Desoto Asylum

Directions Website

Desoto Asylum Haunted House & Food Drive, We’re the longest running haunted house in the tri-state. Perfecting our technique since 2008, always finding new ways to scare.

We’re part of Haunts Against Hunger; we’re collecting nonperishable food items for those in need. The Story Of Desoto Asylum...
Even small towns need medical services, so a hospital for the mentally insane wasn’t unusual. Desoto Asylum was typical—nurses administered medicine and restrained patients if they became agitated or dangerous. A doctor was in charge of treating patients and determining when—or if—they could ever return to society. According to a registration log that was uncovered years after the catastrophe, there were 23 patients admitted at Desoto Asylum and a staff of 8. Under normal circumstances, nothing ever went wrong. But, in the fall of 1966 residents of Needles began to go missing. Their mangled bodies found by authorities inside Desoto Asylum. Unable to figure out how the patients where escaping the residence panicked and boarded up Desoto Asylum with all the patients and staff still inside, the strong brick structure acting as a prison. In the weeks that followed, things began to change inside Desoto Asylum. The doctors and nurses ignored the patients in their frantic attempt to save themselves. Atticus Ravenswood was one of the higher-functioning patients, who’d been committed to Desoto Asylum in 1964 after killing his family with a pitchfork and using their dead bodies for experiments involving electrical cords and blue cheese dressing. When Atticus was no longer subdued by debilitating amounts of brain-numbing sedatives, he overheard the staff planning to escape and leave the patients to die. Unrestricted by the bounds of human decency, Atticus unleashed years of pent-up rage against the frightened staff and began committing revolting horrors on their live bodies. With the help of other patients, Atticus turned the tables on the former nurses and doctors, drugged them, and subjected them to his own twisted and painful experiments. Months passed before anyone escaped. Her name was Nurse Betty, and her story was found scribbled in the margins of a book. Most of the entries are smeared with blood. One of them reads: October, 1966. He is coming for us one by one, and I can hear them screaming from the padded cells, can smell the burning flesh each time the lights flicker. I know it is the electric chair. He calls it “shock therapy” but he and the girls are punishing us. I beg Tracy and Holly to remember how well I treated them as patients, but now as Atticus’s nurses, they are brainwashed to enjoy his dreadful experiments. I’m afraid to guess what he’s doing with the dead bodies this time. Today, hardly anyone remembers the horrors of Desoto Asylum. During the day, it’s vacant, eerie, crumbling brick structure hardly seems worthy of notoriety. But at night, when the smell of burning flesh permeates the air in a putrid dark cloud, thrill seekers looking for innocent fun are in for the shock of a lifetime.

Its so red, and SOMEONE HAS STOLEN THE DOOR K**B AGAIN! 😆
10/04/2026

Its so red, and SOMEONE HAS STOLEN THE DOOR K**B AGAIN! 😆

Don't trust them one bit! I will admit I'm not so great at making posters and flyers, but at least they're real!
09/30/2026

Don't trust them one bit! I will admit I'm not so great at making posters and flyers, but at least they're real!

We are now taking reservations for the escape room!A 7-minute extended haunted house experience where you will be direct...
09/26/2026

We are now taking reservations for the escape room!
A 7-minute extended haunted house experience where you will be directed into an unexplored part of the asylum. It’s a race again time to find your way out before time runs out.

Time slots start at 6:30pm and go every 10 minutes with the last one at 9:00pm. Message us to reserve a time.

NOTE: Limited only to guests that have donated 4 nonperishable food items or $10 per person and have an appointment. Max group size 4, recommended 3. If you make an appointment but don’t have your donations when you arrive you will not be able to do the escape room! If you are late or don't confirm your appointment via messenger when we message, your time slot may be offered to someone else.

When we started Desoto Asylum 19 years ago, we used to get a TON of trick r treaters! Now we barely get any, and it’s de...
09/08/2026

When we started Desoto Asylum 19 years ago, we used to get a TON of trick r treaters! Now we barely get any, and it’s depressing… So, we were thinking, is there a way to save trick r treating???
Would having a free and/or pay to enter house decorating contest help? Is it the price of candy? Is there some other way to encourage decorating? How do we get the word out? We need your help and ideas on how to save trick r treating in our neighborhood…

We need helpers for tickets, the door, and scare actors! We provide everything needed, But you can bring your own if you...
08/21/2026

We need helpers for tickets, the door, and scare actors! We provide everything needed, But you can bring your own if you like. We have a training system and will practice with you. Message us here and we will provide the instructions. Haunted House & Food Drive

🤔 We are wondering if there is any interest in a VIP level???VIP Haunted House & Escape Room Admission: The Haunted Hous...
08/16/2026

🤔 We are wondering if there is any interest in a VIP level???

VIP Haunted House & Escape Room Admission: The Haunted House & Escape Room experience, but adds a behind the scenes view while we are open (after you’ve gone through once). A skip the line on a second time though the haunted house, and if you return after we close a lights on tour and pictures with the some actors. APPOINTMENT REQUIRED! Limited only to guests that have donated 10 nonperishable food items or $25 per person and have an appointment. Max group size 4, recommended 3. If you make an appointment but don’t have your donations when you arrive you will not be able to do the escape room or use the other VIP options.

We're looking for ways to increase attendance and donations and want your feedback on the idea of adding a second haunte...
02/18/2026

We're looking for ways to increase attendance and donations and want your feedback on the idea of adding a second haunted house?
We're toying with the idea of splitting our space and making two smaller haunts that will total bigger than what we have now. We would keep the asylum but add a hillbilly/redneck theme with a small corn maze area. Would you be more incline to attend, Do you think other would?

Happy Friday the 13th!
02/13/2026

Happy Friday the 13th!

Another record year for our Haunts Against Hunger Food Drive!! During October there where 1,631 pounds collected and dur...
12/19/2025

Another record year for our Haunts Against Hunger Food Drive!! During October there where 1,631 pounds collected and during Krampus 250 pounds collected, making a total of 1,881 pound for the season! Beating last years record of 1,836 pounds. Thank you everyone that donated!
Also attendance was pretty good 1,722 people for the season. Our third busiest season ever.

P.S. If you could please leave us a Facebook or Google review to help us out.

12/13/2025

This is your last chance to see Desoto Asylum before it's gone! Come out and support a good cause.

Address

1924 Desoto Street
Needles, CA
92363

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Desoto Asylum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share