New Terrifying Trails haunted attraction opens at Belmont Lake State Park

Who needs a haunted house when you can ride in a zombie-driven terror cart into the woods? This is the premise of a new Halloween attraction called Terrifying Trails at Belmont Lake State Park in West Babylon.

"This is a frightfully unconventional trail ride, which is different from your typical haunt experience," event director Roy Mauritsen says. "You’re not even safe in the cart."

The attraction is being operated by the team behind I-CON, the former science fiction fan convention that ran in Suffolk County from 1982 to 2017. The 20-minute long journey utilizes more than 20 live actors, holograms, sound effects and ground fog.

"It’s more scary than deep horror. No real gore is involved," Mauritsen says. "There’s no specific theme, which allows us to scare people in many different ways."

Tickets are limited as only 120 people can be processed per night. During the haunt jaunt, there are 12 secretive scenes throughout the woods.

"We want each group of people to have a unique ride," Mauritsen says. "It’s never the same trail because we switch things up each weekend."

Executive producer Rob Guerra says Terrifying Trails offers a more personalized treatment that gives haunt fans some individualized attention.

"One of my pet peeves of going to haunted houses growing up is, if you are not in the front of the line you see what’s expected and it ruins the surprise," Guerra says. "I wanted to create an atmosphere where you are alone in the park and experiencing everything firsthand with your own group."

MORE MAYHEM

In addition to the haunted trail, guests are going to be treated to some extra entertainment during Saturday Fright Live. Saturdays will feature different styles of Halloween-themed live performances.

Ghoul-A-Go-Go returns from its I-CON days with its monster musical kiddie TV show on Oct. 24.

"While people wait for their terrifying ride they can hang out with us at the Halloween Grotto listening to the spooky rockabilly music," performer Vlad Tsepis says. "Our show is very tastefully done. The authorities have never proved anything."

Flipping things to Friday night, singer Nicole Oliva presents "The Dark Side of Opera" on Oct. 16. Her show focuses on the progression of traditional and modern classical music, Broadway show tunes, symphonic rock and metal within a spooky sound.

"I’ve always had a love for things Gothic and macabre. Opera has a strange and creepy appeal," Oliva, of Holbrook, says. "I think it sets the mood. It’s something that sends a chill down your spine before you get to the really scary stuff."

Haunted Karaoke happens on Oct. 17 and the Alien Spooktacular arrives Oct. 24 and 25.

NO TRICKS JUST TREATS

Even the treats are haunted at Terrifying Trails as Grim Delights of Farmingdale is preparing some scary sweets to serve.

The most popular items are the chocolate creepy babydoll heads stuffed with cake and raspberries ($10).

"The red berries on top evoke a bloody brain and it’s served with a mini shovel," baker Nicki Gonzalez says. "They are devilishly delicious."

Grindhouse Coffee and Cult Cinema is set to pour its own house brew along with hot chocolate and cider ($5 a cup).

"Our signature coffee blend is strong and rich with hints of walnuts and chocolate in it," owner Vincent Lauria says. "We will also be showing a series of off-center Hollywood, psychotronic films on Fridays like ‘Society,’ ‘Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood’ ‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’ and ‘Psychos in Love.’ These are films that people either never heard of or can’t find anywhere."