The eerie glow of the Blood Moon has been linked to a sudden surge in paranormal activity along the iconic Route 66, particularly experienced by truckers. As the moon turns red, truckers have reported an increase in ghostly sightings, mysterious figures, and unexplainable phenomena during their nighttime hauls. From vanishing hitchhikers to phantom convoys, the once quiet stretches of highway have become hotspots for the supernatural. Many believe the Blood Moon intensifies the energy along Route 66, awakening spirits and amplifying hauntings, leaving drivers to question what lies beyond the veil on this haunted road.
Where is Route 66?
Route 66, the legendary “Mother Road,” stretches over 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, passing through desolate desert landscapes, small ghost towns, and eerie stretches of lonely highway. For truckers, this iconic road is more than a route—it’s a pathway to the unknown. Over the years, many long-haul drivers have shared chilling tales of paranormal encounters during their journeys along Route 66. Since the Blood Moon on March 13th, 2025, paranormal encounters along Route 66 have intensified dramatically. These unknown spirits seem to be making their presence felt more than ever, as if searching for their next target. Truckers—our highway heroes—have become the unwitting victims of these restless entities, and discussions at rest stops and truck stops alike have centered around the eerie shift in energy. The Blood Moon appears to have altered the paranormal atmosphere, creating a noticeable spike in activity, leaving truckers on edge as they navigate the haunted stretches of this historic highway. As you journey down this historic highway, especially as the sun begins to sink below the horizon, beware. Stay vigilant, for you may be the next to come face to face with these terrifying spirits that lurk in the shadows, waiting for unsuspecting travelers. Here are the top ten spine-tingling short stories of the supernatural that truckers say they came face-to-face with on this haunted highway.
1. The Vanishing Hitchhiker
Late one night, a trucker found himself driving through the desolate Arizona desert on a lonely stretch of Route 66 near Chambers. In the dim glow of his headlights, he saw a young woman standing by the roadside, her thumb outstretched, eyes hollow. Feeling a strange pull of pity, he stopped and offered her a ride. She climbed in without a word, her gaze fixed straight ahead. As he drove, he asked where she was headed, but she only raised her hand, pointing forward in silence. He noticed the young lady was missing her fingernails. When asked what happened she said nothing. A few miles down the road, the trucker glanced to his right—and she was gone. No open door, no sound, just an empty seat and an icy chill that crept down his spine. Later he had stopped by Speedy’s Rest Stop where he learned about a young lady who was found not far from where he picked her up. Story says she was a hitchhiker who was found lifeless with marks around her neck and missing fingernails. The trucker said he has not been back on that part of Route 66 since.
2. The Phantom Convoy
While driving through an especially desolate stretch of Route 66 near Cuervo, New Mexico, Which is 15 miles north of Roswell. A trucker said a convoy of old military trucks were creeping up in his rearview mirror. At first, it seemed like a typical sight—until he looked closer. There were no drivers. The trucks moved in eerie unison, following him for miles in silent pursuit. Heart pounding, the trucker kept glancing back, his unease growing. Then, without warning, the entire convoy vanished—disappearing into thin air as if they had never existed. Later, at a truck stop, the shaken trucker shared his eerie encounter with the clerk. She listened intently before revealing that he wasn’t the first to experience this strange encounter. Lately, she explained, things had become more unsettling than ever before. She then told him of a military convoy that had tragically crashed on that same stretch of road back in the 1940s. According to local lore, the souls of those lost in the crash were trapped, condemned to roam Route 66 in an endless, ghostly convoy.
3. The Rest Stop Specter
A trucker pulled over at a rest stop in Oklahoma, hoping for a quick nap before continuing his long journey. He parked, closed his eyes, and drifted off—only to be jolted awake by a loud knocking on the side of his rig. He peered outside, expecting to see someone, but the rest stop was empty. Confused, he lay back down, but the knocking returned, echoing through the night at random times. Each time he checked, the lot was deserted, except for the eerie silence that seemed to thicken with each passing hour. The next morning, rattled and sleep-deprived, the trucker stopped at a nearby truck stop and shared his unnerving experience with the clerk. Her expression turned grave. “That rest stop has been abandoned for years,” she whispered. “You’re not the first to hear the knocking. It’s been happening a lot more since the Blood Moon. That place is haunted by the spirit of a man who died in a violent altercation there.”
4. The Ghostly Semi
On a dark and foggy night, a trucker was hauling a load across the Texas panhandle between McClean and Amarillo when he noticed another semi-truck approaching in the opposite lane. The truck’s headlights flickered, and as it passed, he noticed that the cab was completely empty—no driver behind the wheel. The ghostly truck vanished into the mist as quickly as it appeared, leaving the driver shaken. Local legends claim that the ghost truck roams the highway, searching for its lost driver.
5. The Desert Apparition
One foggy morning, a trucker was driving through the desolate part Mojave Desert, when out of the mist, he spotted a figure standing in the middle of the road. The man was dressed in tattered, old-fashioned clothing from the 1800s, his pale face barely visible through the thick fog. The trucker slammed on his brakes and swerved to avoid hitting him, heart racing. He pulled over, shaken, and stepped out of his rig to see if the man was okay—but the road was empty. The fog seemed to swallow everything around him, and there was no trace of the man.
Later, still disturbed by the strange encounter, the trucker mentioned it at a nearby stop. That’s when he learned the chilling truth. The spot where he saw the figure was near an abandoned stagecoach stop, a place infamous for travelers mysteriously vanishing without a trace over the years. Some say the spirits of the lost still wander those roads, seeking an escape they’ll never find. The trucker realized with a shudder that he may have just encountered one of them.
6. The Lady in White
Late one night in California, a trucker was driving along a stretch of Route 66 near Barstow Daggett Airport, when he saw a woman in a white dress standing by the side of the road. He slowed down, thinking she might need help, but as he approached, the woman floated across the road and disappeared into the darkness. Other truckers have reported seeing the same figure—believed to be the ghost of a woman who died in a tragic car accident decades ago.
7. The Phantom Handprint
A trucker driving through Illinois on Route 66, in between Chenoa and Lexington, is when he noticed his truck’s engine struggling for no apparent reason. He pulled over to check under the hood, but everything seemed fine. When he returned to the cab, he noticed a single handprint on the dusty window—a child-sized handprint. He was alone and there was miles of farmland and there was no one else around. The trucker wiped the window clean, but the handprint reappeared the next day.
8. The Disappearing Gas Station
On a long haul through the Arizona desert, a trucker pulled into a small, vintage gas station to fuel up outside of Truxton. The place seemed stuck in time, with an old attendant and classic cars parked out front. After filling up, the trucker paid in cash and continued on his way. When he mentioned the station to other truckers at a nearby diner, the truckers were stunned—because the gas station he described hadn’t existed in decades, it had burned down in a fire long ago.
9. The Lost Traveler
A trucker was passing through a remote part of New Mexico. When he spotted a man walking along the road, looking disoriented and lost. The trucker stopped to offer him a ride, but as he approached the man, he realized the traveler was dressed in clothing from the 1950s. Before he could speak, the man vanished into thin air. Locals later told him about the Ghost Town, Montoya that was not far from where the Trucker had see the gentlemen. Locals went on to say that several people had disappeared on that stretch of road in the 1950s, and the ghostly traveler was often seen searching for a way home.
10. The Haunted Tunnel
A trucker passing through a narrow tunnel in Missouri felt a sudden drop in temperature, and his truck’s radio began to emit strange static. As he neared the end of the tunnel, he saw shadowy figures darting across the road in front of him, disappearing into the rock walls. Later, he learned that the tunnel was the site of a deadly cave-in during its construction, and it was rumored to be haunted by the spirits of those who died.
These eerie encounters remind us that the open road holds far more than endless miles of asphalt. For truckers who brave the long, desolate stretches of Route 66, the journey often brings them face-to-face with forces beyond comprehension. Since the Blood Moon on March 13th, 2025, these paranormal occurrences have spiked dramatically, becoming a hot topic among truckers at stops, rest areas, and within the Route 66 community. The once-quiet murmurs of ghost stories have now turned into serious warnings, as drivers swap tales of supernatural sightings, phantom figures, and chilling encounters.
The Blood Moon seems to have awakened something dark along the Mother Road, stirring restless spirits and amplifying their presence. As truckers continue their routes, many now drive with heightened caution, unsure of what might be waiting in the shadows. The next time you find yourself traveling Route 66, especially under the eerie glow of nightfall, stay alert—you never know when these spectral forces may cross your path. What’s lurking just beyond the reach of your headlights may be more than just the desert darkness.
