I saw an ad on Instagram (I know, beware) and we decided to go sort of last minute. Instagram ead of driving up North for some spooky fun I figured try something new and a little more local. And I am so glad we did! Can't believe we have been missing out all these years (I believe this is their 15th year) We had VIP entry for 7pm and at 1st I thought I could have saved some money and gone general entry but ended up the extra cost was well worth the money. The general entry line wasn't super long at 1st but for sure it started getting packed. We were 1st in line and eager to check everything out and get some good scares. The trial is a bit uneven but is well lit and actually not too bad to walk. The scareators were amazing, the props as well and the staff superb! The scares are enhanced knowing you are literally walking through the buildings and area of the old amusement park. We were in the first group to enter and what I liked not is we were spaced out. Even though there were roughly 8 of us we all got a chance to get scared. There was no overcrowding or trying to fit too many people through at once. It was perfect. Parking is free and easy in and out (dirt lot but we'll maintained). Depending on the time and date you go might help factor in which ticket option you want. There are three options, general line, fast pass, and VIP. Each allow you to stand in or bypass the line. Later in the season I would for sure go with fast pass at least. I can picture this haunt getting busier. Overall a great local haunt, well priced, easy to get to and awesome people. Can't wait to go back! read more

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I had a really nice time with my friends... I think the ticket price is worth it for the art you get to experience. Yeah we did have to wait a little after opening to actually get in, but it wasn't that bad, and it was opening night after all. One thing I would suggest is having some Halloween music to listen to while in the queue. All of the actors were so cool and did a great job. It was a nice long experience and I liked not being rushed through (at Seaworld and some other big ones they had security guards everywhere which kinda ruined the atmosphere). I'm so grateful that there were sections of the trail where I was just completely alone. The roominess of this haunt really helps sell it, along with the location in the mountains. It's a beautiful place to be even when you're scared. read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

Amazing haunted amusement park. Great mazes, costumes, and actors making me scream and laugh. Family oriented and very professional. Let little children wear glow sticks so that the actors will not mess with them. This place was very authentic, with actual old Ferris wheel parts etc. Wear close toe shoes, many uneven dirt trails to walk on. Not recommended for people prone to seizures due to strobe lights and 3D effects. I'd recommend everyone to check this out. read more

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Scotty's has been a yearly tradition for my daughter, myself, and a couple friends. Unfortunately, last night was the last time for us. I think the trail itself is really good and fun. The staffing and logistics are a big problem. We watched 60-80 high school kids cut in line and there was no one able or even trying to stop them. This made the wait time almost 2 hours for us. When the lady escort people on to the trail would take a group in, another 6-8 kids would cut in line. By the time our group got to go in, we were all so frustrated that we couldn't care less about the trail. It's really sad that something that was once a cool tradition has become like this. I do wonder if it is all a business decision. They only have one ticket window open. General admission is $25 but a fast pass is $35. I'm not sure what changed between past years and this year but other people had commented that it was noticeably different and felt like they were way understaffed. For $25-35 a ticket, I hope Scotty's can figure out a better system and put 5-6 people guiding the lines. read more

These people did a FANTASTIC JOB!!! I've been to plenty of Halloween mazes, Scare Trails, and Haunted Houses -- from the East Coast to the West Coast. This one was a fantastic bang for your buck! It was a decently long "expedition" with a great blend of themes and build-out. There were the standard body parts, creepy animatronics, and sinister actors but also unique areas with optical illusions and 3D glow features (requiring the use of 3D glasses, which were provided). The rundown amusement park itself definitely lends to the creep-factor! Tip: Pay the extra $10 for the Fast Pass! It was 100% worth it! There are two distinct lines when approaching the ticket sales booth (general admission & fast pass). At first you may be confused and thinking the general admission line seems to be moving just as fast as (if not faster than) the fast pass line. Do not be fooled! Once you get past the ticket sales booth and enter the actual park, you will see the Disney-like general admission line, continuing to fold about 30 times! Our total wait to enter the scare trail, once we were in the actual park, was around 25-30 minutes (time in sales line approx 10-15 mins). There are also Port-a-Potties and a concession stand (with food and drinks) inside the park that you can take advantage of while your party waits to enter the trail. Warning: This experience features a heavy dose of clowns and darkness. If you (or your kids) do not do well with the dark, this may be a tough one for you. There are several areas to walk through that are near pitch-black darkness -- but luckily, they are over pretty quickly. I have to say the makeup and prosthetics for the actors was top notch! Obviously this isn't Hollywood but for a Scare Trail, it was definitely some of the best I've seen! You can tell the individuals involved in this are not just there to make a quick buck. They actually put time and effort into their outfits...but also their scare-delivery! I could tell they really paid attention to the individuals in the group that were easily scared -- as well as those "tough guys" that take a bit of extra effort. They made sure even the most difficult to scare in our group had at least a few solid jump scares LOL As for ages: our group consisted of a range of ages, from 8 years to 15 years + adults. Everyone in our group did just fine. I should preface that by saying the 8 yr old in our group loves horror and is not phased by the sight of blood, gore, etc. She loves to be jump-scared and typically does better than the 15 yr olds! If your kids are young and you are debating whether this is for them: if they watch scary movies or play scary games, they will be just fine! They will *absolutely* scream (a lot) and will leave shaken up...but they will be just fine! Such an awesome (and well-priced) experience for the family and we will definitely do it again next year! Note: I deducted 1 star due to the parking situation. The lot was completely full as was the street (Saturday evening). We ended up having to park on the street and the curbs are a bit high. Not sure there's anything they can do about the parking situation but it's an inconvenience to note. read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

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As a scare actor this trail is amazing! I'm honestly not the biggest fan of howloscream at seaworld or the haunted trail at balboa, I just don't think they are that scary. Scotty's trail definitely sacred the shit out of me! I think it helped that it's an actual trail through a spooky abandoned amusement park. Also going late at night with less people was amazing because my friend and I got most of the scares so it was amazing. I haven't been that scared in a long time and the actors did an amazing job! 10/10 definitely recommend this and i will be back next year! read more

The best Haunt in all of San Diego! Beats screamzone, Balboa haunted trail and SeaWorld Hands down!

Overall my friends and I had a good time. Entry fee is $25 but we ended up going with the fast passes to skip the line, which was $35. You definitely get your moneys worth. The trail was long and we really don't run into other groups that much. I probably won't go again because I prefer scarier attractions but if you're free a weekend I think it's worth to check out. read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

Great place highly recommend this scary trail for the price ........... A San Diego must do during the Halloween Holiday read more

We went a few weeks ago to the trail with some friends. We had been pre-Covid and decided to check it out again. It is such a cool homegrown haunted attraction. We loved that they now take pictures of you that they post online before you go into the trail. Super friendly staff, pretty big haunted trail, and good times all around. read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Photo booth at entrance - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

This is amazingly unique and well done. I've never been more scared, in hindsight it was a fun scared but while it was happening I went through every possible horror movie and it lasted SO LONG. You feel like you are in a maze of terror forever. It hits on pretty much every fear you could have. I didn't expect it to be so good. Impressive actors! read more

If you're one to worry about parking this place is not for you. It's terrible. Non existent really. Then you wait in a line where you inhale dirt and weed smoke for 2 hours. The trail itself is fun but balboa is better. You get reservations and better parking. read more

Second time here (since they've been in business) and I love the unpretentious nature of the place. This is so much fun, so scary. Thank you! read more

Super fun walk through. About and hour-ish maybe longer for the whole thing, you don't stop once you're in! Time flew by! Parking can be challenging. read more

Always a great time. It has become a yearly tradition now. Not the scariest, but fun.

Its really fun I do recommend, Went with my daughter all the actors were on point it's dark and scary u get what u pay for. Wear old shoes though, your shoes will be covered in dirt parking is pretty limited. Park on the side. There's a curb just drive over steady(cars) if u have a truck or suv your good. I drove over with my car just be careful. Worth it . Fast pass I do recommend. Best 10$ spent . Solid. read more

Had a great time! Line to get in was long but shorter than an hour while in peak times. Definitely worth the wait though! Been to most "haunted" and scary attractions in San Diego and this one actually had me screaming a few times! 10/10 recommend! Not kid friendly! read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Entrance - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Best scare trail in San Diego!!!! I don't scare easy... but this place got me... and I love that! They improve every year and I'll keep going back. Thanks guys and keep up the good work! read more

First time here and it was so worth it! Got the fast pass but even on a Sunday night you may not have needed it if you get there 30 mins early. It was scary, fun and worth every penny! It was our 5 year old sons first haunted maze! He was terrified! Had his eyes closed half the time but it shows that this place is good for all ages! read more

Scotties Scare Trail is one of San Diego's hidden gems during the Halloween season. The place itself is a bit hard to spot at night because the ferris wheel isn't huge like you'd expect it to be. Because it's a hidden gem, not many people frequent. Which is good for the short wait to no wait at all, and bad for business which could mean they won't reopen the following year. The bathroom scene and the bumper cars are by far my absolute favorite, and will more than likely be yours too. I won't spoil it, but I will reassure you, this scare trail is very carefully planned down to each and every detail. Its the perfect "Boo" trail and it's the only "Haunted House" attraction that offers photographs with the characters at the end. Scotties will not disappoint. Our family has been eagerly awaiting to go again this year and will continue to do so for years to come (As long as they're still in business of course.) read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

Scariest haunted attraction in San Diego. There are long stretches where your group is alone and the place is very run down. Makes for some great scares. read more

Take trip down memory lane. While I didn't grow up in SD many of my friends have and they remember this place creating many fond childhood memories. This park has been closed for many years now and left to decay in place creating the perfect venue for a haunted experience! Haunted bumper cars, ferris wheel, roller coaster, and other abandoned buildings on the property created the perfect atmosphere for the marshal scotty's haunted trail. While scary enuf to scare young kids, not over the top, but yet with enuf thrills to scare adults alike while bringing back fond memories of time spent at the park as a child. This was a limited time venue and I hope they continue the thrills next year. All proceeds from this event went to a great cause, a local horse rescue in town. If you missed it this year be sure to contact the organization and tell them to continue their much appreciated efforts next year! read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

Definitely one of the best! Lot's of jump scares and creepy characters. Props and rooms are on point, we always love to go to Scotty's!

Always a fun place to go, and not as expensive as the haunted hotel and haunted trail. I highly recommend it!

Came in with decent expectations and was blown away. My favorite haunted house I have been to. It was grittier than the Haunted Trail in Balboa Park which I also enjoyed. I think being a little less corporate and run down a bit ADDS to the realism. I literally felt like I was in a horror movie. My daughter and her friends felt that way too! I definitely could not recommend it more. read more

I haven't done a haunted house in a while so this was great to experience! The venue is pretty much creepy already so it was a natural choice. We paid for the fast pass which is worth it ($25 instead of $18). We came at 9pm on a Friday and it was busy on the general admission side, but the shorter line helped a lot (20 minutes instead of who knows how long). I enjoyed the different scenes and there were some terrifying moments for sure. Had a frightfully fun time and would easily recommend to friends. read more

The trail, was by far the best scary thing I've gone threw. I even volunteered there last year! And I was doing it again this year. But I can't anymore.. read more

This was our first time out here, never heard of this place before but I read about it on some Instagram blog. Hands down, the best haunted trail in SD! Totally worth the drive, the price, the time! I can't rate this place any higher but I would if I could. This year we decided to hit up as many haunted trails as possible, this one was our favorite, will definitely be back every year! Good job guys, I hope everyone gets to enjoy this place as much as we did! read more

Best haunt I've been to in San Diego, and I've been to almost all of them. The only other one that comes close is the hotel downtown, but that's mostly because of it's downstairs location. Scotty's is long, creepy, good jump scares, good actors, great location, great design, great props. It's pretty dark, and the trail has an open feel that makes it seem more realistic. Even their tickets are pretty cool, and they sell some creepy posters for only two bucks. It is a little far, but that means it doesn't really get crowded, or have any long waits. If they had something this good closer to the city, they would have lines around the block. A little background, my wife and I love scary movies, and have been going to haunts off and on for the past 10 years. Check it out, you will NOT be disappointed. read more

So much fun and I hate being scared!! Super cool seeing the old amusement park too! Lots of creepy clowns, go with a group.

Hear me out... this trail was so much fun. I was screaming and jumping around and acting the fool. The actors were amazing and my heart was beating so fast. The reason I am giving this a one star review because there was a single actor stationioned shortly after the man in the cage. She was quite heavyset with blond hair and a pair but f seeing glasses wearing a dress with a zombie make up on. This was the rudest most aggressive blatantly disrespectful employee I have ever ran into ever. She got in my face. All because I didn't stop when she told me to because I was being chased by actors. When I happened to refer to her as a "she", she got a major attitude and then decided to lecture me on minding my pronouns and how it was 2017 and I needed to refer to people with gender neutrality. This woman was so incredibly aggressive that the friends I was with had to intervene. She even started walking towards me after I walked away to get in my face like she wanted to fight. Another actor in a costume actually had to stand between us in radio in the situation. She completely killed the mood for our group. At first I thought it was part of the attraction why they are rude and heckle of the guests but then I realize she was being dead serious. I have never in my life seen anything like it. And honestly I'm not the type of person you talk to you like that because I usually speak with my fist. So I hope no other family have to deal with this woman in fact she should be fired. If I was the owner of this attraction I would let her go IMMEDIATELY. read more

Scotty's Scare Trail - The woman in the back with the glasses on. The RUDE ONE. - Haunted Houses Near Me - El Cajon, California

Great experience!! Amazing actors and truly scary... I was impressed and we now go every year! Great work from all part of it.

This was the best place I have been to in a long time!!! We always went to Del Mar and downtown but man last year changed my life!!! Free parking and very affordable prices... since I have a family of six!! Scared the crap out of me and even scared the craziest of My family that never gets scared!!! It's truly the best but most terrifying experience of your life... if that makes any sense at ALL!!! read more

This place is legit!!! Just be careful going through the trail...things jump out at you and there's a good chance you'll trip and eat it haha!!! read more

Second year doing this with the family. Even better than the year before. Wait wasn't that bad. They made it a little longer this year which was an added bonus. read more

A creepy walk through an abandoned amusement park with rides frozen in place... doesn't get any better than this. Watch out for the restroom, bumper cars, and things that slither in the night. It's refreshing to do a Halloween event without huge lines to get in - recommend you go earlier in the season rather than later! BTW the scarers are awesome. Lots of planning and care went into this event. read more

This continues to be the best haunted house in the San Diego area year after year. The costumes are top notch and the old theme park is the perfect setting for a spooky adventure! read more

Good decent trail but def a lot of room for improvement. Needs sound effects or some music to hype you up couldnt really enjoy it because they sent us behind a group of 24 which walked very slow. read more

I went here last year and it's fairly good for the price. This place was perfect for a scary trail, since it's at an abandoned amusement park. The actors were OK but the attraction itself has a lot of potential! read more

My friends and I went last year and it was a horrible experience! It was a really good trail but the employees were super unprofessional! We were going through the trail and a character started following us and then we got stopped by an employee because they had too many people in part of the trail so she was holding us back. Then the character following us started to creep out one of our girls and she was trying to get away so she accidentally passed the employee! The employee screamed at my friend telling her to get back in the holding spot. So my friend turned to the character and said "she said to wait here please leave me alone" and the employee immediately had to start a fight about the fact that it's "2017" and she didn't want to be called a girl! She got up in all of our faces and was ready to literally start a fist fight! SO UNPROFESSIONAL! It ruined our whole experience, we finished the trail but nothing was scary after the employee ruined our experience. I will never be going back here again because we were trying to have fun but the employees had to make everything political! read more