5 Creepy but Cool Places to Visit in Canada

Hello friends!

Today we are talking about 5 creepy but cool places that you can visit in Canada (when the pandemic is over). I personally love to explore fun places when I travel, I am not one of those people who can sit by the beach for an entire vacation. I’m also fascinated by creepy or weird things, even though I have a very low tolerance for horror. So, without further adieu, let’s talk about some creepy but cool Canadian locales!

Note: All images and information are from Atlas Obscura.

Whistler Train Wreck- Whistler, BC

In 1956, a speeding, overweight train derailed in the forest near Whistler. While the cars didn’t fall off the track on their own, they were moved deeper into the forest during the clean-up operation and left to die in the wilderness. The surrounding forest has since absorbed them into the natural landscape and graffiti artists have turned the over-turned cars into works of art. Visitors can hike into the forest to see the cars (although this is government land, so trespassing is illegal). The location is listed at 50.1031, -122.9882 and can be reached by hiking behind Olive’s Market in Whistler. I’ve never been but it is recommended that you do not cross the train tracks for safety reasons as well as that you use caution and travel at your own risk as it is illegal to trespass on government land. I do love me some good abandoned infrastructure taken over by nature.

Frank Slide- Bellevue, Alberta

I thought that most Albertans knew the story of Frank Slide, but after I visited there again in October, I realized that many of my friends had never heard about it. Every time that I drive by Frank Slide on the way to Fernie, I get such an ominous and horrible feeling, knowing that I’m literally driving past hundreds of people buried alive under tons of rock. Let me explain.

In the middle of the night in 1903, the side of Turtle Mountain fell and buried the small mining town of Frank Slide. Luckily, only 70 people out of the town of 600 died, as the mountain mainly hit the outskirts of town. This is the largest landslide in North American history. It was a shock to most of the townspeople, but not the Indigenous peoples living nearby, who had always referred to Turtle Mountain as the Mountain that Walks. The area is now a provincial Historical site and has an interpretive centre where you can learn more about the slide.

I remember reading a book about this slide in Elementary School and driving past this town quite often as a kid. It’s always haunted me but I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of a town buried in the middle of the night.

You can visit the Frank Slide Interpretive Center and the area by taking Highway 3 West from Calgary. If you are driving from Calgary and you get to Blairmore, you’ve gone too far. But trust me, you won’t miss this if you’re driving by.

Ark Two Shelter- Horning Mills, Ontario

This might be the ULTIMATE piece doomsday preparation. Bruce Beach has built this underground shelter out of 42 school busses and layers of soil and concrete. This shelter could house 500 people in the event of a nuclear event, and Beach says that he would fill it mostly with children. The shelter is located 14 feet below ground and houses 2 kitchens, a doctor’s office, an exercise room and more. It is also equipped with basic utilities including electricity, running water, an air system and enough diesel to last 3 months. The Government of Canada has regularly tried to stop Beach’s creation of this shelter but he refuses to give up.

Visitors can get a tour from Beach himself by contacting him in advance and doing a little bit of manual labour!

Carbide Willson Ruins- Chelsea, Quebec

The abandoned home of Thomas ‘Carbide’ Willson is yet another form of nature reclaiming its land. Willson created a process that can be used to create calcium carbide, which is an important industrial chemical. Many people say that Willson built his house and laboratory out in the woods to keep away from people who might steal his ideas. This home, located in Gatineau Park, was built after Willson discovered the chemical and he was trying to get into the fertilizer industry. During this time, he even went as far as building his own power station using the nearby lake (Meech Lake). This was not well-liked by the locals, but Willson didn’t really care. Never able to break into the fertilizer industry, Willson went bankrupt and left this house and land to an investor, who let it go to ruin.

Now, the area has been taken over by nature and only the skeleton of the buildings remain. You can park at the O’Brian Parking Lot on the way to Meech Lake in Gatineau Park. Take the trail from the parking lot and you’ll reach the ruins about 30 minutes into the trail.

Five Fisherman Restaurant- Halifax, Nova Scotia

Even as a born-and-raised Canadian, I often forget that the Titanic went down off the shores of Newfoundland. The nearest port that was large enough for rescue efforts was in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bodies from the Titanic were bought to Snow & Company Undertakers, now the home of the Five Fisherman Restaurant. Five years later, Snow & Company was once again overrun with bodies from another ocean disaster, The Halifax Explosion. The undertakers operated out of the building until 1973.

Now, the building is home to the Five Fisherman Restaurant. Some say that the building is haunted by ghosts from the Titanic and The Halifax Explosion. You can visit and eat at the restaurant Tuesday through Saturday.

Are there any creepy places near where you live? Let us know in the comments!