Haunted Hikes: Haynesville Woods

It’s a stretch of road up north in Maine that’s never ever ever seen a smile…

Just off of US Route 2 in northern Maine is the most haunted place in the entire state: the Haynesville Woods and the rural and deadly Route 2A. Running through Haynesville Woods, this was the popular trucking route prior to the construction of I-95. Hauling potatoes out of Maine, this route can be extremely dangerous in the winter months, especially when you reach a particular curve that is almost 90 degrees. And even to this day accidents are reported.

With such a high number of fatalities among drivers, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most haunted places in all of Maine, if not the most haunted place.

One story is of a young woman seen on the side of the road. Some travelers claim she is seen running along the side of the road, clearly in trouble, or she will simply appear in front of the car, crying and begging for help. When offered a ride, she tells people that she and her husband had been in a car accident and that her husband needs help. But when the driver reaches the end of the road, the woman vanishes, leaving only a chill in the air. According to legend, the woman was a young bride and on the day of her wedding, she and her husband were in an accident in the woods. Her husband died instantly, but she managed to escape the wreckage. As she wandered down the winding road, she succumbed to the cold and froze to death.

Another tale focuses on a young girl who is also spotted on the side of the road. When anyone stops to see if she needs help or offer her a ride, they’re shocked to find her disappear without a trace as they begin to drive down the road. No one knows exactly who the child is, but according to reports, on August 22, 1967, two 10-year-old girls were struck by a tractor-trailer and died while walking along the road.

As if phantom hitchhikers weren’t enough to keep you off of Route 2A and out of Haynesville Woods, there’s another legend you should be wary of: the Flesher Witch.

In the 1800s, the Wilcox family settled in the woods and that’s when the nightmare began for their daughter, Annie.

According to legend, Annie complained of scratching at her window. Her father never found the source of the scratching and as time progressed, the scratches turned into something much darker. Annie reported hearing whispers at night, her blankets being ripped off, and even felt nibbles all over her body. The activity culminated in a brutal attack that left deep gashes on Annie’s face. The culprit according to the girl: an old woman with a face that looked like melted wax.

A month later, Annie vanished into the woods. It wasn’t until a group of hunters found her that her family knew the truth: she was found beside the body of an old woman with a facial deformity… and Annie’s skin had been peeled off her face.

But the Wilcox family’s curse wasn’t over. Her mother hanged herself. Her two brothers died in a freak swimming accident. The head of the Wilcox family, John, was driven mad by the grief. Scratching the skin from his face, he disappeared into Haynesville Woods and was never seen again.

Today, hikers and campers report seeing a young girl with a melted face running through the woods. When children and pets go missing, the Flesher Witch is blamed, and those lucky enough to return are always found with deep scratches all over their bodies.

Whether the Flesher Witch is fact or just another bit of colorful folklore doesn’t seem to detract from the eerie aura surrounding Haynesville Woods and Route 2A. If you plan on visiting, it’s recommended you visit with plenty of daylight as the area gets extremely dangerous once the sun comes down.

And if we didn’t convince you enough with ghost children, witches, and tragic deaths, perhaps trucker turned country singer, Dick Curless can convince you to visit with his song, A Tombstone Every Mile:

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