The world's most haunted road is called Clinton Road and is very close to New York: “Ghosts appeared in terrifying forms”

Drivers looking for a quiet route through the New Jersey countryside might want to think twice before taking a nighttime drive along Clinton Road , and the 10-mile stretch of highway has become notorious for reports of paranormal encounters. Earning the top spot in a worldwide ranking of haunted roads for the third consecutive year and located in West Milford , Passaic County , the heavily wooded road is close to New York City and has developed a reputation built on generations of local folklore.

According to a ranking published by car rental company Sixt, its unsettling atmosphere and stories of unexplained sightings have made it a destination for curious visitors and paranormal enthusiasts. The road's reputation is not new. In 1905, writer J. Percy Crayon described the surrounding area as a place where “robbers, witches and ghosts that made their appearance in frightful forms” supposedly lurked. More than a century later, Clinton Road continues to attract attention from those fascinated by the supernatural and one of the best-known stories concerns Ghost Boy , a spirit said to haunt a bridge along the road. Legend claims anyone who throws a coin into the water below will see it returned by the ghost. Visitors still reportedly leave coins in the stream near Dead Man's Curve , keeping the story alive. Clinton Road is also associated with mysterious lights that appear among the trees after dark. These so-called ghost lights are described as floating orbs or unexplained flashes that can seemingly surround drivers travelling alone along the isolated route. Other accounts involve phantom vehicles, including a black Chevrolet Camaro and an old pickup truck. In these stories, the cars appear in a driver's rearview mirror before disappearing into the darkness, leaving motorists wondering whether they witnessed something supernatural.

Where is the most haunted place in the USA?

Beyond Clinton Road , another location has earned a lasting place in the USA 's paranormal folklore as Myrtles Plantation , near St. Francisville, Louisiana , is frequently described as one of the most haunted houses in the nation. Built in 1796, the property reflects the history of the American South , including the era of slavery and its age, distinctive architecture and legends surrounding former residents have helped establish its reputation among ghost hunters and tourists interested in the unexplained. The most famous story concerns Chloe , an enslaved woman who allegedly wore a green turban to hide an injured ear and according to the legend, she poisoned a cake with oleander leaves, killing members of the Woodruff family. The story claims she was subsequently murdered by other enslaved people, and visitors have reported seeing a woman resembling her on the grounds. However, there is no reliable historical evidence confirming the tale. Another legend centers on William Winter , a plantation owner who was shot and killed in 1871 - according to local accounts, he staggered into the house after being wounded and collapsed on the staircase, with reports of footsteps and strange noises ever since.