{"id":482371,"date":"2026-10-31T12:54:45","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T12:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/482371\/"},"modified":"2026-10-31T12:54:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T12:54:45","slug":"san-antonios-most-terrifying-haunted-locations-and-spooky-urban-legends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/482371\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio’s most terrifying haunted locations and spooky urban legends"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Antonio has more than its share of ghosts. <\/p>\n

With more than 300 years of history, the Alamo City has accumulated enough tales of restless spirits, unexplained apparitions and creepy entities that go bump in the night to keep even the most skeptical among us looking over our shoulders.<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re not just talking about the usual haunted hotels and creaky old mansions. From the infamous Ghost Tracks and the terrifying Donkey Lady to tales of demonic encounters, mysterious creatures and otherworldly visitors, San Antonio\u2019s supernatural folklore is every bit as colorful \u2014 and occasionally as bizarre \u2014 as the city itself.<\/p>\n

Which is why we rounded up San Antonio\u2019s eeriest haunted locations and strangest urban legends. Whether you believe in the paranormal or just appreciate a good story, these local tales provide chills aplenty. Just don\u2019t blame us if you have trouble sleeping afterward.<\/p>\n

\"Devil'sCredit: Google Street View<\/p>\n

Devil\u2019s Den<\/p>\n

Located near Ingram Park Mall, this eerie spot has a haunting history. Known as a fave hangout for \u201990s kids shenanigans including smoking, paintball and underage drinking, urban legends about supposed satanic rituals and murders have also surrounded the locale. Two teenage boys were in fact murdered in 1996 and were missing for a month before their bodies were discovered in the field behind the Piper\u2019s Creek subdivision in Northwest San Antonio in December of that year. Gossip around the murders led to rumors that the victims, Christian Moldanado and Eric Anderson, were murdered in a Satanic ritual. Some even say that remnants of a said ritual were discovered at the site, though authorities refuted this claim. The truth is that a classmate at Holmes High School allegedly killed the two students.<\/p>\n

Old Stinson Field Graveyard<\/p>\n

Few Alamo City urban legends are stranger than those surrounding Old Stinson Field Graveyard, which is purportedly haunted by two unusual figures: a 7-foot-tall Chinese woman and a mysterious bearded lady, according to a KSAT-TV roundup of South Side legends. The former was ostracized because of her height and died by suicide, the story claims. <\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Laura Ontiveros<\/p>\n

Yorktown Hospital <\/p>\n

Located about an hour from downtown San Antonio, Yorktown Hospital is considered the most haunted building in Texas, thanks to the 2,000 souls that reportedly have crossed over within its walls. The decaying hospital built in the 1950s is also considered the second-most haunted hospital in the United States. Those who become members of the private club Scientific Paranormal Investigative Research Institute of Texas (SPIRIT) can gain access to this haunting locale.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ City of San Antonio<\/p>\n

San Pedro Springs Park<\/p>\n

San Pedro Springs Park is one of the oldest parks in the U.S., so stands to reason it\u2019s got some creepy lore. UTSA\u2019s folklore guide identifies the green space as a setting for nighttime encounters and eerie local tales. Given its ancient springs and long human history, this park deserves a visit by those seeking scares. <\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Wikimedia Commons \/ Dominic Sherony<\/p>\n

La Lechuza<\/p>\n

This Mexican and Tejano folklore legend involves a shapeshifting witch-owl one might encounter on a darkened rural road while traveling late at night. Those who have lived in SA long enough have likely heard a story of a supposed encounter with this malevolent spirit. La Lechuza can take the shape of a giant owl, a woman, or an owl with a woman\u2019s face, depending on who you ask. Be careful not to look at her directly, though. It could spell your doom.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Archive Photo<\/p>\n

Milam Park <\/p>\n

Built on the site of an 18th-century cemetery, the ghosts of the interred are said to haunt this public green space. Legend has it that although the headstones for the park were removed, the graves remain. Local paranormal enthusiasts also report this as the top location in town for orbs to appear in photography, believed to be a tell-tale sign of paranormal activity.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Sanford Nowlin<\/p>\n

Gunter Hotel Room 636 <\/p>\n

With a story this grisly, it\u2019s no wonder people claim this room at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel is haunted. The tale goes that a man named Walter Emmerick checked into the hotel under the alias \u201cAlbert Knox\u201d in early 1965. Though he checked in alone, he was seen with a woman. A few days later, a maid entered the room to discover the man standing next to a blood-soaked bed. He then gathered the sheets and fled the room. Upon investigation, employees discovered that the entire room was covered in blood. Some say Emmerick butchered the woman in the room, while others allege that there wasn\u2019t enough blood to substantiate that claim. Police later found the man at the St. Anthony Hotel, where he had killed himself. True crime fans and ghost hunters alike can get more details about the crime, and subsequent sightings of spirits, from a 2013 post on the hotel\u2019s blog.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Wikipedia Commons \/ Cathedral of San Fernando<\/p>\n

San Fernando Cathedral and Main Plaza<\/p>\n

Downtown ghost tour operators incorporate this historic area into their routes for good reason. The cathedral\u2019s centuries of history and its association with remains from the Alamo battle make it a promising candidate for haunted activity.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Sanford Nowlin<\/p>\n

Terrell Castle, aka The Lambermont <\/p>\n

Now home to a fancy wedding venue, this historic building was built for the influential Edwin Holland Terrell and fashioned after European castles, but its eerie history has led to its haunted reputation. The property remained a source of pride until Terrell\u2019s suicide in 1910 after years of suffering with syphilis. Unfortunately, his initial attempt failed, and it took him 10 days to die. Other tragic tales associated with the mansion include a contractor who threw himself from a balcony during construction, and a man who killed his wife and her lover when he caught them in bed together during World War II. Fortunately, the 12,000-square-foot building is expansive enough to accommodate plenty of guests, so couples shouldn\u2019t be too worried about ghastly wedding crashers.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Shutterstock \/ Dani_King<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ San Pedro Playhouse<\/p>\n

San Pedro Playhouse<\/p>\n

Performers have long reported paranormal activity at this longstanding playhouse. In fact, one production was absolutely tormented by ghosts, culminating in actual physical injury to its lead actress. The production crew was so spooked that it would no longer even say the name of the play, only referring to it as \u201cthat show.\u201d So many paranormal phenomena occur on the premises that staff think it can\u2019t be the work of just one or two ghosts. Usually appearing as puffs of smoke, the apparitions are thought to be actors and patrons of the theatre. To ward them away, the playhouse even has a light that\u2019s always on, which they call the \u201cghost light.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Instagram \/ @HotWellsConservancy<\/p>\n

Hot Wells Hotel & Resort<\/p>\n

Now in ruins, Hot Wells Hotel & Resort was once a premier destination for the elite, including Charlie Chaplin, Rudolph Valentino and others. President Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were known to raucously drink and enjoy the company of ladies of the night at the hotel. Considering its storied past, it\u2019s no wonder that there have been reports of spirits wandering the premises, though staff have said they seem benevolent. Adding to the spookiness, no doubt, is the \u201cputrid stench of death\u201d some report, which is really just its sulfur springs. . . . or is it?<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Photo via Google Maps<\/p>\n

The Ghost Tracks<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t talk about urban legends in San Antonio without covering the Ghost Tracks. This long-dispelled myth is still a local favorite, and has repeatedly been voted Best Urban Legend in the Current\u2019s Best of San Antonio poll. As the story goes, you can park your car at this spot on the train tracks and get \u201cpushed\u201d forward by some spectral helpers. As a bonus, if you put flour on the back of your trunk, you might even see their little handprints. The push purportedly comes from wee ghosts of children who met an untimely end in the early 1900s when a train rammed into a bus at the location. However, in 2003, archivist Matt De Waelsche traced the story\u2019s origin to a 1938 bus accident in Salt Lake City, Utah. Even worse, the tracks were \u201cexorcized,\u201d if you will, by a construction project. When Union Pacific added a second track to the intersection, they levelled out the elevation, removing the downward slant that vehicles would gently roll down when they were supposedly being \u201cpushed\u201d by the ghosts. Turns out it was just a trick of physics the whole time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Woman Hollering Creek <\/p>\n

Many say this creek located between San Antonio and Seguin is named based on a loose translation of La Llorona, the \u201cWeeping Woman.\u201d People say that you can hear the ghastly shrieking of a woman there at night. According to the traditional myth, La Llorona is the ghost of a woman who drowned her children in a fit of jealous rage after finding her husband with another woman, then drowning herself out of regret. However, some say that the screams heard at Woman Hollering Creek were just from a lady who\u2019d go there to vent her anger when she was upset at her husband. Either way, we don\u2019t recommend getting too close, in case La Llorona pulls you in.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Gray Moss Inn<\/p>\n

Mary Howell, the original owner of the Grey Moss Inn, died decades ago. But that hasn\u2019t stopped her from hanging around this Hill Country restaurant. Employees have seen a vision of an older woman they say looked like Howell, and reported poltergeist-esque incidents including candle flames that flickered back to life after being blown out. After operating for more than 90 years, the Grey Moss Inn was shuttered in 2020, but it has since reopened under new ownership as a Mexican restaurant. The new owners have also embraced the inn\u2019s local spirit, whom they call \u201cEl Fantasma de Grey Moss Inn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Photo by Michael Karlis<\/p>\n

Donkey Lady Bridge <\/p>\n

You can\u2019t live in San Antonio long without hearing a version of the story of the Donkey Lady. The story goes something like this: In the 1950s, a young woman attempted to save her children from a house fire (that some say was lit by her husband) \u2014 but failed. The event left her horribly disfigured, with her fingers and toes melted together to create hoof-like nubs and her head warped into an elongated, donkey-like shape. Afterward, she was banished to live in the woods. Ever since, the Donkey Lady has roamed the woods of Bexar County, crying out for her children and generally pissed off. Want to meet her? It\u2019s said if you stand on a stone bridge in the Medina River Greenway and call her name three times, she\u2019ll appear.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Shutterstock \/ Kit Leong<\/p>\n

Emily Morgan Hotel<\/p>\n

The Emily Morgan has earned its rep as one of the most haunted hotels in the United States. Built-in 1924, the Gothic-style building served as the city\u2019s Medical Arts Building until 1976, housing 50 hospital beds complete with a psychiatric ward and a morgue. Adding to the creep factor, 600 men lost their lives on the property\u2019s grounds during the battle of the Alamo, according to the Express-News. Among the stories of the paranormal at the hotel are witness accounts of a vanishing apparition of a nurse, unexplained noises including eerie echoing footsteps on the ninth floor, and even a guest who allegedly felt the bone-chilling touch of a ghost when waiting in the lobby.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: UTSA Libraries Digital Collections \/ General Photograph Collection<\/p>\n

Our Lady of the Lake University<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wanting to get a minor in ghost hunting while at college, you might want to consider applying to OLLU. Residents of Pacelli Hall must contend with Jack, a spirit who\u2019s been accused of stealing students\u2019 possessions and otherwise making a ruckus. Fortunately, if you ask him nicely, Jack will purportedly return your items and stop making noise. The campus is also rumored to be haunted by the spirit of a wandering nun, but if you see a creepy woman clad in black wandering around you might want to check and make sure it\u2019s not someone dressed up as the demon from that terrible 2018 horror movie.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Mike Hume<\/p>\n

The Majestic Theatre<\/p>\n

This historic downtown theatre is so gorgeous that it\u2019s no surprise that some souls have chosen to linger here. The Zoroastro, a longtime magician, is said to still have spooky performances today. There\u2019s been sightings of ghosts attributed to a ballet troupe who supposedly died on the stage as overhead lights crashed on top of them, killing some of them. It\u2019s not just performers that haunt the venue \u2014 an apparition of a woman is said to have laid claim to a second floor box, presumably to take in some post-mortem entertainment. <\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Courtesy Photo \/ Freeman Coliseum<\/p>\n

Freeman Coliseum<\/p>\n

Paranormal experts say Teddy Roosevelt trained the Rough Riders where Freeman stands today, though other sources say that they actually trained by the San Antonio River in the area that\u2019s now home to Roosevelt Park. Either way, ghost hunters claim this area was a training ground, and that one 6\u20194\u2033 spirit \u2014 we\u2019re not sure how they got his exact measurements \u2014 suspected to be a Rough Rider, still hangs out here today. Aside from the Rough Riders, there\u2019s talk of a circus clown that died of a heart attack and a woman who was trampled by a bull who are seen at the Freeman.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

San Antonio State Hospital<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a reason that psychiatric hospitals are often associated with hauntings \u2014 historically, they were hotbeds of neglect and abuse. The San Antonio State Hospital, formerly known as the Southwestern Insane Asylum, is no exception, as its history is filled with corruption, scandal and death. Established in 1892, the facility could house more than 2,000 patients and was almost always above capacity. Perhaps unsurprisingly, people say that anguished spirits still haunt the hospital today.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Shutterstock \/ 4kclips<\/p>\n

The Menger Hotel<\/p>\n

Once known as the \u201cfinest hotel west of the Mississippi,\u201d this historical hospitality property has been a popular haunt for both the living and the dead since its construction in the 1800s. This Menger is said to be haunted by a chambermaid, a U.S. president, and a famed Texas rancher. It also sits atop the site of the Battle of the Alamo, making it a likely spot to encounter the spirits of soldiers who lost their lives there, if you\u2019re a believer. Some say 32 ghosts haunt its premises, and some put the ghastly figure at closer to 45.<\/p>\n

Guests have reported countless paranormal experiences, including witnessing beds levitate to hearing strange rapping and even seeing faces appear beside their own while looking in the mirror. Sometimes, the scent of cigar smoke can be detected suddenly in the hotel\u2019s non-smoking rooms, and heavy doors are known to open without anyone there to push them ajar.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Photo via Instagram \/ dailybigfoot<\/a><\/p>\n

Bigfoot sightings at Kelly Air Force Base<\/p>\n

Some may think Bigfoot only hangs out in the Pacific Northwest, but the gargantuan apelike cryptid has been spotted all over the U.S., including Texas. In the 1970s, Sasquatch apparently swung down to SA, where he was spotted multiple times near Kelly AFB. According to cryptozoology blog Cryptomundo, the San Antonio Light ran an article in \u201876 covering the sightings. One man claimed to see a 7-foot tall furry monster run out of his backyard after being scared by a train whistle, and later a neighbor claimed she saw a smaller, similarly-furred creature that ran on two feet. Was Bigfoot taking a South Texas vacation with the kids? We may never know.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fang Baby of Old Pearsall Road<\/p>\n

In a tale that supposedly originated in the 1960s, a group of young guys were driving down Old Pearsall Road after a night of drinking when they had a creepy encounter. The driver saw something in the road that looked like a toddler, which appeared to be hurt, with blood around its mouth. He swerved to avoid the maybe-baby, but didn\u2019t stop. The friends argued about what it was, and the driver ultimately decided that they should just go home. However, once home, he felt guilty that he had possibly left a baby in the middle of nowhere. Armed with a cooler of beer, he went back to Old Pearsall Road. Unfortunately, he got a flat, and found two small puncture marks in the tire. After replacing the tire, he cracked a beer and chilled in his car for a while before falling asleep. A sharp pain in his neck woke him up, where he found the fanged baby in his lap with a bloody mouth and shirt.
Photo via Google Maps<\/p>\n

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Gillespie Mansion, aka \u2018Midget Mansion\u2019<\/p>\n

While its name certainly hasn\u2019t aged well, this myth still endures. According to local legend, the Gillespie Mansion was located on the Northwest Side off Medical Drive. Home to a little person who moved to SA in the \u201820s with his wife \u2014 also a little person \u2014 the mansion was specially built to match their shorter stature, with their two daughters, who were of typical human stature. The home reportedly had lowered fixtures and ceilings to accommodate its occupants\u2019 height. Though all versions of this tale have a grisly end, the details vary \u2014 some say the husband killed his family then committed suicide, while another version goes that a servant snapped after enduring abuse from the family, killing them with an axe and hiding them in a closet as well as setting the home on fire. Though it was a popular haunt for ghost-seekers for a while, it has since been demolished.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Dancing Devil of El Camaroncito<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not sure why, but apparently the \u201870s were a banner decade for spooky happenings San Antonio. According to this satanic tale, on Halloween 1975 a handsome man clad in white made quite the entrance at El Camaroncito Night Club. Legend says he was an amazing dancer, and wooed women left and right. As the night wore on, one of the women glanced down at the man\u2019s feet and, instead of stylish shoes, saw that he had clawed chicken\u2019s feet. Some people says she actually saw a goat\u2019s cloven hooves. Either way, people claim he was the devil himself. The story goes that he fled to a bathroom and escaped through a window, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and a sulfuric smell. We\u2019re not sure why Beelzebub himself would feel the need to sneak out like that, but whatever.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Instagram \/ @victoriasblackswaninn<\/p>\n

Victoria\u2019s Black Swan Inn<\/p>\n

Tucked off of Austin Highway, Victoria\u2019s Black Swan Inn is considered one of the most haunted places in the country, and is a destination for ghosthunters and thrillseekers alike. While people claim that ghosts from as far back as a Native American encampment, as well as from The Battle of Salado Creek \u2014 in which the Mexican Army and Texans clashed in 1842 \u2014 more recent ghosts also apparently haunt the property. A couple, Jolene Woods and Park Street (yes, that was his real name), previously lived here. Jolene died of cancer and Park later killed himself. Jolene can be purportedly seen walking to the gazebo in the front yard. There\u2019s also a girl named Sarah who\u2019s said to communicate via Ouija board. If you don\u2019t believe in ghosts but like creepy fun, the Inn often hosts supernatural and spooky-themed events.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Wikimedia Commons \/ Archives of Pearson Scott Foresman<\/p>\n

The Big Bird<\/p>\n

No, we don\u2019t mean the friendly yellow muppet from Sesame Street \u2014 think more along the lines of a dinosaur. In the \u201870s, a slew of sightings of a massive airborne creature were reported in South Texas. The majority of the flap took place in 1975-76, where a so-called \u201cBig Bird\u201d was spotted in San Benito, Brownsville and the Alamo City. According to Jerome Clark\u2019s book Unexplained, three San Antonio teachers claimed to see a giant creature with a wingspan of 15-20 feet that swooped over their car. In the scholarly spirit of their profession, they checked an encyclopedia once they reached their school, and came to the conclusion that it was a pterodactyl, the long-extinct flying reptile.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons \/ Archives of Pearson Scott Foresman<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Photo via Google Maps<\/p>\n

Huebner-Onion Homestead<\/p>\n

This historic homestead has an accompanying tragic tale, that of Joseph Huebner, who met his untimely end in the late 1800s. According to the story, Huebner really liked his liquor, but accidentally quaffed some kerosene instead of whiskey. When neighbors found him, they weren\u2019t sure if he was dead or passed out drunk. The neighbors decided to inter him near a creek behind the home \u2014 possibly burying him alive. When Judge John F. Onion and his wife, Harriet, bought the homestead in 1930, it was already rumored to be haunted by Huebner\u2019s restless spirit, with tales of strange noises coming from the property.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: Shuttterstock \/ 7505811966<\/p>\n

The Alamo <\/p>\n

It should come as no surprise that the Alamo is said to be very haunted. According to TPR, ghosts that have been seen at the historic site include soldiers as well as a small child that purportedly wanders the grounds.<\/p>\n

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