Boy Scout Lane

Boy Scout Lane is one of the most infamous haunted roads in Wisconsin, drawing paranormal investigators, ghost story enthusiasts, and curious travelers to an otherwise quiet dirt road in the Town of Linwood near Stevens Point. Stretching only about 2,500 feet between Cemetery Road and Little Chicago Road, the isolated lane has become legendary for decades of chilling folklore, unexplained sightings, and eerie nighttime encounters.

Despite its fearsome reputation, there is no documented historical evidence that a Boy Scout tragedy ever occurred here. The road takes its name from nearby property once owned by the Boy Scouts of America, where a Scout camp was reportedly planned but never built. Over the years, that simple origin evolved into one of Wisconsin’s best-known urban legends. Countless versions of the story have emerged, each adding new layers to the mystery while cementing Boy Scout Lane as a must-visit destination for fans of haunted places and Wisconsin folklore.

Legend tells of a Boy Scout troop doomed to haunt the woods beside the road after meeting their tragic end sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. Depending on who tells the story, the Scouts were murdered by their Scoutmaster, perished in a devastating forest fire after a lantern ignited the woods, died in a fiery bus accident, or mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Some versions claim two Scouts escaped to find help but became hopelessly lost in the forest and never returned. The stories have spread for generations and remain deeply embedded in Wisconsin’s paranormal culture.

Reported Paranormal Activity

• Reports of glowing red or white lantern lights moving through the woods after dark
• Apparitions believed to be ghostly Boy Scouts wandering among the trees
• Legends of a phantom school bus or Scout bus appearing briefly before vanishing
• Unexplained footsteps, snapping branches, and movement heard from multiple directions despite no visible source
• Strong feelings of being watched or followed while walking or driving the road
• An overwhelming sense of dread, anxiety, or foreboding reported by numerous visitors
• Claims of mysterious child-sized handprints appearing on vehicles after traveling the road
• Occasional reports of shadow figures moving between the trees
• Electronic equipment and flashlights reportedly behaving erratically during paranormal investigations