Ghostly Getaways! Exploring Alberta’s Most Haunting Places

Alberta harbours secrets as vast as its prairies and as old as its piercing mountains. As cool temperatures settle over the province, a different kind of chill begins creeping through historic corridors and windswept landscapes.

Welcome to Alberta's supernatural side – where restless spirits roam and centuries-old mysteries linger in the shadows. With Halloween fast approaching, there's no better time to explore the province's most thrilling destinations.

Fairmont Banff Springs

Perched like a gothic castle amid the misty peaks of the Canadian Rockies, Fairmont Banff Springs doesn't just flirt with the supernatural – it dances with it.

Head Bellman Sam McCauley once joked to colleagues he'd return in the afterlife to haunt the hotel, but little do people realize they've run into the Scottish-voiced bellhop until he vanishes into thin air. Shortly following his passing, the first sighting of Sam's apparition appeared, and his friendly spirit is said to wander the baronial hallways still.

Resort guests can learn about this ghostly apparition, the legend of the ghost bride and other mysterious tales at 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. from October 19–31, 2025 during Ghost Tours at Fairmont Banff Springs.

Shadows of the Summits: A Creepy Open Top Tour in Banff

As twilight descends on Banff, a different kind of journey begins. Shadows of the Summits invites brave souls to climb aboard a vintage 1930s open-top coach for a chilling ride through the national park's most haunting tales.

Developed in collaboration with Stoney Nakoda storytelling partners, this 90-minute journey blends eerie legends and local lore with Indigenous perspectives, bringing to life the mysteries that linger in the mountain air. Along the way, guests will stop at locales like Hoodoos Viewpoint, the ghostly remnants of Bankhead and the moonlit shores of Two Jack Lake.

Running most days from October 1–31, 2025 at 5 p.m. (weather permitting), it’s a spellbinding way for kids and adults alike to experience Banff’s darker side—where history lingers in the shadows and the mountains whisper their secrets.

Heritage Park

With an enchanting mix of spooky fun, historical charm and family-friendly activities, Ghouls' Night Out at Calgary’s Heritage Park is a must-attend Halloween event.

Unlike more intense or frightening events, Ghouls' Night Out is designed specifically for children. The creepy factor is just enough to give kids a thrill without causing nightmares. Children can trick-or-treat safely through the park's vintage streets, encountering costumed characters and participating in themed activities like scavenger hunts and crafts. But you better dress up! Families are encouraged to join in the costume fun. Ghouls' Night Out runs October 23–26, 2025.

The older set can uncover the haunted side of Heritage Park with their ghost tours. Running several dates in September and October 2025, the tours delve into the unexplained occurrences haunting the Park’s historic buildings and grounds.

Sylvan Lake Haunted House

Fans of horror flicks with strong slasher vibes will want to sign up for Sylvan Lake's Haunted House. In such an intense atmosphere, you better not spook easily. Only the fearless can escape this house of horrors, but not without a bit of terror. If past years are any indication, this freak show is expected to sell out. Snag your tickets for the October 2025 experience quickly.

TELUS Spark

TELUS Spark, Calgary's science centre, totally transforms into an adults-only playground during Spark After Dark events.

For those who crave horror movie thrills, their spooky season-inspired event delivers hands-on activities and exhibits that play with your senses and mind, creating an unsettling environment full of surprises. Taking place on October 10, 2025, Spark After Dark: Gore delivers bloody and macabre details behind the most iconic horror films and moments in pop culture. Learn the movie magic behind gory special effects, taste a shot of edible stage blood, get a realistic faux wound with costume makeup, enjoy eyeball-garnished cocktails and more.

Last Chance Saloon

For a legit ghost town experience, look no further than the hamlet of Wayne near Drumheller. The surrounding landscape of the Canadian Badlands, once a bustling coal-mining hub, now stands deathly quiet. Within this rugged setting sits the Last Chance Saloon, a historic outpost with vintage decor, bullet holes in the walls and rich tales of outlaws. Buddy up to the bartender to get the scoop as you tuck into smokehouse favourites. Want to see for yourself if the rumoured paranormal activity is true? Brave souls can spend the night in one of the Rosedeer Hotel’s themed rooms.

Ghost Walks in Banff and Canmore

Though famed for their natural beauty and abundance of outdoor activities, there’s another side to Banff and Canmore waiting to be explored. Filled with historic landmarks, abandoned cabins and dark woods encircling the towns, it’s no wonder several supernatural events are rumoured to have taken place. During Banff Canmore Ghost Walks, you’ll hear chilling tales of tragic accidents, haunted hotels and ghostly sightings in the wilderness. Lantern in hand, your guide—often dressed in period attire, shares local legends of restless spirits, mysterious apparitions and unsettling occurrences that have menaced the area for decades. Routes are wheelchair-friendly, and service animals or family pets can tag along.

Step away from the slopes and into the paranormal on a ghost walk with Discover Banff Tours. What lurks in the shadows of this pristine mountain town’s side streets? Your interpretive guide will reveal all. Just be prepared for a ghostly encounter of your very own.

Historic Inglewood

The stunning historic buildings lining 9th Avenue, Calgary’s first main street, have borne witness to many tragedies over the years. Heritage Calgary has devised a self-guided haunted walking tour of Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood. Luckily, you’re in a prime spot to down a cocktail and drown your fears before or after your tour. Both Deane House and the Hose & Hound serve up shiver-inducing spirits in more ways than one. For a guided experience, look to Calgary Ghost Tours, which offers weekly walks of several Calgary neighbourhoods and haunted pubs.

Edmonton Ghost Tours

For a harrowing dive into the city's otherworldly past, Edmonton Ghost Tours offers several eerie expeditions that'll send shivers down your spine. As twilight falls, you'll be welcomed into Edmonton's mysterious side, with each tour offering its own ominous tale. Ghostly apparitions supposedly wander the halls at the University of Alberta. And who can explain the strange occurrences in Old Strathcona, one of the city's most atmospheric neighbourhoods? Consider the Haunted Trolly Tour over the High Level Bridge for something a little different. For those who lean more towards history than hauntings, stroll through Mountain Pleasant Cemetery on a Heritage Tour.

Atlas Coal Mine

You won’t find any jump scares or jack-o’-lanterns at Atlas Coal Mine, just 20 minutes southeast of Drumheller. Still, you will find plenty of atmosphere during Atlas After Dark: Superstitions . This adults-only, small-group tour, happening Oct. 4, 5, 10 and 11, 2025, explores the superstitions of the mining community. Touring the vast, empty remnants of this former coal processing plant after dark, guided only by the light of helmet lamps and moonlight, feels slightly unnerving. The faint creaks of aging equipment, coupled with the lingering scent of coal, add an extra shiver to the already foreboding atmosphere.

As the group descends through the site, you might feel a strange presence, as though the plant itself is watching. Is it? Only time will tell as you ride on the National Historic Site’s 90-year-old locomotive and walk up the enclosed gantry to the top of the tipple, towering 125 feet above ground.