When I have friends or family coming to visit, there’s one place we always go before they leave: Bragg Road (also known as Ghost Road) in the small town of Saratoga, Texas. Not everyone has the privilege of living less than an hour away from the site of an infamous urban legend, and I never pass up an opportunity to experience it firsthand. I made the trip in October for the sole purpose of seeing the mysterious Bragg Ghost Light and documenting my findings in photo form to share with y’all. Stick around for a play-by-play of my time at one of the creepiest places in Texas — I won’t give any spoilers, but what I will say is that you won’t be disappointed at the end of this article.

Welcome to Only In Your State’s newest series, Rumor Has It, where we celebrate the local rumors – fact and fiction – that make America unique.

Before we get into what I saw (or didn’t see — no spoilers, remember?), we need to dive into the history of Bragg Road a bit. In the early 1900s, the 8-mile road was a train route for the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway. The railroad made daily trips to Beaumont, and its cargo included people, cattle, oil, and logs. By the mid-1900s, there was no more oil to drill for or pine to cut, so the train tracks were pulled up, and the route became a county road.

Now, here comes the “legend” part of the story. Locals will tell you that while the railroad was still operational, a worker was decapitated in a tragic accident. He was allegedly carrying a lantern at the time, which is believed to be the light visitors see when traveling the road after dark. 

After laying out all of the information, it’s finally time to share my findings with you. I will preface this by saying that I’ve been visiting Bragg Road since I was a kid, so I’ve had plenty of time to develop my own theories, but I will try to be as objective as possible. 

What you see here is the myth and legend of the Bragg Ghost Light in the flesh. Just like every other time I’ve come here, the light first appeared when I got about midway down the road. One of the most common explanations is that it’s simply the headlights of an oncoming car, but there are several reasons why I don’t believe that. Firstly, I always pass at least a few cars, but the light is still there once they’re behind me. More importantly, headlights get bigger and brighter as the car approaches, but this light remains the same size and level of brightness the whole time.

Another popular theory is that the light is the result of swamp gas — after all, Bragg Road is located in the heart of the Big Thicket. I am admittedly a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the paranormal, so this makes the most sense to me (or, at the very least, it helps me sleep at night after actually seeing the light in person). Although I’m unsure if swamp gas can hurl itself at your car like the Bragg Light always does — this time was no exception — so if anyone knows, please tell me!

The light disappeared into thin air as I approached the end of the road — again, with no other vehicles in sight, leaving me no closer to discovering the truth than I ever have been. I guess it’s just one of those things that’s better left unanswered. After all, what would become of the human spirit without a little imagination? 

All in all, whether or not you see the light, I think Bragg Road is a place everyone should visit at least once. A dirt road in the middle of the woods is spooky even without an urban legend surrounding it, so I guarantee you’ll have a good time (if your idea of a good time is being scared to death, that is).

Keep in mind that the road is entirely unpaved and can be impassable after it rains, so plan your trip accordingly. As far as directions, the road is located about 16 miles west of Kountze. It runs north-south, from a bend on Farm-to-Market Road 787 near Saratoga to Farm-to-Market Road 1293.

Have you ever dared to visit Bragg Road? If so, do you think it’s one of the creepiest places in Texas? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! If you want to keep the scary good times rolling, there’s a nighttime ghost tour in Austin that I think you’ll love.