Every state in America carries a story of tragedy, mystery, and lingering spirits. From crumbling asylums to quiet cemeteries, these places reflect our fascination with the supernatural. Since National Ghost Hunting Day falls on the last Saturday of September, it’s a fitting time to explore the legends. But a word of warning: ghost hunting itself can be risky—not only because of trespassing or unsafe conditions in abandoned places, but also because of the very real spiritual dangers that may come from seeking out the paranormal. Instead, let’s take a journey through history and folklore to see which haunted site looms largest in each state.

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was once housed some notorious criminals, but even after the prison’s closure, it seems some of them were never released. Now notorious for being one of the most haunted prisons in America, the ghosts of Alcatraz are still alive and well— metaphorically speaking, of course. Recently, a team of researchers experienced the prison’s paranormal activity firsthand when they stayed overnight while working on a project to create a 3D map of Alcatraz Island.

Picture it: San Francisco, 2017. I was three months pregnant with our first child, Tony’s beard was at its zenith, and we were vacationing in Frisco for our ten year wedding anniversary! It was probably only our third vacation ever in the last decade, so every day we were checking multiple places off of our “must see” list. Our trip would certainly not have been complete without an excursion to a very famous and historical landmark - Alcatraz, one of America’s most haunted prisons.