Beware These 10 NorCal Hikes: In The Darkness The Evil Is Absolute

There is no place scarier than this.

At night, in the woods, the darkness is absolute.

You can’t see your hand in front of your face – but you know something is there.

Maybe you’re out camping, maybe you got caught after dark on a hike that went longer than you expected.

Updated 9/19/2019 – Maybe you’re trying to find a remote spot to be alone with your significant other for activities best done under cover of darkness.

Whether you’re feeling frisky or just unaware of where you are, a haunting presence will stop you in your tracks.

There are no lights, no traffic, no immediate help – it’s just you, the dark and the thing.

Is it a spirit?

A ghost?

Just another hiker?

The only way to know is to push forward, to reach past the fear, to challenge yourself and rise to meet the challenge of the unknown and unexplained.

These ten most haunted hikes near Sacramento, California will do just that.

Some are remote, some are in parks, and some are surprisingly near populated areas.

All are scary.

All will leave you gasping.

All are haunted.

10 Most Haunted Hikes Near Sacramento

#10 – Old Sacramento Tunnels

A series of tunnels underneath Old Sacramento were the original streets of the town before flooding forced them to be raised above sea level.

Legend says the tunnels became dens of the darkness where practitioners of the occult made their hideout.

Witnesses have reported menacing presences and unexplained sounds.

Your hike through the tunnels may result in similar findings.

Are you ready?

#9 – Sailor Bar

Hiking in Sailor Bar is a fun activity because of the site’s natural beauty.

You’ll find rafting and fishing as well, but the peaceful activities hide a darker side: the ghost of a person in wet fishing attire – thought to be a victim of drowning – has been reported to haunt visitors of the park.

Watch your back as you hike or fish – you never know when he will appear.

#8 – Black Diamond Mines

Hiking near the Black Diamond Mines in Antioch will bring you into an area full of occult and paranormal activity.

The White Witch was executed for witchcraft when the children she cared for all died.

Another ghost of a woman named Sarah Norton who was crushed by a carriage haunts the area as well.

Many people confuse the two – your hike may bring you into contact with one or both.

#7 – Preston Castle

Preston Castle in Ione has a reputation as a center of paranormal activity.

Built as a center for youthful offenders, it is reported to be haunted by ghosts of boys who died there and a housekeeper murdered there in 1950.

They offer tours to paranormal believers and the surrounding property offers plenty of room to hike and roam for more exploration of the supernatural.

• Related: California Psychics Reviews (Real Supernatural Readings, or Scam?)

#6 – Prospector Road

Scared hikers and disappearing pets are common along this stretch of road, home to a mining town in the mid-19^th century.

Miners would murder fellow miners who struck it rich and began to boast.

Those miners may still be there today – apparitions have been reported near the road, pointing and travelers and silently mouthing, “Get off my claim!”

#5 – Sand Cove Park

More than one person has drown in these waters in recent years.

The voice of woman saying “te papa” has been heard in Sand Cove Park near the Sacramento River, and ghost lights have been seen as well.

Some think the site once featured a mine shaft where a miner accidentally passed away, or possibly an ancient burial ground where haunted spirits still roam the night.

When you hike the park, what will you find?

#4 – Sacramento River – Greenhaven Area

As you walk down the embankment of the Sacramento River, you may see a campfire blazing.

As you approach, it disappears.

Could it be the homeless man who once drowned in the area, trying to generate some warmth on a cold night by the river?

Try it for yourself to find out the result.

#3 – James Marshall Monument

In Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park area 50 miles east of Sacramento, the wilderness is wild and hikes are plentiful.

You may find more than you bargained for as you hike – the ghost of James Marshall has been seen near his monument, unable to find a final resting place.

Marshall died penniless and his spirit seems restless, often following visitors and hikers.

Watch over your shoulder as you hike…

#2 – Sacramento City Cemetery

Reports place ghosts and apparitions of various kinds at the Sacramento City Cemetery.

These include a ghost girl playing near her headstone, a couple dressed entirely in black and a phantom pit bull that chases visitors before he disappears.

This home of the dead cannot keep them in the grave.

What paranormal circumstances will greet you as you hike among the headstones?

#1 – Paradise Beach

Hiking on the beach can be a great time, but this beach may bring you more of a nightmare than a paradise.

A man’s ghostly figure has been reported strolling up and down the Paradise Beach shoreline.

He is said to be the unfortunate victim of a terrible drowning, unable to find rest or peace, seeking to inhabit those who come into his orbit.

Are you next?

Your Next Step and Directions to Locations

If you’re looking for a fun, relaxing hike, do not visit any of the trails or locations on this list.

But if you want the paranormal and a touch of the haunted and strange, these 10 most haunted hikes near Sacramento will bring you to the edge of the unknown.

Get directions here and choose a haunted hike.

Who knows what you may find as you deal with the darkness…