The 13 Most Haunted Places in Oregon Will Terrify You

If you’re looking to get your scare on in the Pacific Northwest wonderland, then you’re in for a ghostly good time—these are the most haunted places in Oregon! 

Whether you’re brave enough to visit or stay a safe distance, this list will have you questioning every creaky floorboard and weird breeze. 

These are the 13 most haunted places in Oregon:

Pittock Mansion 

Portland

The Pittock Mansion, a majestic estate overlooking Portland, is not just a symbol of the city’s history—it’s one of the most haunted places in Oregon. 

A History of Henry

Henry Pittock is a Portland legend. Born in 1834 in London, England, Henry headed West on the Oregon Trail in 1853. A year later, Georgiana Burton moved to Portland from Missouri, eventually meeting and falling in love with Henry. 

In 1860, Henry was given ownership of The Oregonian in exchange for back wages. Henry transformed The Oregonian into an essential local news source that is still relevant today.

Henry and Georgiana moved into the Mansion in 1914 but only lived there for about 4 years before dying.

Henry died one year after Georgiana, unable to live without his soul mate.

Henry’s Ghost

• The spirits of Henry and Georgiana are unable to leave their beautiful Mansion in the afterlife (which makes complete sense in this economy) and are very active.
• The scent of roses, Georgiana’s favorite flower, lingers in rooms with no roses.
• People have also seen Henry Pittock’s ghost, and his portrait has been seen moving around on the wall on its own. 
• Near the Northern exterior of the Pittock Mansion, the sounds of shovels are often heard. Staff members believe this is the ghost of the former groundskeeper, who, just like the Pittocks, lived and died in the Mansion.

Shanghai Tunnels 

Portland

Beneath Portland’s streets lies the city’s dark history. The Shanghai Tunnels were once used for kidnapping men and forcing them into servitude on ships—a practice called “Shanghaiing.”

Prostitution rings also used the tunnels to keep groups of women in cages before being sold into human slavery. This gave them enough time to find buyers in other major cities.

These tunnels are now considered one of the most haunted places in Oregon. Visitors report hearing terrified screams, angry voices, and invisible hands tugging at their clothing in the underground pathways. Cold spots appear out of nowhere, and shadowy figures have been seen in dark corners.

The Benson Hotel

Portland

The Benson Hotel, built in 1913, is one of the most haunted places in Portland, Oregon.

Mr. Simon Benson has been spotted on the 7th, 9th, and 12th floors.

He wears a formal suit but also changes clothes, wearing a lumberjack outfit instead of his dapper suit. His ghost roams the common area of the Hotel and the bar. 

In the bar, Benson knocks drinks out of guests’ hands. You see, Benson never liked alcohol, and apparently, that extended into the afterlife. 

Bartenders report bottles being turned upside down and guests being tapped on the shoulder. 

The 9th Floor Ghost

Simon Benson is often with a playful little boy, believed to be his son. The boy also hangs around on the 9th floor. Benson’s boy likes to hide behind bedside tables, where he then will jump out or dart across the room, startling guests. 

The White Eagle Saloon

Portland

Now owned by McMenamins (like so many Portland bars…) White Eagle Saloon, one of Portland’s most famous haunted spots, is a former brothel and boarding house with a dark history. 

Visitors can experience more than just a good time. Doors slam shut on their own, glasses clink without explanation, and the air grows randomly cold. 

Rose, a young prostitute, died mysteriously here. Some say she was murdered by a jealous lover, while others think she committed suicide.

Her spirit is seen floating around the upper floors, and her crying is heard through the night. Patrons have heard her soft sobs and seen a woman in a flowing dress gliding through the dimly lit rooms. Cold spots and the scent of roses linger where she was last seen.

Sam, the Saloon’s former bouncer, known for his tough demeanor, was violently stabbed during a bar fight. Today, Sam’s ghost is said to linger near the basement and bar area. Shadowy figures and the sound of heavy footsteps echo in the men’s bathroom, also believed to be Sam. 

McMenamins Edgefield 

Troutdale

McMenamins Edgefield, a poorhouse turned hotel, is now one of the most haunted places in Oregon. 

Once home to Multnomah County’s poor farm, a place where people who had lost their jobs could come here and earn their stay, including food and housing. Many never got back on their feet and died there. 

There has been tons of activity in room 215, on the second and third floors, and around the winery, which was once the infirmary. 

Staff have found odd things during the property’s renovation, like animal bones and a pentagram, possibly left by kids fooling around. 

Alison’s Experience

• Alison Berliner, who has worked at Edgefield for over 3 years, says she’s seen ghosts. One morning, she spotted what she describes as a full apparition of a nurse from the 1960s in the hallway above the winery. “She was so clear—I could see her hat and even her pantyhose. Then, she just vanished.”
• She also saw a large shadow figure in the Black Rabbit Bar with bad energy, which made her request a transfer back to the winery.

Oregon State Hospital 

Salem

Oregon State Hospital, established in the 1880s, has a history that’s as long as it is dark. This psychiatric facility housed thousands of patients who were subjected to treatments that now seem more like nightmares than medical care. 

The hospital was known for its overcrowded wards and harsh treatments, including lobotomies, electroshock therapy, and extreme isolation.

Many of the patients were not mentally ill; they were often society’s outcasts—orphans, the elderly, and criminals—sent here to be forgotten.

The Crematorium Room

• The dead were cremated on-site, and many had no family to claim their bodies. These days, staff have heard harsh, angry whispers in the crematorium, and some have seen silvery forms hovering near the old furnace. 

The Tunnel of Lost Souls

• Beneath the hospital, a network of tunnels was used to move patients between buildings. It was also the final route for those who had died, as their bodies were discreetly moved to the crematorium. 
• These creepy tunnels are the most haunted parts of the hospital. Sudden drops in temperature and disembodied footsteps running through the narrow passageways are common. The screams of patients ring in the darkness as if they are reliving their last moments in the hospital.

Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast 

Yachats

The Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast is one of the Oregon Coast’s most popular destinations.

The ghost of Rue, the wife of a former lighthouse keeper, haunts the keeper’s house. Guests have seen her reflection in mirrors, heard soft crying during the night, and woken up to the sensation of someone rubbing and touching their face. 

Others say Rue tugged at their clothes or moved small objects, like their phones. 

You know how people get about their phones.

While some feel a comforting presence, others leave feeling a heavy sadness, as if they’ve been infected by her grief. 

The Hot Lake Hotel 

La Grande

The Hot Lake Hotel, once a luxurious resort and later a sanatorium, is beyond creepy. This remote Hotel is one of the most haunted places in Oregon, with reports of ghost activity going back decades.

Built in the early 1900s, visitors came for the geothermal hot springs, which were believed to have healing properties. The hotel was converted into a sanatorium in the 1920s, run by Dr. William T. Phy, where it became a place of suffering and experimental treatments.

The Fire

A devastating fire in 1934 destroyed most of the building, killing several people. Some believe that the panic and fear during the fire left an imprint on the building.

The most common sightings include shadowy figures darting quickly across the halls, thought to be restless former patients. Cold spots appear out of nowhere, and many people feel like they’re being watched from the stairwell. A ghostly man dressed in an old-fashioned white coat also wanders the building, said to be Dr. Phy still checking on patients.

Crater Lake National Park

Klamath County

Crater Lake National Park, one of Oregon’s most extraordinary natural wonders, is also one of its most haunted.

Legends of the Lake:

• Wizard Island: This volcanic cinder cone rises out of the water, creating a small island in the middle of the Lake. Legends say the island is a sacred place, with some claiming to see ghosts and strange lights near its shores.
• Phantom Ship Island: The small, rugged island resembles a ghostly ship gliding across the water. It’s said to appear and disappear in the mist, leaving some to wonder if it’s truly a physical island.
• The Old Man of the Lake: A mysterious, floating tree stump that has been drifting upright in the Lake for over a century. No one knows how or why it continues to float, and some believe it was put there by aliens.
• UFO Sightings: Speaking of aliens, visitors have reported seeing UFOs hovering above the Lake, often described as bright orbs of light that suddenly disappear. 
• Bigfoot Encounters: Crater Lake has been the site of numerous Bigfoot sightings. Campers and hikers have reported hearing strange, guttural noises and glimpsing Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) moving between the trees.
• The Missing Plane: In 1944, a Navy Hellcat fighter plane crashed into the Lake, and no trace of the aircraft or its pilot was ever found. To this day, the crash is an unsolved mystery.
• Phantom Campers: Some visitors claim to hear faint voices and see campfires burning on the lakeshore, only to find no one there upon investigation. 
• Mysterious Deaths: Over the years, Crater Lake has been the site of several unexplained disappearances. Hikers sometimes go missing, only to be found in bizarre circumstances or never to be found at all.
• Lake Spirits: Native American legends tell of spirits that protect the lake, and visitors have reported strange lights hovering over the water.

The Wolf Creek Inn

Wolf Creek

The Wolf Creek Inn is a historic hotel that offers more than just charming hospitality if you get our drift… yeah, it’s got ghosts.

It is Oregon’s oldest continuously operating inn, once visited by stars like Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, so this is no surprise.

Room 8

• American Author Jack London‘s ghost is one of the most well-known spirits here. London frequently stayed at the Wolf Creek Inn, always in Room 8. 
• Guests who stay in this room have reported the faint rustling of papers, the sound of a pen scratching against paper, and the smell of tobacco smoke despite the room being smoke-free for decades. 

Other Hauntings

• In the dining room, people hear footsteps and glasses clinking.
• Guests often hear footsteps in the hallways when no one is there, and doors have been seen opening and closing on their own.

Liberty Theatre 

Astoria

It’s no surprise that the Liberty Theatre in Astoria has made the list of most haunted places in Oregon.

Handsome Paul

• Paul is the most famous ghost of the Liberty Theatre. Described as a tall, handsome man in a tux, Paul a former actor.
• He is known for being a charming presence, often seen in the balcony or backstage area. He’s been described as friendly and flirty with women, earning him the nickname “Handsome Paul.”
• Many feel his presence, with some reporting seeing him in mirrors or sitting silently in the audience, watching the stage.

The Haunted Soda Machine

• One of the weirdest parts about the Liberty Theatre is the soda machines. Staff members have heard the machines randomly dispensing drinks when no one is around, usually late at night after the theater has closed.
• The machines have been checked multiple times, but no mechanical issues were found. 

The Woman in White

• Many believe she was a performer or a patron at the Theatre. One version of the story claims that she fell from the balcony during a performance; another says she was murdered by a lover.
• She is felt more often than seen, particularly in the balcony and backstage areas. Some describe a cold, melancholy energy that drifts through the building as if her sorrow lingers after death.

Lithia Park

Ashland

The beating heart of the tiny mountain town of Ashland, Lithia Park is known for its beauty, winding trails, deer, and a healthy river running right through the center. 

The most famous legend tied to Lithia Park is that of a young girl in a long white dress who is often seen wandering the wooded areas. It is said that she was murdered in the park in the early 1900s and now haunts the trails near Ashland Creek. 

Those who have encountered her describe a cold, uneasy feeling followed by the sound of sobbing echoing through the trees. Some even claim to have seen her pale figure walking behind the trees.

Other weirdness in Lithia Park include strange voices, flickering lights near the pond, and sudden drops in temperature. Late-night walkers felt they were being watched or followed, with shadows darting behind the massive trees.

Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery

Yamhill County

The story of Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery in Yamhill County is wrapped in a mystery, tragedy, and alleged witchcraft. 

While much of their lives and deaths have become clouded by local lore, they are the main reasons why this cemetery is considered one of the most haunted places in Oregon.

Anna Marple was a pioneer woman living in the town of Lafayette in the late 1800s. After a series of mysterious misfortunes hit the town, she was accused of being a witch.

Details of her “witchcraft” remain unclear. Some say Anna was a healer or midwife, using natural remedies, leading to fear and suspicion. Anna Marple’s mother, Lena Elsie, was also accused of witchcraft and believed to have passed her knowledge of the craft onto her daughter.

Legend says Anna Marple was hung, and with her final breath, she cursed the town of Lafayette, vowing that it would burn down 3 times. As there have been fires in the area following her death… locals take this seriously.

Anna Marple and Lena Elsie are said to haunt the Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery out of spite.

Visitors have seen a woman in a long, dark cloak walking through the graves. Others have heard her laughing bitterly and or saying angrily, “Run home!” One group of people chased out of the cemetery and found deep cuts on their backs later.

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