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Be careful while feeling your way through the five dark tunnels along the Haunted Trail at Northeast Park.

You may touch a body bag — and what’s inside might move.
Friday is opening night of the third Haunted Trail, and organizers expect this one to be the best by far.

“We’re getting it down to an art now,” said Michael Smith, building foreman at the park. He and two other Guilford County park employees built the mile-long trail during the past month.

They’re in charge of the spring-loaded and animatronic creatures that will cackle, shake, scream and jump out at people. They also have tiki torches, fog machines, strobe lights and about three miles of extension cords to keep in working order.

Instead of relying on volunteers, this year the park hired about a dozen theater students from UNCG to play a corpse, chain-saw-wielding psychopath, gypsy fortune teller and other characters.
The trail uses many new ideas, such as coffins in dug-out graves, and some changes to original elements.

“We’re perfecting on ideas from last year,” said Brandon Roberts, assistant manager of Southwest Park.

The trail may not be huge — it takes about 20 minutes to walk — but it is dark and eerie and stays true to its name, Roberts said.

“I think we stick to the Haunted Trail aspect,” he said, whereas the larger trails often are “fun houses with a horror theme.”

The park expects more people to buy tickets than the first two years.

“Our clientele at the park has just grown by leaps and bounds,” said Mike Magnes, facility coordinator for the park.

The Haunted Trail is open from 7:30 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 29-31.

Tickets cost $10, but are half-price for Scouts in uniform. Visitors should check the park’s Web site, www.northeastpark.info, for other specials. In case of rain, check the Web site to see if the trail is open.

Parking is available next to the trail entrance, and a concession stand will be open.

The park address is 4010 High Rock Road. Information: 375-7722.

Contact Jamie Kennedy Jones at jamie.kennedy@news-record.com or 449-4610.