With fall starting and Halloween right around the corner, many look for ways to experience things perhaps a little spooky or even supernatural. The Pacific Northwest has several locations that are well-known for paranormal activity that lend themselves nicely to both tours and local investigators. If you are looking for a haunted tour in Vancouver or the surrounding area, check out this list of spooky fun.
Spirit Tales of the Vancouver Barracks
Starting in Vancouver, one of the best places to explore the history of Clark County is, of course, Fort Vancouver and everything that surrounds it. This includes the Vancouver Barracks. These barracks date back to 1849 and were actively used until 2011.
Because of the long-standing military presence at the barracks, many report the location as being haunted. Countless service members, families and even prisoners walked the grounds around Fort Vancouver.
Author Jefferson Davis spent time in the service at these barracks. He is a local historian who designed a walking tour of the area called the “Spirit Tales of the Vancouver Barracks.” Davis also wrote a series about the Pacific Northwest entitled “Ghosts, Critters and Sacred Places of Washington and Oregon” and “Vancouver USA Ghosts.”
Davis is considered to be a Northwest ghost expert, including being featured on episodes of the Travel Channel series “Ghost Adventures.”
These walking tours run from June 1 to November 30. Starting September 1 and running through Halloween, there is one tour Friday evenings, two tours on Saturdays and then one afternoon tour on Sundays. Each tour covers lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours with guests covering about 1.5 miles. This is a walking tour, and it is outside, so participants are advised to dress for the weather.
Eastern Vancouver Paranormal Society Tours
Because there are many other locations beyond the Vancouver Barracks, there is another local group that is actively investigating and exploring a variety of haunted historic places. This group is the E.V.P.S. (Eastern Vancouver Paranormal Society).
The EVPS Team traveled to the Colfax, Washington to investigate St. Ignatius Hospital. While their primary focus is gathering evidence of the paranormal, they also offer educational activities for those who want the first glimpse of an active investigation. In very limited numbers, this group provides specialized tours each time they do a lockdown investigation.
The team explores both larger historical sites all over the Northwest and private locations in the Clark County area. Their list of future investigations is available via their Facebook page.
Shanghai Tunnels/Portland Underground
The list of paranormal tours continues into Portland, Oregon. For those seeking a journey rich in history, the Shanghai Tunnels/Portland Underground are precisely what you are looking for. These tours mix a history lesson about the seedy side of Portland dating back to the 1850s with paranormal activities.
All of this tour takes place in the Portland Underground, where men were kidnapped and held to be sold to sea-going cargo ships. At the time, Portland was called the “Unheavenly City” because of the mix of underground bars, shady dealings and a high number of men that vanished. This underground world has been featured on the Travel Channel as one of the most haunted locations in the area.
During the fall, the number of tours increases due to demand. The group features tours that focus more on the history and tours that take on more of a ghost hunting feel. They have special tours on holidays such as Halloween and any Friday the 13ths that occur during the year. Reservations are required for each tour. These tours take place in Old Town with the kick-off point in front of Hobo’s.
Beyond Bizarre Ghost Tour
Due to the increase in interest about hauntings in Portland., another group has also created a new tour of the area. This is also a walking tour entitled the “Beyond Bizarre Ghost Tour.”
This tour delivers more of a ghost hunting 101 feel with a focus on equipment and paranormal investigations. There are also several opportunities to learn to use real equipment seen on a variety of paranormal reality television programs.
While their evening tour is safe for children, they do offer late night tours that are for those 18-years-old and over. The adult tour covers the same topics as the family-friendly tour but with the addition of some more sinister details.
