Halloween Train Rides in Utah (2026)

Trains and TravelHalloween Train Rides
Written By Kelsey Cecil

Updated October 14, 2026 · 19 min read

Up at about 5,600 feet in the Heber Valley, the railroad runs its evening Halloween Express out to a haunted village it calls Grim Hollow station, then insists the whole trip is fun and not scary. Three Utah rides still have dates on or after October 14: two gentle pumpkin and costume rides at the Heber Valley Railroad (one already sold out) and one haunted miniature train in St. George. If you want to compare with other states, our pumpkin trains and haunted rides across the country are all in one place.

Wasatch Front families are all heading up the canyon to Heber, where the Pumpkin Train is now sold out on both of its last Saturdays and the Halloween Express still has seats on most nights. Southern Utah has its own small option: Spook-track-ular, a haunted lap on the miniature train at Thunder Junction park in St. George, with trick-or-treat stations, Oct 27 to 30.

The short version

  • Pumpkin and costume rides: The Pumpkin Train was the toddler pick, but both of its last Saturdays, Oct 17 and Oct 24, are sold out as of Oct 14, so plan on another ride.
  • The Halloween Express is the Heber ride that still has seats: the railroad calls it fun and not scary, it leaves at 7:00 PM on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings through Oct 30, and Oct 19, 22, 26 and 29 had plenty of room. Provo families are about 35 minutes away and Salt Lake City families about 50.
  • Haunted rides: Southern Utah families have Spook-track-ular in St. George, a haunted lap on a miniature park train with trick-or-treat stations, Oct 27 to 30 for $8. From Salt Lake City it is about 4 hours, so it is really a St. George night out.

Both Heber rides leave from the same depot, but only the Halloween Express still has seats, and its Friday, Oct 16 train is already full.

Watercolor of a red train car on a cliffside track heading into a dark tunnel
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Look inside the book

A dark tunnel, a brave corgi. Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi rides into a dark tunnel, gets a little scared, and comes out to a big bright light and happy cheers. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to an Utah pumpkin train.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Compare every Utah Halloween train side by side

Every ride on this page in one table: type, dates left, the lowest posted ticket price, ride length, who it suits and whether tickets are still on sale. Tap a ride for the full details.

RideTypeDates leftTicketsLengthBest forStatus
The Pumpkin Train on the Heber Valley RailroadHeber CityPumpkin and costumeOct 17 to Oct 24 (2 dates)From $10About 40 minutesAll ages, toddlers welcomeSold out
The Halloween Express to Grim HollowHeber CityPumpkin and costumeOct 15 to Oct 30 (8 dates)From $5Not postedAll ages, toddlers welcomeSelling out
Spook-track-ular at Thunder Junction All-Abilities ParkSt. GeorgeHauntedOct 27 to Oct 30 (4 dates)From $8Not postedOlder kids who like spookyOn sale

The rest of October at a glance

When each Utah Halloween train still runs

Oct 14Oct 21Oct 31

Pumpkin and costume ride Haunted ride Halloween night

Utah Halloween train calendar: what runs which day

Every remaining date for every ride on this page, from today through Halloween weekend. Green is a gentle pumpkin and costume ride, blue is a haunted ride. Tap a ride to jump to its details.

Heber City: The Pumpkin Train on the Heber Valley Railroad

Next: Sat Oct 17Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeFrom $10About 40 minutesDates left: Oct 17 to Oct 24

This is the short one, built for little kids. The ride lasts about 40 minutes, and every ticket includes a pumpkin and a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, which is about all a three-year-old needs from a Halloween morning. Departures are at 10:00 AM, noon, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

The bad news: as of Oct 14, both remaining Saturdays, Oct 17 and Oct 24, are sold out in the railroad's booking system. Tickets were $15 for ages 2 and up and $10 for a lap infant. Seats are assigned, and strollers and car seats are not allowed on board. If you missed it, the railroad's Halloween Express is its other gentle option.

The Pumpkin Train on the Heber Valley Railroad at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Daytime pumpkin train for little kids, not scary
Dates left
Sat Oct 17 and Sat Oct 24
Tickets
Sold out: every departure on Sat Oct 17 and Sat Oct 24 is full as of Oct 14
Times
10:00 AM, noon, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM
Ride length
About 40 minutes
What's included
A 40-minute train ride, a pumpkin and a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie
Price
$15 ages 2 and up; $10 lap infant 1 and under; both include a pumpkin and a cookie
Ages and scare level
Made for little kids, per listings; lap infants 1 and under ride at a reduced fare
Costumes
The railroad has not posted costume rules; check the operator site No costume? The Rally tunnel tee counts.
Strollers
Strollers and car seats are not allowed on the train
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
Heber Valley Railroad depot, 450 S 600 W, Heber City, UT 84032

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

Heber City: The Halloween Express to Grim Hollow

Next: Thu Oct 15Best for: All ages, toddlers welcomeFrom $5Dates left: Oct 15 to Oct 30

The Halloween Express is the evening run out to a haunted village at Decker Bay, which the railroad calls Grim Hollow station. Despite the name, the railroad says the ride is fun and not scary and family friendly, so we list it with the pumpkin and costume rides. It leaves at 7:00 PM sharp on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings for a 90-minute round trip, so it is a school-night outing for most families.

General admission is $35 for ages 2 and up, lap toddlers are $5, and first class is $75 per person with Halloween desserts and spiced cider. As of Oct 14, Oct 16 is sold out and Oct 15 is nearly full, so look at the later nights. Strollers and car seats are not allowed on board, and Heber evenings call for winter coats.

The Halloween Express to Grim Hollow at a glance

Type
Pumpkin and costume ride: Evening Halloween train, fun and not scary per the railroad
Dates left
Thu Oct 15, Fri Oct 16, Mon Oct 19, Thu Oct 22, Fri Oct 23, Mon Oct 26, Thu Oct 29 and Fri Oct 30
Tickets
Fri Oct 16 sold out and Thu Oct 15 nearly full as of Oct 14; first-class tables gone on Oct 23 and Oct 30 but general admission open; Oct 19, 22, 26 and 29 have plenty of seats
Times
7:00 PM sharp on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings
Ride length
90-minute round trip
What's included
A ride to the haunted village at Decker Bay (Grim Hollow station) with onboard hosts and Halloween entertainment; first class adds Halloween desserts and spiced cider
Price
$35 general admission ages 2 and up; $5 lap toddler 1 and under; first class $75 per person
Ages and scare level
No minimum age; the railroad calls it fun, not scary and family friendly
Costumes
The railroad has not posted costume rules; check the operator site
Strollers
Strollers and car seats are not allowed on the train
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
Heber Valley Railroad depot, 450 S 600 W, Heber City, UT 84032

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

St. George: Spook-track-ular at Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park

Next: Tue Oct 27Best for: Older kids who like spookyFrom $8Dates left: Oct 27 to Oct 30

This one is not a full-size railroad. Spook-track-ular is a City of St. George event built around the miniature park train at Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, which closes to the public for the evening. Kids ride a haunted lap of the park on the little train, then work through trick-or-treat stations, a dessert walk, a Guess the Pumpkins game and a holiday craft table.

It runs Oct 27 to 30, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, at $8 a person with kids 2 and under free. The city bills the train as spooky rather than a scare attraction. Tickets are advance only, limited and nonrefundable, so buy before you drive over.

Spook-track-ular at Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park at a glance

Type
Haunted ride: Haunted miniature park train, family evening for all ages
Dates left
Tue Oct 27, Wed Oct 28, Thu Oct 29 and Fri Oct 30
Tickets
All four nights on sale on the city's registration page as of Oct 14; advance tickets only, limited availability, no refunds
Times
6:00 to 8:00 PM each night
Ride length
Not posted; check the operator site
What's included
A haunted miniature train ride through the park, trick-or-treat stations, a dessert walk, Guess the Pumpkins and a holiday craft station
Price
$8 per person; ages 2 and under free
Ages and scare level
All ages; the train is billed as spooky, not a scare attraction
Costumes
The city has not posted costume rules; check the operator site
Strollers
No stroller policy posted; check the operator site
Parking
Not posted; check the operator site
Where
Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, 1851 S Dixie Dr, St. George, UT 84770

Tickets on the railroad’s site (opens in a new tab)

Rally’s Spooky Train Ride: Halloween shirts

The tunnel page from the book, Rally on his red seat in the dark, is printed on black shirts in sizes for the whole family, from baby to 5XL. Skip the costume hassle: no masks to fog up, no capes caught in the train door, just a shirt that already says Halloween and layers under a coat on a cold platform. A matching set makes for easy pumpkin train photos. See everything in the Rally shop.

Heber Valley Nights Are Colder Than the Wasatch Front

Heber sits near 5,600 feet, and October evenings there drop into the 30s. That matters most for the Halloween Express, which leaves after dark: plan on winter coats, hats and gloves over the costumes, even if it felt mild when you left Salt Lake or Utah County.

The Pumpkin Train runs in daylight, but it is sold out, so most families this year will be riding the 7:00 PM Halloween Express in the cold. Spook-track-ular runs 6:00 to 8:00 PM in St. George, a very different corner of the state, so check that forecast on its own rather than packing for Heber.

Drive Times to Heber City and St. George From Salt Lake City and Provo

These are rough drive times with no traffic or canyon construction, so leave extra room on a Friday evening for the Halloween Express.

Drive times, no traffic

Heber City
about 50 min from Salt Lake City; about 35 min from Provo
Heber City
about 50 min from Salt Lake City; about 35 min from Provo
St. George
about 4 hr from Salt Lake City; about 3 hr 15 min from Provo

Is Grim Hollow Too Much for a Preschooler

Utah's surprise this year is that the Halloween Express is not meant to scare. The train heads to a haunted village at Decker Bay the railroad calls Grim Hollow station, but the railroad describes the trip as fun, not scary and family friendly. The Pumpkin Train, the obvious toddler pick, is sold out, so the Halloween Express is the Heber ride most young families will actually take.

It still runs in the dark, and a station decorated to look haunted can rattle a nervous four-year-old. Tell them plainly what is coming: "It is nighttime, the station is dressed up for Halloween, and the people are pretending." In St. George, Spook-track-ular's little park train is billed as spooky rather than a scare attraction, and the trick-or-treat stations give small kids something happy to look forward to after the ride.

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

When I think about a Halloween Express night in Heber, I think about the morning in our book when Rally wakes up early, sees the suitcase, and packs his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball. A cold night in the 30s deserves that kind of packing: mittens, a hat, a blanket for the ride home, and maybe a few of our Rally coloring sheets to print for the wait.

Rally came from my mom's imagination long before I wrote him down. You can read how her story became our book.

Heber Valley Railroad Notes for Utah Parents

  • The Pumpkin Train is sold out on both remaining Saturdays, Oct 17 and Oct 24, as of Oct 14.
  • For the Halloween Express, Fri Oct 16 is sold out and Thu Oct 15 was nearly full as of Oct 14. Oct 19, 22, 26 and 29 had plenty of seats, and Oct 23 and 30 still had general admission.
  • The Halloween Express leaves at 7:00 PM sharp and takes 90 minutes round trip, so plan for a late bedtime on a school night and a cold drive home down the canyon.
  • Strollers and car seats are not allowed on either Heber train, so plan to carry little ones on board.
  • The Witches Night Out car rides on the same Halloween Express with drinks for guests 21 and up; it is a separate adult ticket, not a family option.
  • Spook-track-ular tickets in St. George are advance only, limited and nonrefundable, and the park closes to everyone else during the event.
  • Both trains leave from the same Heber Valley Railroad depot at 450 S 600 W, so put that address in your phone, not a general Heber City pin.

Past the Utah Line: Nevada's Ghost Train, Idaho and Colorado

The closest out-of-state Halloween train to Salt Lake City is a haunted one: the Nevada Northern Railway's Haunted Ghost Train in Ely, about 4 hours away, with ghost stories and roadside frights on Oct 16, 17, 23 and 24. Details are on our Nevada Halloween train guide. Idaho has no confirmed Halloween railroad for 2026, and families in Idaho Falls are about 3 hours 30 minutes from Heber; see our Idaho page for the full picture.

Colorado has several pumpkin rides around Denver and Pueblo, but from the Wasatch Front that is a long road trip rather than a day outing. If you are headed that way anyway, our Colorado pumpkin train roundup has the dates.

A train book for the ride

For a long, unhurried train day out of Salt Lake City with no costumes at all, our guide to riding the California Zephyr with children covers the big Amtrak train that crosses Utah.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the line at the depot or the drive home.

Get the free coloring pages for Heber City
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents, including one dark tunnel he is brave enough to ride through. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Sources

Checked against each railroad’s own pages and ticket calendars on October 14, 2026. Dates, prices and policies change, so confirm with the railroad before you go.

Heber City, St. George and Wasatch Front Parents Ask About Utah's Halloween Trains

What Halloween events are there for kids in Heber City, Utah?

Heber City's Halloween trains both leave the Heber Valley Railroad depot. The 40-minute Pumpkin Train, with a pumpkin and a cookie for each rider, is sold out on its last two Saturdays, Oct 17 and 24. The Halloween Express still has seats on most nights: it runs at 7:00 PM to a haunted village called Grim Hollow station, which the railroad says is fun and not scary, at $35 general admission.

What Halloween events are there for families in St. George, Utah?

One family Halloween event in St. George is Spook-track-ular at Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, Oct 27 to 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Kids ride the park's miniature train on a haunted lap, then visit trick-or-treat stations, a dessert walk, a Guess the Pumpkins game and a craft station. Tickets are $8, kids 2 and under are free, and everything must be bought in advance.

Is there a pumpkin train in Utah for toddlers?

There was, but it is sold out. The Heber Valley Railroad's Pumpkin Train in Heber City is a 40-minute ride with a pumpkin and a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, at $15 for ages 2 and up and $10 for lap infants. As of October 14, every departure on its last two dates, Oct 17 and 24, was full. The railroad's not-scary Halloween Express is the next best option.

What are some Halloween things to do with kids near Salt Lake City?

One option is the Heber Valley Railroad, about 50 minutes from Salt Lake City. The Pumpkin Train is sold out, but the evening Halloween Express to Grim Hollow station still has seats on most Monday, Thursday and Friday nights through Oct 30, and the railroad says it is fun and not scary. Spook-track-ular in St. George is about 4 hours south, Oct 27 to 30. Pack winter coats for Heber.

Are there Halloween train rides for families near Provo, Utah?

Yes, Provo is about 35 minutes from the Heber Valley Railroad in Heber City, the closest Halloween railroad to Utah County. The Pumpkin Train is sold out for 2026, so the choice is the Halloween Express, a not-scary 90-minute evening ride at 7:00 PM on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays through Oct 30. Fri Oct 16 is full, but most other nights had seats as of October 14.

Can kids wear costumes on the Heber Valley Railroad Halloween trains?

The Heber Valley Railroad has not posted costume rules that our research could read, so check the operator site before you plan around a mask or a big prop. Whatever your child wears, leave room for a warm layer underneath. Heber evenings in October drop into the 30s, and the Halloween Express runs after dark.

Is the Heber Valley Halloween Express too scary for a toddler?

Probably not, according to the railroad, which calls the Halloween Express fun, not scary and family friendly. It does run after dark to a haunted village the railroad calls Grim Hollow station, and the round trip takes 90 minutes, so a very young child may get tired or wary. Lap toddlers 1 and under ride for $5, and strollers and car seats are not allowed on board.

Are Heber Valley Halloween train tickets still available this weekend?

Mostly no. As of October 14, the Halloween Express on Friday, Oct 16 was sold out, and every Pumpkin Train departure on Saturday, Oct 17 was full too. Thursday, Oct 15 still had a few general admission seats on the Halloween Express. Next week looks better: the Monday, Oct 19 and Thursday, Oct 22 Halloween Express trains had plenty of room.

How long is the Heber Valley Pumpkin Train ride?

The Pumpkin Train lasts about 40 minutes, short enough for most toddlers, with departures at 10:00 AM, noon, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Each ticket includes a pumpkin and a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. As of October 14, though, both remaining Saturdays were sold out, so the 90-minute Halloween Express is the Heber ride to look at instead.

What is Grim Hollow station on the Heber Halloween Express?

Grim Hollow is the name the Heber Valley Railroad gives the haunted village at Decker Bay where its Halloween Express travels. The evening trip includes onboard hosts and Halloween entertainment, and the railroad describes it as fun and not scary. The round trip takes 90 minutes from the Heber depot, so with a 7:00 PM departure you are back around 8:30 PM.

Does the Heber Valley Halloween Express run on school nights?

Yes, most of its remaining dates are school nights. The Halloween Express leaves at 7:00 PM sharp on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings: Oct 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29 and 30, with Oct 16 already sold out. The 90-minute round trip plus the drive home, about 50 minutes to Salt Lake City, adds up to a late bedtime.

How cold is Heber City on an October night for the Halloween train?

Cold enough for winter coats. Heber sits near 5,600 feet, and October evenings drop into the 30s, noticeably colder than the Salt Lake and Utah valleys. Dress kids in warm layers under their costumes for the Halloween Express and bring hats and gloves. The daytime Pumpkin Train is milder, but a jacket is still a good idea.

How much do Heber Valley Railroad Halloween train tickets cost?

The Halloween Express is $35 for general admission ages 2 and up, $5 for a lap toddler 1 and under, and $75 per person in first class, which adds Halloween desserts and spiced cider. The Pumpkin Train was $15 for ages 2 and up and $10 for lap infants, including a pumpkin and a cookie, but it is sold out for 2026.

Is Spook-track-ular in St. George scary for little kids?

It is billed as spooky, not as a scare attraction. Spook-track-ular is a haunted lap on the miniature train at Thunder Junction All-Abilities Park, a small park train rather than a full-size railroad, followed by trick-or-treat stations and a dessert walk. It runs 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Oct 27 to 30, and kids 2 and under get in free.

Kelsey Cecil
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