Coffin Creek wasn’t the most glamorous place in SoCal. But it always screamed

These days, a night at SoCal’s most popular hangout usually begins with attendees scanning digital tickets at the brightly marked entrance.

At Coffin Creek, things were a little different.

Those traveling to the annual Corona site entered an interesting scene the moment they turned off the 71 Freeway and drove through deserted roads to Riverview Amusement Park, where Coffin Creek made its home. In the parking lot, the dust kicked up by the cars created its own layer of darkness, and sounds could be heard in the darkness – sleepless screams, the clanking of chainsaws and the nervous cries of animals. There was always a sense of mystery and excitement: With its independent, underground atmosphere, Coffin Creek—one of the longest-running Halloween haunts in Southern California—was a little place that could.

Coffin Creek had its last episode. Its founder and operator, Gary Sherman, died last month at the age of 74. But her legend lives on in the community of Halloween lovers.

Coffin Creek, located in Riverview Amusement Park, had a rustic feel, which added to the fear.

(Warren Sue)

While Coffin Creek, sometimes called the Crossroads Haunted Village, was originally a destination populated by several independently owned and operated haunted mazes, Sherman was the head of operations. An electrician by trade and a longtime horror fan, Sherman launched the enterprise in 2007 after spending years looking for a location. He settled on 180 acres of parkland in Corona near the Santa Ana River. And as he soon discovered, it was already haunted, perhaps.

The background to the Coffin Creek site — at least as told through a newspaper story on Hunt’s website — is that in 1938, a major flood hit Southern California, unearthing 13 coffins from an abandoned cemetery in Corona. Only a few human remains were found in these coffins, and soon the locals started seeing and hearing strange things at night.

Local artists and volunteers worked year-round to open Coffin Creek, which was never a flashy or polished production like Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, Knot’s Scary Farm or SoCal’s well-established haunted mazes — but that was part of the attraction. The dark and muddy terrain of the woods was just as impressive a scene as the bed sheet drapery or wooden flats it was set on. While an astute guest might have noticed that the hanging set pieces were a bit discolored or not all that well lit, the sound of kicks could be heard from the dark spaces in the crowd reminding the crowd that it was all about the final surprise. One couldn’t tell when the chainsaw-wielding madman was about to jump behind the wall.

Sign for Coffin Creek Manor Maze.

(Scott Feinblatt)

“Gary Mazes was very old-school and very low-tech, and he was a big supporter of that,” said Warren Sue, a contributor to Hollywood Gothic, an online guide to all things horror in L.A. “He felt we all needed old-school horror. As long as people are screaming, it’s successful.”

In a 2011 interview, Sherman said he would work all year for this “first scream of the season”. Some participants will take a step through the door and return.

The shrines at Coffin Creek had names such as Tomb Cells, Labyrinth of Lost Artifacts, Bog of the Abyss, Dark Realm and Coffin Creek Manor, a legendary name. One of the most fascinating aspects of the destination was that many of the mazes resided in permanent structures that created a medieval-inspired village of the Courbon Renaissance Festival in the park grounds.

The scary player is ready for his next victim.

(Scott Feinblatt)

Actors played all kinds of hideous creatures, including orcs and vampires. Uncle Zed’s Zombie Safari, which was one of the first Hayride-style attractions to appear in recent years, even featured some of the community’s collection of monsters, all of which originated from independent contributions to the Safe, Preserve, Protect (SCP) horror subgenre. Guests at this Coffin Creek attraction were whisked from one broken containment scenario to another, with monstrous monsters puzzling them in the dark between dimly lit vignettes.

Steve Biedrowski, owner and operator of the Hollywood Gothic, said Sherman worked tirelessly behind the scenes, not only creating the haunt but also dealing with all the red tape that came with operating in Corona Park. Biodroski recalled Sherman telling him about the complicated nature of ownership. “There were like four different owners,” Biodroski explained. “One was federal, and I believe it had something to do with the military; then there were state and local departments involved. Getting anyone to sign an agreement or allow a distressed village to operate was nearly impossible.”

Clowns haunt the premises – and the dreams of the audience.

(Scott Feinblatt)

Over the years of Coffin Creek’s various incarnations, a number of sub-attractions have completed the maze: magic shows, horror merchandise vendors and food stands. Some locations included high production value effects – the Tomb Chamber, for example, featured inventive animatronics from its original operator, Figment Foundry. Even during the boom of local hanging attractions in the mid-2010s, the village shrunk but the maze never lost its appeal. By consistently using veneers and components from old maze construction, the unique landscape and the talent of enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers, Sherman continues to be a fun enterprise.

His passion for haunted attractions didn’t end at Coffin Creek. In 2022, Sherman partnered with Haunted producer Jason Thompson to host the Haunted X convention at the Fairplex in Pomona. The event provided an opportunity for independent real estate owners and artists to network, learn business techniques, and showcase their companies and products to each other and their fans.

“He wasn’t just into haunted houses,” she said of Sherman. “He was always coming up with ideas for other Halloween things that were family-friendly — not scary — for kids.” Additionally, Noe said Sherman was generous to the community. I think everyone would agree that he was always willing to help. Another friend of mine was building his haunted house, and even though it had nothing to do with Gary, he was down in the heat of the desert to help and build it. And Gary didn’t make a cent. He was just asking for something – he was just asking for something. Friends and help make this a better place.”

The legend of the location of Coffin Creek is that a flood swept through Southern California, unearthing 13 coffins from an abandoned cemetery.

(Scott Feinblatt)

Shortly before his death, Sherman expressed excitement about the future of Coffin Creek. He had announced that the Haunt would move to a new riverside location, the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, where it would operate in conjunction with the Perris Pumpkin Patch. It may not happen, but the Paris Pumpkin Patch is operational this season and remains a family-friendly destination.

And while the maze may be over, like any good maze, there may always be something more ahead.