Riverside, CA — Castle Dark at Castle Park has three haunted mazes this year, and two are new: S.O.S. – Sewer of Screams, set in a sewer after a chemical spill, and Condemned, a walk through a dark ride that was sealed for decades. The Riverside event runs Fridays through Sundays until November 1, tickets are $29.99 to $44.99 online depending on the night, and the park’s rides are included.
The Three Mazes
All three mazes are included with a Castle Dark ticket, and this year’s story ties them together: the castle’s Book of Spells has gone missing, and nobody knows who will rule Castle Dark.
- S.O.S. – Sewer of Screams (NEW): a chemical spill has turned the city’s sewer system into tunnels of overgrown, mutated things. Castle Park’s description promises “grotesque mutations” and passages that lead “deeper into madness.” It is near Dragon’s Tower.
- Condemned (NEW): you play a group of content creators who break into a dark ride that was sealed after a lightning storm caused a power surge and trapped the people inside. The lights come back on, the ride vehicles start moving, and your cameras are still recording. It is near the Big Top.
- Midnight Manor (Returning): you are part of a ghost-hunting team inside a house that comes alive at midnight on Halloween, where the walls move and your team starts to disappear. It is near Saw Mill Plunge.
Scare Zones and Shows
Castle Dark has two scare zones, which are open areas of the park where costumed actors roam instead of a walk-through building. The Endless Chapter, near the Big Top, Dragon Flyer, and Merlin’s Revenge, is a kingdom of fairy tale monsters and villains at war. The Forgotten Kingdom, near Saw Mill Plunge and the Castle Park Railroad, is a cursed medieval town of villagers, knights, and nobles.
Lady Lou’s Haus of Monsters is the stage show, hosted by a ghost and her troupe of graveyard dancers. After Dark is a dance party with a DJ in the Big Top tent every Friday and Saturday night, with food and a bar for guests 21 and older.
Dates and Hours
Castle Dark runs 19 nights in 2026: every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from September 25 through November 1, plus Thursday, October 29. Hours are 7 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets and Prices
A Single Day ticket bought online is priced by the night. On October 6, Castle Park’s ticket store listed these prices for the rest of October:
- $29.99: Thursday, October 29
- $34.99: Fridays and Sundays
- $39.99: the Saturdays of October 10, 17, and 24
- $44.99: Halloween, Saturday, October 31
The same ticket is $49.99 at the park on any night, so buying ahead saves $5 to $20. The other options:
- Any Day ticket: $44.99 online, good for any one night of Castle Dark.
- VIP Bundle: from $54.99 online and $74.99 at the park. It adds daytime park admission from noon to 5 p.m. and an Unlimited Thrill Pass.
- Thrill Pass: $14.99 for one trip through the priority line at each of the three mazes.
- Unlimited Thrill Pass: $29.99 for the priority line at every maze all night.
- Parking: $10 online or $15 at the gate. VIP parking is $25 online or $30 at the gate.
Platinum and Elite annual passholders get into Castle Dark and park for free.
Rides and Food
The rides are open during Castle Dark and are included in the ticket, except for Kiddieland.
Castle Dark has a seasonal food menu at four stands. The Big Top serves the Zombie Walking Taco, the Haunted Dog, Executioner Fries, and the Dragon Ember Turkey Leg, and Plaza Café has most of the same menu. Frying Factory has a Graveyard Funnel Cake and a Pumpkin Spice Funnel Cake, and Royal Treats has Scream Cream. The bar menu for guests 21 and older has three drinks: Skull Potion, The Drip, and the Slime Shot.
Ages and Rules
- Ages: Castle Park says Castle Dark is not intended for guests under 13. Anyone under 17 has to stay with a parent or guardian who is at least 21.
- Photos: flash photography and video are not allowed inside the mazes.
- Rain: if the park closes early for weather while you are inside, Guest Relations gives you a free return ticket.
- Refunds: the park does not refund guests who get too scared.
More Southern California Halloween Events
For the larger Southern California events, see my guides to Knott’s Scary Farm and haunted houses in Los Angeles, and my list of haunted houses across California.
Event Details
Castle Dark runs through Sunday, November 1, at Castle Park, 3500 Polk Street, Riverside, CA 92505. Tickets are at castlepark.com/castle-dark.
