HellsGate Haunted House in Lockport is marking its 10th year of terrifying visitors in 2026, and this season it brought a new centerpiece along for the ride: a 19-foot clown carousel designed to loom over guests as they wind through the mansion's grounds. The attraction, tucked into a mansion in the woods outside Lockport, has built its reputation on multi-level scares, outdoor trails and a cast of more than 150 live actors.
The milestone anniversary is confirmed on HellsGate's own site, which declares, “Illinois’ #1 Haunted House is celebrating its 10th Birthday!” according to hellsgate.com. The attraction is run by Zombie Army Productions, and the milestone year was also noted by the Chicago Tribune, which described HellsGate as being off the beaten path in a mansion in the woods outside of Lockport. WGN-TV's Spotlight Chicago also featured the anniversary, with HellsGate proprietor John LaFlamboy joining the segment to talk about what makes the attraction tick, as reported by WGN-TV.
What's New for the 10th Season
The big addition for 2026 is that 19-foot clown carousel, a new feature the site notes alongside the attraction's existing arsenal of secret passages, slides and dragons. The same lineup of scares has helped HellsGate build a national reputation: the operation has been offering an adventure through zombie-infested woods combined with the mansion's multi-level maze of secret passages and giant slides, per WGN-TV's report. The core of the experience remains unchanged even as the carousel adds a fresh jolt for returning fans.
HellsGate's year-round address is 3101 Canal St. in Lockport, but that's not where ticketholders actually go during Halloween season. The site notes that guests must instead park at 301 W. 2nd Street in Lockport and catch a five-minute shuttle bus to the grounds, with parking and the shuttle running strictly first-come, first-served. Anyone planning a Friday or Saturday visit should plan around that detail, since the site also warns that shuttle lines do get long on those nights and recommends arriving early.
Scares, Rankings and Who Can Get In
HellsGate's attractions include a haunted cemetery, a massive mausoleum and covered waiting areas layered into that multi-level mansion, all staffed by the site's claimed roster of more than 150 live actors. The house has also picked up outside recognition: HauntWorld magazine named HellsGate the 11th scariest haunted house in the United States, according to CBS News Chicago, which also reported that anyone under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. HellsGate's own marketing separately claims a number-one ranking among Illinois haunted houses from Scare Factor and Haunted House Chicago, along with a number-two world ranking from Forbes Magazine, though those rankings come from the attraction's own promotional materials.
This year's run spans a somewhat loosely defined window. Shaw Local describes HellsGate as a multi-level mansion with secret rooms, a giant slide and ghastly ghouls that's open on select dates through Nov. 1. HellsGate's own site lists its operating window as September 24 through November 1 on select dates, while the Chicago Tribune's listing places the run through Nov. 1 with tickets starting at $40. The exact schedule and pricing for any given date is best confirmed directly through the attraction.
A Changing Lockport Haunt Scene
HellsGate's anniversary arrives as another long-running Lockport scare attraction says goodbye. Statesville Haunted Prison, which began as a haunted hayride back in 1996, is closing for good after 25 years, according to FOX 32 Chicago. For its final season, the prison attraction built out 30 rooms of creatures and convicts, with its last run stretching from October 1 through Halloween night on October 31. The closure leaves HellsGate as one of the more established names left standing in the area's haunted-house lineup heading into its second decade.
