All dressed up with nowhere to go and scare people in your spooky attire? This giant pumpkin boulder in Norco might just be the perfect alternative. Perched upon the highest hill in this small town, is the huge Pumpkin Rock with stunning 360-degree views. It’s painted orange with a black jack-o’-lantern face in a Burton-esque style—basically, Jack Skellington meets James and the Giant Peach in the form of a large stone.
Note: Be sure to check air quality as well as road closures prior to going, as wildfires in the region may impact the experience.
As you know, most of our usual Halloween traditions have either switched to a drive-in variation or vanished completely. So if you’re not wild about sitting in your car for the occasion, and you’ve already been to every pumpkin display in the city, this offers a whole different type of pumpkin trail.
It’s a steep but relatively easy hike and there’s absolutely zero shade, so it’s worth whipping out the witch’s hat for this one. While Norco Hills have plenty of trails (which all seem to overlap at some point) this one might be the most convenient one. You’ll need to head to Ingalls Park and you’ll be able to see the rock pretty clearly. There’ll be a wide dirt path, with a steep incline where the hike begins. This is about a mile round trip. However, there are alternatives out there if you prefer a challenge like starting at Norco Animal Control Shelter, Norco, CA, 92860, USA, for example. Just pay attention to parking signs before you set off anywhere though.
Pumpkin Rock is roughly 15-foot tall, is always has a fresh coat of paint around Halloween season. No one is completely sure about who initially painted the rock, but it’s maintained by loving volunteers and locals that like to keep the spirit alive. There tends to be a ton of graffiti on it the rest of the time, but maybe that adds to the charm?
It’s the perfect spot to catch a sunset or bask in moonlight for a spookier affair. Of course, most people like to dress up for the occasion and get creative with the shots.
Norco is also known as “Horsetown” due to the horse to human ratio. So naturally, there are horse-friendly trails too, in case you prefer to go full Sleepy Hollow. If horses and general traffic isn’t your scene, the best bet is to go for sunrise rather than sunset.
Location: Norco, CA 92860, United States
Hours: Open 24/7
[Featured Image: @baroque_ground]