Key Biscayne's Haunted Hike returns for its 10th year on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Friends of Cape Florida hosts the event from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Past editions have drawn close to a thousand costumed attendees, Key Biscayne Magazine reported.
The event transforms trails near Pavilion D into community-built "Spooky Spots," a half-mile loop that starts on a bicycle trail before forking onto a dirt path along Biscayne Bay, according to WLRN.
Beyond the haunted trail, the night includes carnival rides, a pumpkin patch and food trucks.
The Haunted Hike started in 2017 after a conversation between Manny Rionda, a self-proclaimed Halloween nut and founder of the beach cleanup group Fillabag, and Art Yerian, the former park manager who passed away in 2022. Rionda, who was then a Friends of Cape Florida board member, recalled the exchange in an October 2025 WLRN interview: "At my first meeting, he said, 'We want to create a deeper, more meaningful connection between the Village and the park.'"
The event was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic and in 2021 because of severe weather, according to WLRN's reporting. After overwhelming demand in 2022, Friends of Cape Florida president Christina Bracken introduced timed tickets for the trail to manage long lines.
Local organizations help build the Spooky Spots each year. Past participants include the ASK Club, Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Bill Baggs park rangers, Biscayne Nature Center, Key Biscayne Community Garden, the Youth Council and a Boy Scout troop, according to WLRN.
Rionda told WLRN in October 2025 that the hike is recommended for ages 8 and up. All proceeds go toward park education programs and preservation, Bracken told WLRN in the same interview.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 15, through the Friends of Cape Florida event page. Pricing has not been announced. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is at 1200 S. Crandon Blvd. Standard park entry is $8 per vehicle.
Upcoming community dates:
- Sept. 15 — Haunted Hike tickets go on sale at friendscapeflorida.org
- Oct. 24 — 10th Annual Haunted Hike, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, 6–10 p.m.
