The Huntsville, Alabama area has gone without a haunted attraction for years now. Every county around me currently has some variation of a haunted house, haunted field, or haunted corn maze. Alabama boasts a haunted chicken house, haunted hospital, haunted fire station, and at least one haunted school, so you’d think the Madison County area would be well represented. Now Abyss Haunt has taken up residence in Madison County.

That has not been the case for 10 or 12 years. The Huntsville metro area is up to a population of 400,000. It includes two universities, numerous other colleges and junior colleges, The U.S. Space and Rocket Center, semi-pro sports teams, and all the usual trappings of a growing, prosperous city. Maybe our “haunt drought” is about to change?

Well, Robert Merrell has a mission this Halloween: bring a quality haunted house back to Huntsville. Tonight, my son and I visited Abyss Haunt on Old Hwy 20, where we found a strong start to achieving Merrell’s goal.

Despite the rain, we found the sign for the haunt and turned up a long driveway—but don’t be fooled by the house or the address, the haunt is behind the house. We arrived shortly after opening and met Khamoni and Megan collecting the $10 per person admission in an open pavilion on the edge of a field.

The haunt is a winding outdoor walk-through consisting of a short set of scenes, each highlighting a common phobia. The sets combine animatronics with lighting and static scenery to convey the sense of fear. With plenty of places to hide, scare actors might appear from any direction. We received a few jump scares, several path crossings, a greeting, and some extra creepy companions following along, especially when we paused to admire the detail of a specific scene.

After the walk, Megan asked us for feedback. When Robert stopped by, he was drawn into the conversation, and we quickly discovered his genuine passion for haunted houses. He mentioned the long-gone haunts that populated Huntsville in years past and his desire to bring haunted fun back. He led us back into the first scene in Abyss so I could snap a picture and we continued the conversation there. He asked for feedback from us and hopes to hear reviews from all visitors as he works to improve the show.

Robert is serious about his mission to create a quality haunted house and has devoted himself to achieving this. He made the rounds at the 2022 TransWorld Halloween and Attractions show, gathering info and tips on launching a haunt. He described the investments he has made in props and sets, and the difficulty in finding a space for Abyss as well as a crew to bring it to life.

Abyss Haunt has been well-received, with a good showing Saturday night and a growing Facebook following. Abyss Haunt is a short drive from anywhere in Huntsville or Madison, so stop by and get in on the ground floor of a new haunted attraction.

For more information about Abyss Haunt, check out their Facebook, Instagram, and website for information on upcoming events. For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar.

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