ST. GEORGE, Utah — What began 16 years ago as a handful of tombstones and low voltage lights in a front yard has grown into one of Southern Utah’s most elaborate Halloween traditions, and it remains free to the public.
Haunted Wood Cove opens Oct. 2 and is scheduled to continue through Nov. 1. Visitors should check the official channels for current nightly updates before traveling.
Haunted Wood Cove is an immersive walk through attraction built at a residential home in Santa Clara. For creator Todd Wood, the inspiration traces back to a childhood near Southern California’s theme parks. Raised in a military family with limited funds, visits to Disneyland happened only once every four years, sparking a lifelong desire to build themed attractions of his own.
“I grew up running to people’s houses wishing it was a haunted house of some kind that I could enjoy,” Wood said. “So when I moved to St. George 16 years ago, there were so many kids, so much fun, and the area just loves Halloween.”
The haunt’s evolution was not without trial and error. In its early years, digital window projections of zombies and graphic displays drew complaints from parents whose young children were too frightened to approach the front porch.
Moving away from graphic horror, the display transitioned into detailed, story driven themes inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean and Disney’s Haunted Mansion. Six years ago, mounting crowds led the team to transform the setup into a full scale walk through attraction.
A neighborhood effort built over months
Bringing the haunt to life each year is a neighborhood endeavor. Planning and design begin as early as March, with construction starting in the front yard over the July 4 weekend. A core team of six people, including family members, neighbors and retired friends, spends months building structures, wiring custom animatronics and adding scenic details.
This year’s walk through reimagines classic elements from the Haunted Mansion ride, including an endless hallway, custom animated coffins and a stretching room.
The haunt has generated memorable moments over the years. One Halloween night near closing time, a Santa Clara police cruiser pulled into the driveway. Wood feared the team was in trouble or being asked to lower the volume. Instead, the officer asked whether the attraction was still open so he could pick up his family and bring them through.
Free admission with a charitable purpose
Although the attraction charges no admission, it has become a charitable engine for local animal welfare. The tradition of accepting donations began when a visiting grandfather insisted on giving $100 after walking through with his family. Today, voluntary donations support maintenance and four local animal rescues: RSQ, St. George PAWS, BAM and the Jackson Day Foundation.
This year, custom shirts are also available, with proceeds supporting the animal rescue donations.
Wood credits his wife, Shari Wood, with choosing animal rescue organizations as the beneficiaries.
“I want to help the animal rescues because she’s all about helping,” Wood said. “All of our dogs are rescues, and we get our animals from all four of these different rescues since we moved here. She feels better giving it to the animal rescues than any other group.”
As opening night approaches, Wood offers simple advice for visitors: bring friends and family, and take your time.
See construction updates, nightly information and behind the scenes looks through the attraction’s official channels.
