Most people like to be scared once in awhile. That’s why we watch scary movies or visit haunted houses. My family likes a good scare, from watching Friday the 13th to visiting haunted trails on moonless nights. We love Halloween.

I looked for something good to scare us in October, but found few choices. We went to one nearby place, but they were closing early.

We then drove south. I remembered a sign in passing and we figured we’d give it a try. Driving down Route 11 we found the sign – black – offering hayrides and a Haunted House. We took The Last Ride Hayride and it was fantastic, so we went back the next night for the Haunted House.

We all enjoyed the hayride. Due to recent rain there was a lot of mud, which added to the fun. One woman I talked to said that she had looked all over before discovering this place. Among the characters we saw on the hayride were witches that gave us candy, a pirate, and classics like Jason and Freddy. There were also the usual ghosts and ghouls.

The Haunted House was spook-tacular. As you enter, Dr. Zombie the doorman tells you, "Once you enter there’s no turning back" and locks the door behind you. The day we went, they toned it down for my little girl. It was very dark inside and my husband ran into a wall. The Mad Butcher was my favorite. My son liked the Floating Heads the best.

Dutch, our driver on the hayride, told me that this setup was put together with the help of friends and family in three weeks. His son, Dan, owns the attraction. This year it ran weekends through October and everyday the week of Halloween. There is a concession stand with coffee, donuts, apple cider, soda, chili and other snacks available. There’s also a gift shop.

The property was purchased just for the attraction. Between Dan and Dutch, they’ve run trails and Haunts for over ten years.

Next year, Dan plans to stay open longer, possibly opening the last week of September through the first year in November. He promises lots of surprises in 2008 – bigger and "badder" trails. He currently has 20 workers and next year plans to expand to 25-30. My family can't wait until next Halloween!

Call 315.529.0320 for info and directions. The Last Ride Haunted House and Hayride is located at 291 Johnson Road, Hastings.

This review was done in 2007. Call for current details.