Halloween Yard Haunt Odyssey 2022: The San Gabriel Valley
Welcome to the second installment of Hollywood Gothique’s 2022 Halloween Yard Haunt Odyssey, in which we visit San Gabriel Valley Yard Haunts in Alhambra, San Gabriel, South El Monte, Whittier, Monrovia, and West Covina. Since the Yard Haunt Odyssey is an annual feature dating back to 2005, and since many of haunted homes have been previously covered, we are trying something different this October: emphasizing the new.
By “new,” we don’t necessarily mean debut haunts. We also mean returning haunts with new themes, noteworthy additions, and/or major changes, along with haunts that are “new” to us simply because we have not previously visited them. In addition, we will throw in some old favorites if we get new coverage, such as photos of details previously overlooked or simply overshadowed by other elements.
This season, only a relative handful of San Gabriel Valley haunts were listed in each city we visited, so we grouped some cities together to make planning your own Halloween Yard Haunt Odyssey a little easier. In general, the progression here is from west to east, but getting to all of these would involve some zig-zagging north and south.
With all of that in mind, please scroll down to view images and information you hopefully have not seen before. And if you are looking for a more comprehensive list of yard haunts in and around Los Angeles, check out our page devoted to Halloween Home Haunts.
2022 San Gabriel Valley Yard Haunts: Alhambra & San Gabriel
911 S. Electric Ave, Alhambra
Open October 31
Known for his man-made bayou swamp last year, we were sure that the haunt proprietor would do something extraordinary once again. Though not opened yet; we were still taken aback by the display. This year’s theme is a chocolate candy shop. We presume that you would enter the red door and walk down a hallway and get your candy on Halloween night.
The proprietor did not wish to be listed in any haunts lists because of unnecessary attention. We believe that it is open only on Halloween night.
Kraken Cove
1030 Manley Drive, San Gabriel
https://www.facebook.com/TheKrakenCove
Open October 15-31, 7-10 PM
Kraken Cove returned this year with more or less of the same setup as the previous years. With so many haunts in San Gabriel coming and going; Kraken Cove is the longest tenured and most consistent. If you haven’t visited, be sure to pay attention to the sound and visual effects as you walk up and down the path.
Recommended for the community and for trick-or-treating. Add this to your route on your San Gabriel Valley yard haunt odyssey.
2022 San Gabriel Valley Yard Haunts: South El Monte & Monrovia
Haunted by Memories Manor
9911 Alesia St South El Monte, CA 91733
facebook.com/Hauntedbymemoriesmanor
Open October 30-31, 7-10pm
Haunted by Memories Manor is back with a boutique yard display this year. Though they no longer do a full-on scary walk-through like the first times we visited; it seems they cannot give up haunting all together. With spooky and family fun elements; their yard haunt this year is fitting for all ages, especially on Halloween night.
Because of prior visits in the previous years, tis area is worth visiting on Halloween night because the neighbors get involved in the Halloween fun and it’s a great trick-or-treating destination. (Photos by Raeanne Kametani)
Wicked
309 N Madison Ave, Monrovia
Open Until October 31
We visit this house of a gazillion inflatables each year just for kicks to see the new additions. It’s usually along our route to things around Pasadena. However, this year, they seemed to have cut back drastically. There used to be more inflatables and props on the grass and on the tree in the sidewalk. The one constant though, is the named “Wicked” right in front.
We wouldn’t advise driving here just to see this house but do add it to your yard haunt odyssey or trick-or-treat here on Halloween night.
Haunted Trail in Mayflower Village
Display visible through October 31, Walkthrough Halloween Night only, Â 7-10pm
2544 Graydon Avenue, Monrovia
This corner house offers a display with colored lights, spiderwebs, artificial Jack O’ Lanterns, and inflatable figures but no animatronics or sound effects (unless you count the fireworks display at the nearby Irwindale Raceway on the night we drove by). Neighborhood trick-or-treaters will want to visit on Halloween Night, when Haunted Trail in Mayflower Village will offer a walkthrough. Since there is no sign of any mazelike structure, we assume the it will be a walkthrough the yard, whose bushes form a sort of natural barrier, separating the display from the sidewalk.
–Â Capsule comment and photos by Steve Biodrowski
2022 San Gabriel Valley Yard Haunts: West Covina & Whittier
MacDevitt Manor: The Curse of Witch Hollow 2436 W Macdevitt St, West Covina, CA 91790
http://feartek.com/
Open through Halloween Night, 7-10 PM
MacDevitt Manor presents The Curse of Witch Hollow. Since witches are a thing this year, partially thanks to Hocus Pocus 2 probably; this spooky home haunt was very entertaining especially if you are into witches. The facade sets the ambience where you feel like you are walking through the woods and you stumble upon a house as if you were Hansel and Gretel, moments before coming face to face with the Gingerbread Hag. With set pieces and props you would envision inside a witch’s cottage along with swamp-like forest in the back; MacDevitt manor keeps you feeling spooky with things dangling from the ceiling requiring you to constantly creep at a low elevation. Oh and also be sure to watch for the jump scares; you can’t expect to not have witches lurking closeby.
MacDevitt Manor is worth taking a trip to and it is worth it to walk-through more than once to really appreciate the exterior of the witch’s cottage. Nearby, there is the Hollenbeck Haunted House in West Covina and the Fallout Shelter: LA in Azusa.
Catalina Crypt
8661 Catalina Avenue, Whittier
Through Halloween Night, 6pm-midnight
We are listing this yard haunt last because even though it is only slightly east of Haunted by Memories Manor, it is considerably farther south, so trying to include this in a sweep through Monrovia and South El Monte would be difficult. In fact, Catalina Crypt’s Whittier location is conveniently close to The Haunted Rose’s Beyond the Gates of Turnball in the Whittier Museum, so it would make more sense to pair those two into a Halloween Night double bill.
The yard is large enough to accommodate a fairly impressive display of static figures and inflatables. You will recognize the ubiquitous inflatable Beetlejuice snake and the equally ubiquitous giant skeleton, although this one is wearing a Killer Klown mask and carrying what looks like a cotton candy cocoon (presumably containing a victim). There are lots smaller figures as well, including Pennywise, Captain Spaulding and Beetlejuice himself, along with some generic witches, cobras and spiders. Our favorite is a creepy carnivorous plant we have not see anywhere else. Check it out after going Beyond the Gates of Turnball.
–Â Capsule comment and photos by Steve Biodrowski
You can find many more Inland Empire yard haunts on the SoCalHaunts list.
