We may still be in full summer mode here in NYC, but before we know it, it’ll be time to lace up our boots, pull on our coziest sweaters, and gear up for the fright of our lives. With Spirit Halloween stores already popping up and pumpkin spice drinks slowly making their way back onto our favorite coffee shop menus, the countdown to Halloween is officially on.
And while, similarly to our favorite city, it may still be very much in waterpark mode at the moment, over in The Poconos, one of the largest outdoor waterparks on the East Coast is getting ready for a seriously spooky transformation.
This Halloween season, Camelbeach Waterpark is being transformed into a terrifying post-apocalyptic world for “The Curse of Camelback,” an immersive new Halloween experience that promises fog-filled attractions, eerie tunnels, mutated characters, jump scares, and plenty of reasons to scream.
🧪 The Plot: An Excavation Gone Horribly Wrong
The experience goes beyond your standard haunted trail, offering visitors who dare a story-driven, fully immersive theatrical event. The terrifying saga begins at the base of the mountain, where guests are immediately recruited to join a high-stakes, fictional (or is it…) emergency response mission.
According to the storyline, routine chemical excavation for new winter ski trails took a disastrous turn when the fumes mixed with pool-cleaning compounds from the waterpark. The result? A toxic, mysterious gas cloud that causes anyone exposed to horribly mutate.
Guests board the mountain chairlift to travel uphill into the quarantined containment zone, where the rescue mission quickly devolves into a desperate fight for survival.
🧟♀️ The Experience: Tunnels, Mutants, and “Patient Zero”
Once inside the containment zone, brave visitors must navigate:
- Eerie Settings: Fog-heavy waterpark structures, barricades, chemical spills, and abandoned emergency response camps.
- Environmental Storytelling: Missing-persons posters, official emergency signage, and scattered clues revealing the origins of the outbreak.
- The Creatures: Horribly mutated costumed characters lurking around maze-like paths for high-intensity jump scares.
- The Final Encounter: Guests come face-to-face with Gary, the outbreak’s “Patient Zero,” who is actively spewing more toxic gas. You’ll have to dodge a final onslaught of scares to make it out alive.
🌊 Still in Summer Mode? What’s at Camelbeach Right Now
If you’re not quite ready to trade in your swimsuit for spooky season just yet, Camelback Resort is still operating in full summer swing. Before the post-apocalyptic fog rolls in, visitors can cool off at Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark—Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor waterpark—or check out Aquatopia, their award-winning 170,000-square-foot indoor waterpark.
The 560-acre mountain resort also features mountain adventure ziplining, treetop obstacle courses, and an alpine mountain coaster for thrill-seekers looking to soak up the final rays of summer.
🚗 How to Get There from NYC
Getting out of the city for a fright night is surprisingly easy:
- By Car: The drive from Midtown Manhattan takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours (about 85 miles) via I-80 West directly into Tannersville, PA (Exit 299).
- By Bus: Martz Bus offers daily routes from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to nearby Pocono destinations, making it accessible even if you don’t own a vehicle.
- Make It a Weekend: If you don’t want to drive back after midnight, overnight stays are available at Camelback Lodge, an 8-story mountain-modern hotel featuring 453 guest suites, ski-in/ski-out dining, and huge indoor arcade spaces.
📋 Know before you go
- Dates: Thursday, September 17 – Sunday, November 8
- Hours:
- Thursdays & Sundays: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Fridays & Saturdays: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Midnight)
- Location: Camelback Resort, Tannersville, PA
- Tickets & Info: camelbackresort.com or call 1-855-515-1283