Now in its 19th year, this perennial Halloween fave might be the only in the Tristate to warrant its own county directional sign — and with good reason. Split into two distinct attractions, it’s worth the countryside trek.
The Hayride lumbers through cannibalistic outposts and asylums-gone-wild, with ghouls assaulting the trailer on all sides, sometimes even climbing into the ride alongside you. A startlingly realistic headless horseman descends on the crowd, psychotic hillbillies terrorize your group with monster trucks and a toothed combine threatens to run the entire caravan off-road and into the surrounding dark cornfields.
The Black Bog is a more intense walk-through attraction that features backwoods mutants, a deranged funhouse filled with clowns and an unnervingly unhygenic diner. The actors commit admirably to their roles, sometimes even engaging you in conversation, as you find your way along the dark path.
Both are geared more toward families than gorehounds, but jolts abound — and its out-of-the-way, foggy location helps set a terrific alone-in-the-woods ambience. Average wait for both attractions is 30 minutes, and a fall festival atmosphere envelopes the whole soiree. Open Friday-Saturday through Nov. 1, kicking off 30 minutes after sundown and with tickets available until 11:30 p.m.
Bull Run Farms, 6070 Springboro Road, I-71 North (exit 28) toward Lebanon, www.bullrunfarms.com
What to Expect: You will be chased. The hayride can be dark and scary, and it has a maze.
What’s Unique: Realistically sets its scenes and avoids the cliches; not a single hockey mask in sight.
The Damage: Hayride $12, Black Bog $8, combo for $16
CityBeat Rating: PG (Haunted Hayride), PG-13 (Black Bog)
