New Jersey Road Named World's Most Haunted

Clinton Road in West Milford, New Jersey, has been recognized as the most haunted road in the world for the third consecutive year by car rental company Sixt. The 10-mile stretch of heavily forested road, located about 50 minutes from New York City, is known for its dense tree canopy that shrouds parts of the route in darkness, contributing to its eerie reputation.

Local folklore and reported encounters dating back over a century fuel the road's macabre image. In 1905, writer J. Percy Crayon described the area as being inhabited by "robbers, witches and ghosts." One persistent legend is that of the "Ghost Boy," a spirit said to reside beneath a bridge who returns coins tossed into the water below. Visitors continue to test this story, with coins reportedly still visible in the stream near Dead Man's Curve.

Sixt's experts cited "ghost lights"—unexplained orbs or lights appearing in the darkness—as another phenomenon associated with Clinton Road, with some solo drivers reporting being surrounded by these mysterious lights. Drivers have also reported seeing phantom cars, specifically a black Camaro and an old pickup truck, appear in their rearview mirrors before vanishing.

The road's notoriety is further cemented by its association with the legend of the Jersey Devil, a mysterious creature blamed for various misfortunes. These tales, combined with local history and roadside mysteries, contribute to Clinton Road's unique reputation.

To compile its list, Sixt analyzed Google and TikTok search trends, cross-referencing them with previous rankings of haunted roads. Between July 2025 and July 2026, Clinton Road generated over one million searches. In 2019, the road was the subject of an indie horror movie starring Ice-T.

Other roads that made Sixt's list include the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire, reportedly haunted by Ruth Colbath, a postal worker whose husband vanished in the 1800s. The third spot was taken by a stretch of Route 66 in California, known for its ghost towns, tales of missing hitchhikers, and proximity to the sites of the Manson Family's activities in the late 1960s.