I’d never been to a haunted house — and then I went to Fear Factory. Here’s how it went

Fear Factory, a haunted house attraction located in Salt Lake City, invites visitors to navigate a maze of terror-inducing corridors within a decommissioned factory dating back to the late 1800s.
I had the opportunity to attend their 2024 season, which offered new additions to their expanding lore of horror.
This was exciting for me — I’ve never been a haunted house before, so I had high expectations.
Once home to the Portland Cement Company, the factory now serves as the site of nightmares, brought to life by the creative minds of co-founder Rob Dunfield and his team of artists and actors.
However, not all the frights are staged. Dunfield told me that Fear Factory has a history of paranormal activity that has caused it to become the subject of frequent investigations.
Workers have reported strange incidents, including unexplained noises, flickering lights and ladders tipping over without warning.
As previously reported by the Deseret News, this combination of manufactured horror and reported paranormal occurrences has earned Fear Factory a reputation as one of the scariest haunted attractions in Utah — and the United States.
Fear Factory has six buildings — some up to six stories high — and includes two underground passages, per its website. This provides a ton of space to expand their operations, adding to their ever growing catalog of spine-chilling attractions.
Last year, the haunted house introduced a storyline centered around a mysterious, beating heart discovered in the deepest part of the factory.
“The factory is alive and feeding off your fear,” Dunfield explained. “Whatever your fears are, maybe you will may see that in here.”
Visitors can expect encounters with a diverse range of phobias, such as bugs, spiders, the undead, clowns, heights, darkness and death.
This year, Dunfield hinted at new revelations about the factory’s ominous power source.
“You’ll notice some big changes as you go up the tower,” Dunfield teased. “At the top of the tower, be sure and look up. You’ll see who’s controlling the brain of the factory.”
In addition to this frightful addition, Fear Factory will introduce a new 21-and-over bar, which Dunfield said is named “Dark Spirits at Fear Factory.”
After speaking with Dunfield, I went through Fear Factory — my first time ever in a haunted house.
While inexperienced, I felt prepared — I’m no stranger to horror films. But as I quickly realized, a live haunted house is something else entirely.
My group wore glow sticks around our necks, letting actors know we were open to being touched, which attendees can opt into for a more immersive experience.
Even though I knew the actors weren’t real threats, the fact that they were actual people who could touch and interact with me added more horror than any scary movie can provide. Dunfield’s earlier comments about the factory’s paranormal activity only made it creepier.
While the atmosphere was eerie, I attended on a busy day, which did make it less scary. The large crowd made the haunted house feel less personal.
That’s the challenge of a top-tier haunted house attraction: It offers a thrilling, terrifying experience that draws larger crowds, which in turn can diminish the scary atmosphere.
But the overall experience was intense, with plenty of jump scares and disturbing visuals.
The experience was longer than I expected, lasting about 45 minutes, which was a definite plus with so much to see and explore. I’m sure I missed a lot during my first visit, making it well worth a repeat trip.
Memorable props included a lifelike, massive heart, a dummy being electrocuted in an electric chair and much more.
Other standout parts included a section dedicated to clowns where we were given 3D glasses that enhanced the vibrant colors and a final pitch-black, smoke-filled room that led into a blinding light — a disorienting transition that felt like stepping into the afterlife.
The most terrifying moment for me, however, didn’t include any props or actors. It was crossing a catwalk between two buildings with a grate floor, letting me to see how far up I was.
According to their website, for the 2024 season Fear Factory operates on Fridays and Saturdays in September from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
In October, it extends its hours, opening on weekdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight.
The season ends with a blackout event on Nov. 1-2, during which all house lights are turned off, and guests explore the factory with only a small finger light.
Tickets range from $29.99 on weekdays to $36.99 on weekends. For an additional $4, visitors can experience the more immersive option of being touched by actors.