'Destination Fear' Explores America's Most Haunted Abandoned Locations

You've never been on a road trip quite like this one. Get an exclusive sneak peek at what's coming this season on Travel Channel's Destination Fear.

October 24, 2019

Show: Destination Fear

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'Destination Fear'

On Destination Fear, Dakota Laden — who you might recognize from Ghost Adventures — along with his sister, Chelsea Laden, and childhood best friend, Tanner Wiseman, hit the road on the wildest, most terrifying cross-country road trip ever.

Haunted Hot Spots

The trio spend the night at 10 haunted, abandoned locations, each teeming with paranormal activity. The catch? They’ll have to separate and sleep alone.

See More Photos: Creepy, Crazy, Cool: 11 of the World’s Most Fascinating Abandoned Destinations

Face Your Fears

Will they be able to overcome their fears and catch some ZZZs? (Would you?) Plus, cameraman Alex Schroeder is in tow to give the team technical support on their spooky journey into these haunted spots.

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

The first stop on this ghastly journey is Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. Located Petros, Tennessee, this enormous prison operated for 113 years, finally closing its doors to the public in 2009.

Alcatraz of the South

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was the only prison in the United States with only three walls; the fourth was a massive, foreboding cliff. Dubbed the "Alcatraz of the South," there was one road in and one road out.

Violent Criminals

It housed murderers and men convicted of other violent crimes. Prisoners were regularly beaten, and their screams could be heard for miles by citizens of the nearby town of Petros.

End of the Line

By the time the prison closed its doors, approximately 10,000 people had died within its walls. According to Bill Harvey, a former corrections officer, Brushy Mountain earned the nickname the "end of the line."

One Way In, One Way Out

Witnesses say numerous spirits haunted the prison, including the spirit of James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. Good luck falling asleep, team.

Old South Pittsburg Hospital

After a restless sleep at Brushy Mountain, the team continues their spooky Volunteer State tour with the next stop on their journey: Old South Pittsburg Hospital.

Painful History

Said to be one of the most haunted places in Tennessee, the former hospital sits on land that has a long history of violence, pain and death.

Civil War Past

It was the site of the Battle of Chickamauga, a Civil War conflict in 1863 that took the lives of hundreds of soldiers. The battle was the second bloodiest battle of the entire Civil War after the Battle of Gettysburg. Locals referred to the nearby Chickamauga River as the "River of Death" because of all the blood running through it after the fighting was over.

Overwhelmed and Understaffed

The hospital was founded in 1959; it would quickly become overcrowded and understaffed as it was the only hospital for miles in this small hamlet just outside of Chattanooga.

Witnesses Speak Out

There are hundreds of eyewitness accounts of paranormal activity, from the third floor’s notorious "Creature" — a prominent malicious entity that only attacks women — to the spirit of a toddler known as "Buddy," who likes to play with visitors. How will the "Creature" and "Buddy" react to their newest guests?

St. Albans Sanatorium

Paranormal investigators frequent the next stop on our road trip tour of haunted hot spots: St. Albans Sanatorium located in Radford, Virginia. The site is said to be the most haunted location on the East Coast.

Back for Redemption

Four years ago, Dakota, Chelsea and Tanner visited the sanatorium for the first time, challenging themselves to spend an entire night within the confines of the building. However, Chelsea was only able to make it for part of the evening; she was terrorized by something she’s not been able to shake.

Inhumane Therapies

St. Albans first opened as a ruthlessly strict Lutheran boys’ school in 1892. In 1916, the property was converted into a sanatorium, and for the next 80 years, residents were subjected to inhumane therapies, such as electroshock.

"Suicide Bathroom"

There are layers of spirits and residual energy trapped within the walls of St. Albans. The "suicide bathroom" is known to paranormal investigators as a hot spot for activity; at least four people took their lives in that room.

Encountering "Red"

Witnesses say they’ve seen full-bodied apparitions, heard voices and have even been physically attacked. An aggressive entity known only as "Red" is said to grope female visitors.

Playing It Smart

A local paranormal team urged the group to have their "guard up." Can Chelsea make it through the night this time?

Pit Stop: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

The crew arrives in West Virginia, but before heading to their next location, they make a pit stop at another spirited spot: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park.

See More Haunted Amusement Parks: Free Admission: Creepy, Abandoned Amusement Parks Around the World

Abandoned Park

Lake Shawnee Amusement Park in Rock, West Virginia, feels as eerie as it looks. Haunted by children that died on the property, you would not want to explore this abandoned park without a buddy.

Sweet Springs Sanitarium

The fourth stop on the team's paranormal tour is Sweet Springs Sanitarium in Sweet Springs, West Virginia, which was a hotel, resort and sanitarium. But now, it’s hardly the peaceful place it was once marketed to be.

Brutality and Bloodshed

The property was built on land that has a deep history of brutality and bloodshed. The land was home to a Native American tribe that believed the land and the waters running beneath it were sacred. In 1774, Colonel William Lewis received a grant for the land. He had the Native Americans slaughtered and buried on the grounds because they refused to leave. A field on the property contains 400 unmarked graves.

Hotel to Hospital

In the 1830s, Colonel Lewis’ son built a grand hotel here. It could serve 800 people at once and was run by an army of slaves. Eventually, it became a hospital dedicated to treating patients with tuberculosis.

High Body Count

Each iteration of the building added to the body count, and it’s no wonder the grounds are a hotbed of paranormal activity.

Where's the Exit?

One witness warned: "Make sure you know where the exit is." Hopefully, all the exits are clearly marked.

Eloise Psychiatric Hospital

Next up: Westland, Michigan’s 200,000-square-foot Eloise Psychiatric Hospital. At its peak, it was the largest psychiatric hospital in America, housing 10,000 patients.

Terrifying Treatments

Barbaric treatments at Eloise included hydroshock, insulin shock and electroshock therapies. A young female patient drowned in one of the hydrotherapy tubs. She was not the only patient to die horrifically; many patients died from neglect or violence, and suicide was used as a means of escape.

Helpless Patients

Patients would be admitted for PMS, frivolous spending or even truancy. Children were left there to fend for themselves, committed alongside full-grown adults.

"The Creeper"

Eloise's doors closed in 1986, but apparently, not every patient checked out. Witnesses report full-bodied apparitions, shadow figures and an evil creature in the basement known as "The Creeper."

Restless Souls

Not only is the inside haunted by ghosts from the past, but the grounds are home to a 7-acre cemetery with more than 7,000 unmarked graves. How many restless souls still wander, unable to move on from their treatment at Eloise? What will Dakota, Chelsea and Tanner uncover during their nighttime investigation?

Season One

Don’t miss all-new episodes of Destination Fear, every Saturday at 10|9c after Ghost Adventures.

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Destination Fear

'Destination Fear' Explores America's Most Haunted Abandoned Locations

Related To:

Shop This Look

'Destination Fear'

Haunted Hot Spots

Face Your Fears

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

Alcatraz of the South

Violent Criminals

End of the Line

One Way In, One Way Out

Old South Pittsburg Hospital

Painful History

Civil War Past

Overwhelmed and Understaffed

Witnesses Speak Out

St. Albans Sanatorium

Back for Redemption

Inhumane Therapies

"Suicide Bathroom"

Encountering "Red"

Playing It Smart

Pit Stop: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

Abandoned Park

Sweet Springs Sanitarium

Brutality and Bloodshed

Hotel to Hospital

High Body Count

Where's the Exit?

Eloise Psychiatric Hospital

Terrifying Treatments

Helpless Patients

"The Creeper"

Restless Souls

Season One

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