for a fright. This year, the fun will be held all four weekends in October, beginning Friday at 8 p.m.

“The full moon is giving a lot of light right now, but after that, it will be pitch black in there,” Jason Ridley said. “We’ll send tour guides in with a lantern, but that’s as bright as it gets.”

The outdoor venue gives the Trail a distinctly “Blair Witch” flavor.

“We’ve added more hair-raising items in the woods each year, including a new platform and a tunnel at the end this year,” Jason Ridley said. “We have new sound effects, and we’ve added Deborah Hickey as our makeup artist.”

Patrons start the night on tree stumps, circled around a large bonfire. Concessions and legal waivers will be available from workers wearing “Trail of Doom” T-shirts and featuring bright red eyes. Rope lights and other decorations will either sooth pounding hearts or give the place a spine-tingling feel from the start.

Things only get worse once you’re in the woods.

Visitors are kept on the trail by tall black walls made of carpet backing. One scene includes a real wooden casket. Another, a real hangman’s noose. A woodsy cemetery includes real tombstones dating to the early 1900s — available because they are factory misprints.

Beware demented individuals roaming the woods with real chain saws, and — fair warning — don’t leer too long at demented scarecrows or ghostly clowns floating through the misty woods.

The Trail of Doom is just one of the seasonal attractions in the area this month:



• The River Maze

The River Maze in Benton, Tenn., is owned and operated by Joe and Dianne Fetzer of Birchland Ocoee Farms in Polk County, Tenn. Diane Fetzer, who teaches at the Ninth Grade Academy in Murray County, says the farm features wagon rides, hay rides, picnics on the river, musical entertainment, farm animals and walking trails.

The corn maze features river themes and the words “Meet Me By the River” spelled out in giant letters. A 3-foot-high soybean maze suits the kids with a “Little Boy Blue” theme, in addition to a “No Left Turns” soybean maze.



• Little River Farms Haunted Corn Maze

This year, the Haunted Corn Maze on Highway 136 in Resaca has added new scenes to the maze as well as to the 3-mile path leading to the maze.

“We challenge you to survive ‘Horror Path,’” said Marisa Poarch, Little River Farms co-owner. “But beware, if you make it to the maze at the end of ‘Horror Path,’ you still have to walk the maze as well as survive the return trip along ‘Horror Path.’”

The Little River Farms Haunted Corn Maze donates a percentage of ticket sales to Future Farmers of America chapters in Gordon County. Visitors will encounter some of the most memorable characters from popular horror movies.

The haunted maze opened Sept. 28-29 and goes through Halloween night, Wednesday, Oct. 31.



• Market Street Shops of Dalton

Patrons can scare up a hunger shopping the more than 30 stores conveniently located off I-75, Exit 333, in Dalton, where sidewalk performers keep you entertained.



• Walnut Square Mall

Support your favorite nonprofit organization this Saturday at Fall Community Day. Representatives will be selling baked goods and more. Call the mall office at (706) 226-5255 for more information.

The Halloween fun begins on Saturday, Oct. 27, at noon with a costume contest for all the little ghosts and goblins in front of J.C. Penney. Children 12 and under may participate, and judges will select the scariest, cutest and most original in each age group: 6 and younger and 7-12. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and children must be registered by 11:45 a.m. to participate.

At 2 p.m., the Pumpkin Decoration Station opens for kids ages 12 and under. The first 100 children will receive a free pumpkin to decorate.

On Oct. 31 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., it’s Trick-or-Treat time. Children 12 and under may participate in trick or treating from store to store.



• Chattanooga-area attractions

Ruby Falls’ Haunted Cavern runs Thursdays through Sundays in October, starting at 8 p.m. Visit www.hauntedcavern.com or call (423) 821-2544.

Rock City’s Spooky Acres Maze runs throughout October. The nearby “Forest of Fear” is new this year, Fridays and Saturdays in October. Visit www.enchantedmaze.com or call 1-800-854-0675.

Additionally, visitors can ride the “Eerie Express” from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum directly to the Rock City corn maze on Oct. 19, 20, 26 and 27. Visit www.tvrail.com or call (423) 894-8028.

The Tennessee Aquarium takes a look at predator-prey relationships during Thrills, Gills & Chills, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The IMAX theater premieres “Sea Monsters 3D” on Friday. Visit www.tnaqua.org or call 1-800-262-0695.