9 Haunted Places in Tennessee That Even Locals Avoid

Tennessee’s beauty hides a darker side, and locals will tell you some places just feel wrong after dark. If you like history with a chill, these sites deliver goosebumps, whispered legends, and that unmistakable you-are-not-alone feeling. You will hear stories passed down for generations and encounters that make skeptics quiet down fast. Ready to explore the Volunteer State’s most avoided haunts without losing your nerve?

1. Bell Witch Cave (Adams)

The Bell Witch legend lingers like cold breath in the Adams woods, where the cave feels alive with listening silence. Locals warn you not to taunt, not to challenge, not to take rocks home. You feel watched, as if the story remembers your footsteps.

Inside, whispers seem to ride moving air, and small pebbles tap without hands. Guides retell early 1800s accounts of a merciless presence targeting the Bell family. Whether skeptic or believer, your heartbeat tends to quicken.

Phones glitch, lights flicker, and sudden chills find exposed skin. People leave offerings and apologies before turning back. Among the most haunted places in the world, this cave holds its rank with stubborn, unsettling confidence.

2. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary (Petros)

The walls at Brushy Mountain feel heavy, like they soaked up every confession and curse. You walk past cells where voices carry oddly, bouncing back with a taunting echo. Cold spots linger even when the sun hits iron.

Guards once watched lifers pace these tiers, and some say the routine never ended. On tours, you catch footsteps behind you that never quite resolve. Doors clank, and a breath grazes your neck where nobody stands.

Locals list it among Tennessee’s most haunted without hesitation. Petros nights get long, and this place lengthens them. If you listen closely, the prison talks, and it does not care if you want to hear.

3. The Orpheum Theatre (Memphis)

The Orpheum dazzles with gold leaf and velvet, then sneaks in goosebumps under the chandelier. You take your seat and hear a giggle that feels too close. Locals mention Mary, a little girl who loves the show must go on.

Stagehands notice moving curtains when nobody pulls a rope. A playful energy rides the aisle like a missed cue. Ushers swear seats fold and unfold with a mind of their own.

It is one of the South’s most whispered-about theaters, where elegance meets after-hours chills. You will glance at the balcony, expecting a small silhouette. If you clap, do it twice, in case Mary wants an encore.

4. The Read House Hotel (Chattanooga) — Room 311

Ask Chattanooga locals for a creepy stay, and they point you straight to Room 311. The hallway seems to narrow as you approach, keys heavier than they should be. Inside, the mirror makes the air feel colder.

Stories trace to tragic nights and a woman who never quite checked out. You might hear running water, then find the faucet dry. Guests whisper about perfume catching in the throat and radio static at 3 a.m.

The hotel embraces the legend, and you feel that confidence on the threshold. You can request the room if you dare. Just know the night may keep your name until morning.

5. The Thomas House Hotel (Red Boiling Springs)

The Thomas House looks inviting from the porch, then the floorboards tell a different tale. You feel a tug at your sleeve when nobody is near. Hallways breathe with temperature drops that ignore the weather.

Owners acknowledge strange patterns like footsteps, knocks, and doors testing their hinges. Guests report dreams that feel borrowed from the building’s past. Photos capture shifting orbs and shadows with peculiar edges.

Red Boiling Springs is gentle by day, but this hotel keeps its own schedule. You will either sleep deeply or not at all. If you wander late, the wallpaper seems to lean in and listen.

6. Earnestine & Hazel’s (Memphis)

Music and ghosts share the same booth at Earnestine & Hazel’s. The jukebox develops moods, playing the perfect song before you touch it. Stairs creak like they remember every late-night confession.

Stories whisper of the building’s layered past and visitors who never left. You might catch perfume or smoke where the room looks clean. Bartenders say barstools shift just enough to be noticed.

This is a haunt you can toast, then tiptoe through after midnight. Locals love it and still admit something feels off. If your drink chills faster than expected, you are not drinking alone.

7. The Woodruff-Fontaine House (Memphis)

The Woodruff-Fontaine House wears its Victorian elegance like armor, but the quiet can vibrate. You stand in a parlor where portraits watch too intently. Lace curtains stir when the air stands still.

Docents share tales of footsteps on empty stairs and a presence that lingers in wedding rooms. Dresses rustle where mannequins do not move. Your reflection feels delayed, as if someone is catching up.

It is beautiful, yes, and beautifully unsettling. The house asks you to mind your manners and your heartbeat. When you leave, the doorknob cools slowly, holding the warmth of two hands.

8. Carnton Plantation (Franklin)

Carnton carries the weight of the Battle of Franklin, and you feel it before the guide speaks. The grounds seem to hold their breath. Inside, those floorboards marked by history do not let you forget.

Visitors report soldier shadows, whispered roll calls, and a hush that settles like fog. Footsteps follow along the veranda, steady and purposeful. You may hear distant drumming where only trees stand.

Whether you believe or not, the atmosphere is undeniable. Respect is the best way through this story. Walk softly, and you might hear the past walking softly back.

9. The Hermitage (Nashville)

The Hermitage greets you with grandeur and a quiet that presses gently on your ears. Old rooms hold the kind of stillness that cracks with small sounds. Guides mention footsteps, murmurs, and doors testing their latches.

Some visitors glimpse figures near the oldest structures, like a memory replaying itself. You catch a scent of smoke or earth with no clear source. Cameras disagree about what they saw a moment ago.

It appears on nearly every Tennessee haunted list for a reason. You walk the path back to the car feeling noticed. History does not end here, it occasionally steps outside.