If you’re one of the many people out there who believes in the supernatural, then there are places all around the United States to visit. Checking out the haunted spots along Route 66 is one great way to create your own spooky road trip ghost tour. When in Missouri, make sure your cars avoid “Zombie Road” after dark.

The history of Route 66

Route 66, or U.S. Highway 66, is one of the most famous roadways in the United States. According to the National Park Service, Route 66 runs from Chicago to LA, the road was established in 1926. While not the oldest or longest, it provided a shorter way to get to the West Coast at any time of year.

Route 66 represented the freedom of the automobile and connected small towns with larger cities. The road was frequently used in the 1930s by people moving west and appeared in popular songs, films, and books. Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985 and no longer exists in full. As its popularity declined over the years, some of the towns along it became ghost towns. Some of them supposedly contain actual ghosts as well.

“Zombie Road” along Route 66

While some haunted spots along Route 66 cater to visitors, “Zombie Road” isn’t one of them. This spot, officially Lawler Ford Road, is located along the “Al Foster Trail” in Wildwood, Missouri, outside of St. Louis. It’s two miles long, running through the woods to a rock quarry. Today, “Zombie Road” is primarily a bike path during the day.

In the 1950s, teens used to hang out here, but there have been paranormal sightings for decades now, says Country Living. According to Route Magazine, the story is that the name comes from a murderer called “The Zombie,” who would attack people as they drove past.

There have been reports of ghost lights and the ghosts of Native Americans, Confederate soldiers, men killed in industrial accidents, and children. According to Ranker, the best-known ghost of “Zombie Road” is Della Hamilton McCullough. She was killed when hit by a train in 1876. The road is not open to the public at night, though, and visitors who go to “Zombie Road” after dark looking for ghosts will be given a ticket by the police with fines as much as $1,000.

Other haunted destinations along Route 66

“Zombie Road” is just one of several haunted places on Route 66. Other spots to go hunting for Route 66 ghosts include the Coleman Theater in Miami, Oklahoma, which was supposedly built on a crematorium and mortuary. People sometimes feel unexplained heat or see the ghost of Mr. Roberts, the projection operator.

Also in Oklahoma is the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. This historic hotel has the ghost of Effie, a maid who supposedly jumped to her death from the top floor of the hotel following an affair with the hotel’s owner. NBA players in town to play the Oklahoma City Thunder have reported paranormal activity while staying in the hotel, according to Country Living.

The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona, is rumored to be haunted by 11 different ghosts. A male ghost, called the “meat man,” appears in room 220, and a female spirit moves a rocking chair around in room 305.

At the western end of Route 66 is the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angles, California. This hotel may have the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. It also has paranormal activity, like a ghostly trumpet player and lights and faucets that turn on and off.

If the paranormal is what you’re looking for, check out the spots along the famous Route 66. Just be sure to avoid “Zombie Road” after dark.