Summary

• Hiking horror movies make nature scary, from survival tales to supernatural encounters in eerie settings.
• Various subgenres explore different threats in the wilderness, from real dangers to terrifying creatures.
• These films turn safe outdoor activities into deadly experiences, blending picturesque beauty with chilling terror.

The horror genre can often take pleasant experiences and turn them into terrifying concepts, such as with hiking horror movies. This subgenre has been surprisingly popular and makes for some of the best horror movies set in the woods, as it finds characters out in the wilderness and fighting for survival against the elements, other people, animals, or some unexplained evil threat. Horror movies with a hike-gone-wrong plot have been very effective, often mixing picturesque beauty with chilling terror. The wilderness can be an intimidating location as civilization and safety seem so close but also out of reach.

The best hiking horror movies highlight all the different approaches that can be taken to the subgenre with entries that range from grounded stories of survival to supernatural tales of creatures and evil spirits. They can also differ in the types of locations used, from dense forests that make it easy for people to lose their way to barren deserts where there is no place to hide. These movies find the most effective ways to bring out horror in the great outdoors and turn hiking from what's considered to be a safe pastime into a dangerous and deadly experience.

25 Significant Other (2022)

An Engaged Couple Encounter Terror On The Trail In The Pacific Northwest

The lush splendor of the Pacific Northwest is the backdrop for Significant Other, a hiking horror about a young couple who embark on a backpacking trip through the wilderness only to find that they may not be alone. Soon to be married, Ruth (Maika Monroe) and Harry (Jake Lacy) head out on a peaceful getaway. However, their trek puts them to the ultimate test, and their peril uncovers secrets that will push the limits of trust and commitment.

Horror staple Maika Monroe is particularly effective, continuing to secure a spot as a modern "scream queen."

A slick and sophisticated entry in the hiking horror movies genre, the beautiful and eerie cinematography showcasing the Pacific Northwest and engrossing performances by the leads make this a fully immersive experience. Horror staple Maika Monroe is particularly effective, continuing to secure a spot as a modern "scream queen." Engaging with it until the end makes the twist that much more enjoyable (and unsettling).

Significant Other is available to stream on Paramount+.

24 Coming Home In The Dark (2021)

New Zealand Thriller Proves Hiking Horror Isn't Limited To The US

Some hiking horror movies deal with the terror of being alone in the wilderness with no help to be found. However, Coming Home in the Dark, along with several other movies in the genre, deals with the terror that comes from encountering the wrong people out in the wilderness. What's supposed to be a holiday in the backcountry becomes a terrifying game of cat and mouse with a couple of villainous drifters arriving to rob them.

While this setup is gripping enough, the encounter with the drifters takes an unexpected and brutal turn which brings up secrets from the past and turns the situation even more harrowing. There are some shocking twists and bleak nature to the movie that delivers a stunning impact on the audience. The 2018 hiking horror movie received critical praise as an impressive debut from director James Ashcroft.

Coming Home In The Dark is available to stream on Netflix.

23 A Perfect Getaway (2009)

Scenic Hawaii Becomes Deadly In This Whodunnit