Halloween Haunts

Mwa ha haa! Take an excursion into terror at any of these Middle Tennessee haunted houses, most of which are open for business through Halloween night next Tuesday. Check the websites for directions, coupons and instructions on how to notify next of kin. Antioch Asylum Q: What happens when you build a shoe store on the site of an atrocity-filled lock-up for the criminally insane? A: Don't know, but fear for your sole! Located near Hickory Hollow Mall, this promises "over 30 scenes of twisted and morbid insanity." Like we said, it's in Antioch. Admission $10; printable coupons available on the website. (881 Bell Road, 731-6660; antiochasylum.com) The Death Mill Boasting the most elaborate backstory of any Middle Tennessee haunted house, this turns the old Lebanon Woolen Mills facility into an assembly line of looming terror. Don't ask what the "body chute" is for. Admission $10; the walk-through takes anywhere from seven to 20 minutes, according to reviews on the website. (300 N. Maple St., Lebanon; thedeathmill.com) Devil's Dungeon Enter "40,000 square feet of pure hell" at this popular East Nashville charnel house, personally booby-trapped by veteran haunt designers Wes Cornwell and Bob Warner. A two-story descent leads you straight into the bowels of hell, where past denizens have included bloody brides and barbaric butchers. Admission $10; open ’til 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. (510 Davidson St., 256-0053; devilsdungeon.net) Death Row Sanitarium of Slaughter Now in its 11th year, this used to be in the old prison facility off Harding Place; it now advertises 80,000 square feet of shocks, delivered by toxic zombies, gutted cadavers and some seriously unfunny clowns. Admission $10. (418 Harding Industrial Drive, 833-1433; deathrowhauntedhouse.net) Death Valley Haunted Woods Hendersonville's hellacious hootenanny of horror remains one of the best after 15 years, with an elaborate eight-acre set that ranges from swampland to the notorious "chainsaw maze." Starting Sunday, there'll be $100 cash prizes awarded thrice nightly for best costumes. Plus the casket factory is convenient. Admission $10. (769 W. Main St., Hendersonville, 822-5106; deathvalleyhauntedwoods.com) Fallout Start worrying and learn to hate the bomb, as shockmeister Rob Pitt leads you through a labyrinth of nuclear hell in this post-apocalyptic downtown attraction. Located just two blocks from the long-running Slaughterhouse (see below), so make it a night of fright in the shadow of Lower Broadway. Admission $10. (211 Sixth Ave. S., 255-2105) Ghouls at Grassmere For parents who crave Halloween fun but can’t justify dragging the young’uns through a chainsaw-infested torture pit, the Nashville Zoo’s annual creepfest for tots is the ideal solution: a sprawling spookshow featuring campfire ghost stories, animal attractions, haunted trails, tractor rides and treat stations around every bend. And for the occasion, the zoo’s new carousel will be lit with black lights—and running backward. At $7 ($3 for members), it’s a bargain—but note that extra tickets are required for the rides. Open 5 to 9 p.m., weekends only; it gets crowded fast, so arrive either early or late. (3777 Nolensville Road, 833-1534 ext. 134; nashvillezoo.org) Monster Mountain This haunted trail winds uphill through the darkened woods near Millersville, and the trail alone is said to scare even the actors. Not recommended for those with asthma or high blood pressure, which makes it sound even cooler. Admission $10; open Friday and Saturday only and limited hours Halloween night. (273 McMurtry Road, Hendersonville, 338-4632; angelfire.com/tn3/monstermountain) Old Salem Insane Asylum Are the spooks real at this Murfreesboro haunted house? Ghost hunter Terry Mayo says researchers have identified four actual apparitions that walk this former steel mill, including the ghost of a woman murdered in the 1960s and a prankish little boy. There are plenty of fake scares too, but don't taunt the ghosts, just in case. Admission $15, $10 with student ID. (521 Old Salem Road, Murfreesboro, 849-4020) Slaughterhouse 2K A bloodbath awaits behind the Gaylord Entertainment Center, where this downtown deathtrap has packed ’em in for several years with gimmicks such as 3-D glasses and a plexiglass pit concealing a nasty surprise. As featured in the Helmet video "Gone," shot here last summer. Admission $10. (423 Sixth Ave. S.; slaughterhouse2k.net)