A lot of us brush off old ghost stories as nonsense... that is, until we are broken down on the side of the road in the middle of the night and afraid of those spooky sounds and what lies around the bend in the road. There's a few scary roads in Northern California that are rumored to be haunted, but this one in Shasta County gives us the heebie-jeebies just thinking of the story behind it.
By day, the town of Burney is a popular tourist stop on the way to Mount Shasta or Burney falls, two iconic natural features in this area of Northern California.
The town was named after Samuel Burney, a settler in the area in the 1850s. Burney was found dead in the valley in 1857, which came to be called "the valley where Burney died," and finally just "Burney." Burney is located on State Route 299, about 4 miles west of its junction with State Route 89.
It's located way out in the countryside, meaning there are no streetlights to guide your way home. Even if you don't believe in ghosts, the pure darkness can be intimidating. Burney is allegedly the sight of a mysterious haunting that plagues drivers through the night.
On Black Ranch Road, there is a ghost of a little girl with holes for eyes who appears primarily to drunk drivers. If you foolishly decide to get behind the wheel, your likelihood of seeing this ghost on the way home increases exponentially.
She haunts Black Ranch Road, which is a road that runs close to parallel to Highway 89. It's a forested, spooky route even if you are sober and clear headed. Because she usually only appears to drunk drivers, critics who don't believe in ghosts may assume this is a story told to increase tipsy would be drivers to stay off the road and call a taxi.
No one knows quite who the ghost was when she lived. It's been said that she is malicious rather than benevolent. Those who have seen her say it is more likely she is eagerly waiting for them to wreck their vehicles rather than being a spirit who looks out for them in a dangerous position.
It's been speculated that she is a demon who will only show herself to drunken drivers is because the alcohol incites an altered state of consciousness which opens up an individual to supernatural experiences.
She's not the only one haunting this road, either. There is a man who who has been seen walking the night in a fancy suit. He is thought to be the same ghost who haunts the Bartle House, a nearby haunted residence. It sounds to me like he just needs to get out and stretch his legs every once in a while!
Whether or not you believe in the paranormal, it's best to exercise caution, and as we all know, stay off the road if you have had anything to drink. If you are interested in ghost stories, however, this one is full of the creepiness that will keep you up at night !
What other scary roads in Northern California do you stay far, far away from?
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