Nightmare on 13th earns national Halloween recognition

SALT LAKE CITY — For more than three decades, Nightmare on 13th has been a Halloween tradition in Utah. Now, the Salt Lake City haunted attraction is getting national recognition as one of America Haunts' Top 5 Fan Favorites for 2026.

Nightmare on 13th is in its 37th season, continuing a tradition of changing its sets, scenery, characters and special effects to give returning visitors something new to experience.

"A lot of people consider us the Disneyland of haunted houses," said Phillip Wright, marketing director for Nightmare on 13th.

This season includes new experiences, including the 13th Manor, described as a theatrical and immersive scare show, along with new animatronics, a special ride and other additions to the courtyard.

Keeping the attraction running takes a large team. Nightmare on 13th has a small year-round production staff, which grows to roughly 200 to 250 people throughout the season, with about 100 employees working each night.

For visitors like Elizabeth Jenson, the attraction has become part of her family's Halloween routine. She said she has been coming to Nightmare on 13th for at least 15 years, bringing her children with her.

"I've come for at least 15 years now, every year. Me and my kids always come. It's a tradition."

That tradition extends beyond Salt Lake City. Jenn Bartlett makes the trip from southern Utah, returning because she enjoys seeing what has changed from one season to the next.

"I just keep coming back because we have fun. They keep changing it up a little bit every year. I drive all the way up here from southern Utah."

For some of the actors, working inside the attraction is a full-circle experience.

Kieshawn Johnson, now in his fifth season as an actor at Nightmare on 13th, grew up wanting to see what was inside the attraction after visiting as a customer.

"Since I was a little boy, I wanted to see the inside of this place as outside being a customer, and now I'm old enough to do so; here I am … living the dream," Johnson said.

America Haunts says its Top 5 Fan Favorites recognize attractions that give visitors an experience they cannot get from watching a Halloween movie — the opportunity to physically enter the story and interact with live performers.

Nightmare on 13th was selected alongside four other attractions: Cutting Edge Haunted House in Texas, NETHERWORLD Haunted House in Georgia, Beast Haunted Attraction in Missouri and Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Attractions in New York.

Wright said the attraction's connection with its audience is a major reason it has remained popular for so long.

"It's definitely an honor, and I think it's because people really connect with our characters and our brand, and we're very just Halloween-oriented haunted houses," Wright said.

Nightmare on 13th opened for the 2026 season Sept. 18 and is located at 300 W. 1300 South in Salt Lake City.

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