Written By: Sam Santiago
Welcome to Shadowlands, the weekly column that looks at haunted locations around the nation and abroad to bring you where you might find some happy haunts and a few dangerous areas as well. We must state that all of the places we list are real, and they do come with their own set of rules and regulations if you plan on checking them out.
Paranormal Locations Across Riverside and Surrounding Cities
Southern California’s Inland Empire is often overshadowed by Los Angeles when it comes to ghost stories, but Riverside and its surrounding cities carry a deep catalog of unsettling locations, eyewitness reports, and lingering legends. From historic hotels to mountains, cemeteries, and private homes, these sites have appeared in long-standing paranormal submissions and regional folklore.
Mission Inn, Riverside
The Mission Inn is more than a landmark. It is a maze of hidden staircases, sealed off rooms, and decades of reported activity. Guests and employees have described hearing footsteps in empty corridors, doors opening on their own, and sightings of figures believed to be former residents or long deceased visitors. Some claim certain rooms feel unnaturally cold even in the summer months, while others report the sensation of being watched while alone in the building.
Mount Rubidoux, Riverside Jurupa Valley
Mount Rubidoux is a popular daytime hiking destination, but after dark, the mood changes entirely. Night hikers have reported shadowy figures moving between trees, disembodied voices carried by the wind, and an overwhelming sense of dread near the summit. The mountain’s long history and isolation have made it a magnet for rumors involving spirits tied to past deaths and unexplained tragedies.
Evergreen Cemetery, Riverside
Dating back to the 1800s, Evergreen Cemetery is one of the oldest burial grounds in the city. Visitors have reported hearing whispers, footsteps crunching on gravel when no one is nearby, and sudden cold spots near older graves. Some claim to have seen mist forming close to the ground or dark shapes moving between headstones during late evening hours.
Riverside City College
Several buildings on the Riverside City College campus have been associated with strange occurrences over the years. Reports include doors slamming shut, lights flickering without cause, and shadow figures seen late at night in hallways and parking structures. Theater areas are often mentioned as hotspots, with staff and students describing unexplained noises and voices when the buildings are empty.
Main Street Bridge Creature Incident, Riverside
One of Riverside’s strangest legends involves a reported encounter near the Main Street Bridge in the late 1950s. According to the story, a driver struck a large green creature while crossing the bridge, leaving claw marks and residue on the vehicle. While not a ghost story in the traditional sense, the incident remains one of the region’s most talked about unexplained encounters.
Upland Private Residence
A family living in Upland submitted a long account describing repeated disturbances inside their home. Objects reportedly moved on their own, doors opened and closed without explanation, and loud knocking sounds echoed through the house at night. The activity allegedly intensified over time, eventually convincing the family to leave the property.
Castle Park Area, Riverside
The land surrounding Castle Park has been tied to strange after-hours encounters by employees and nearby residents. Stories include seeing a woman in white near closed attractions, hearing laughter when the park is empty, and sensing a heavy presence after dark. While difficult to verify, the consistency of reports keeps the legend alive locally.
Why the Inland Empire Still Feels Haunted
Many of these locations sit on land shaped by rapid development, long-forgotten tragedies, and centuries of layered history. As cities expanded, old homes, burial grounds, and paths were built over or erased. What remains are stories passed down through word of mouth and firsthand accounts that refuse to disappear.
Have you experienced something unexplained in Riverside or the Inland Empire? We want to hear it. Some stories don’t stay buried, no matter how much time passes. Till next time, this is Shadowlands!