The woods and a group of campers have always been a standard setup for a horror film, but it’s because it manages to provide an effectively eerie and atmospheric story whatever the sub-genre may be; from survival horror, supernatural, to slashers; and these twenty-five films on the list do just that.
Now get your backpacks and tents ready as we’re about to take a look at the Top 25 Best Horror films About Camping.
25. Animal (2014)
A vicious, bloodthirsty predator traps a group of friends (Keke Palmer, Jeremy Sumpter, Elizabeth Gillies) in an isolated cabin.
You might not have heard of this forgotten creature feature film, well, let me tell you why this is a film you should watch; it’s an unpredictable film that will have you guessing which one of the group could die next as it tries to subvert many of your expectations. It also has a creepy-looking monster that’s reminiscent of the creatures from the movie Feast.
24. Wilderness (2006)
Juvenile delinquents are sent to a small British island after a fellow prisoner's death, where they have to fight for survival.
Wilderness is a thrilling film full of many tension-filled moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. As well as some pretty grisly kills on some pretty unlikable characters that every horror fan will surely appreciate. This is a forgotten slasher film that you should watch right now.
23. A Perfect Getaway (2009)
Two pairs of lovers on a Hawaiian vacation discover that psychopaths are stalking and murdering tourists on the islands.
Although it may be more of a thriller, A Perfect Getaway nonetheless provides a tension-filled mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat due to its many red herrings and misdirections. It features an amazing cast of well-known actors including Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant, and Chris Hemsworth who plays the likable but mysterious characters of the film.
It’s also a pretty stylish film with many distinct and creative shots after the huge reveal. This is a film that will make you scared of strangers that you meet on a vacation for that reason alone, making it a deserving film to watch.
22. Willow Creek (2013)
A man (Bryce Johnson) and his girlfriend (Alexie Gilmore) camp in the woods to capture firsthand evidence of Bigfoot.
Willow Creek is a surprisingly creative and terrifying found footage horror film that will scare you shitless thanks to its simplistic but horrific approach to its presentation. The film doesn’t break any ground within the sub-genre but what it does offer though is a movie filled with suspense and atmosphere throughout.
21. Stage Fright (2014)
Ten years after her Broadway diva mother was murdered after performing `The Haunting of the Opera', Camilla Swanson lands the lead role in a musical theatre summer camp's version of the same musical. As the show goes on, many of the cast start to get killed and they must now try to survive.
Many slasher films have always been the same since the 80s with little to no changes to the formula right until Stage Fright came around and brought a breath of fresh air to the genre, as it provides a hilarious and entertaining story with some music flair peppered in. As well as some pretty awesome kills to boot.
The film doesn’t take itself way too seriously and instead just wants you to have fun with it, and it certainly delivers.
20. The Ruins (2008)
A leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when a group of friends and a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.
The Ruins is a thrilling and repulsive horror film that will make you feel squeamish thanks to its many gory scenes that will leave a mark on your mind. From start to finish, the film is filled with tension that will put you on the edge of your seat as you witness many of the horrific events. It’s definitely a film that will have you second-guessing whether you should go on any vacation ever again.
19. Summer Camp (2016)
Four American counselors at a European summer camp must deal with the outbreak of a rage-inducing plague that starts in the animals.
Although it may seem like just your typical zombie film set in a summer camp, this film is actually pretty inventive, with it subverting many of the genre’s tropes and cliches and providing a unique film in the process. It even has a pretty grim ending that takes an unexpected turn.
If you’re looking for a fresh zombie film then Summer Camp might just be what you’re looking for.
18. The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)
A family of four staying at a secluded mobile home park for the night is stalked and then hunted by three masked psychopaths.
While this sequel to one of the most terrifying home invasion films may be tonally different in contrast to its predecessor, Prey at Night is still a worthy film to watch, thanks to the iconic murderous trio who will send shivers down your spine with each of their scenes.
The film also takes inspiration from 80s slasher films with its gorgeous use of colors and music, amplifying the tension further. It also has an insane third act that will have you on the edge of your seat for the whole duration.
17. Wrong Turn (2003)
Chris and a group of five friends are left stranded deep in the middle of the woods after their cars collide. As they venture deeper into the woods, they face an uncertain and bloodcurdling fate.
Wrong Turn is one of those films that became iconic but seemed to be largely forgotten by the masses nowadays. But those who remember it will know it's an underrated gem that features a terrifying trio of hillbilly killers and a slew of gruesome and inventive deaths that will please every horror fan.
It also features a likable set of characters including Eliza Dushku in the lead role, making this film a worthy watch.
16. Cabin Fever (2002)
Five college graduates rent a cabin in the woods and begin to fall victim to a horrifying flesh-eating virus, which attracts the unwanted attention of the homicidal locals.
Cabin Fever is a quintessential camping horror film that you deserve to watch at least once. It’s got a group of fairly unlikeable characters that you will want to see get killed in a gruesome way, and that it did; the film has so many gruesome moments that you won’t forget anytime soon.
The film received a remake in 2016 although it never managed to come close to its predecessor and ended up being unnecessary. So I highly recommend only watching this film instead.
15. The Burning (1981)
A former summer camp caretaker, horribly burned from a prank gone wrong, lurks around an upstate New York summer camp bent on killing the teenagers responsible for his disfigurement.
The Burning is one of the most beloved summer slasher movies out there and for good reasons, it’s a thrilling movie filled with so many great and memorable kills thanks largely to Tom Savini’s practical effects work and it also provides a subversion of slasher tropes as it features a male character as a replacement to the final girl tropes.
It also has a disgusting-looking slasher that will make you feel queasy and its setting makes for a mysterious location that won’t want to visit. Make sure to watch this underrated slasher right now.
14. Dead Snow (2009)
Let’s take a break from the sunny camping sites and go into the winter for camping with Dead Snow. Following a group of medical students, they find themselves terrorized by Nazi Zombies who awaken during their ski vacation.
This film will provide you with tons of entertainment and humor from start to finish thanks to its pretty ludicrous concept of zombie nazis. It’s full of bombastic action sequences and tons of gores to make every horror fan glee. As well as a group of likable characters to root for, making this zombie comedy film a worthy watch.
13. Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Angela Baker, a shy, traumatized young girl, is sent to summer camp with her cousin. Shortly after her arrival, anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions toward her gets their comeuppance.
Sleepaway Camp is a classic slasher tale in the likes of Friday the 13th, but what makes this film different from it is its distinct way of presenting itself. This movie isn’t just a simple slasher, it's also a dramatic coming-of-age story with an incredibly insane plot twist that will stay with you for weeks.
And although its sequels may not be as great as this classic, it doesn’t discredit the fact that this 1983 film will forever remain one of the best in the sub-genre.
12. Severance (2006)
A team-building weekend in the mountains of Eastern Europe goes horribly wrong for the sales division of the multi-national weapons company Palisade Defence when they become the victims of a group of crazed killers who will stop at nothing to see them dead.
Severance will make you want to never go to a camping retreat ever again as it provides a chaotically good time full of chills, thrills, and many laughs. It features a likable cast of characters forced into an insane situation where they are haunted by a group of murderous killers, making for a thrilling watch for slasher fans.
11. Wolf Creek (2005)
Three backpackers stranded in the Australian outback are plunged into a hellish nightmare of insufferable torture by a sadistic psychopathic local.
Wolf Creek will make you terrified of traveling as it tells a pretty grim tale based on a real-life story. John Jarratt's Mick Taylor is a very intimidating and mysterious stranger that will send shivers down your spine, especially after the reveal that he’s a serial killer. The film also takes many twists and turns with your expectations which makes for a thrilling watch.
Its sequel and TV Series are also worthy of your time. So make sure to put this franchise on your watch list right now.
10. Mother’s Day (1980)
In this forgotten horror film, two brothers kidnap and brutalize three women for the pleasure of their demented mother.
Mother’s Day is a deprived and twisted horror film that will make you both squeamish and laugh as it features an utterly bizarre story and insane villains. It has a pretty grim atmosphere that may be hard to watch for non-horror fans, but those who can handle it were treated to one of the best underrated horror films of that era.
The film is more than just another exploitation film as the film manages to make you truly care about its characters and root for them until the very end. Make sure to watch this film right now.
9. Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2011)
Affable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil borrow many elements from other horror films, most notably the cabin in the woods type of films, to create its own hilarious and inventive story that tries to make fun of the genre as a whole. It features a loveable duo that you will want to root for in the middle of all of the movie’s insanity.
If you love a little bit of humor with your horror then check this film out.
8. Deliverance (1972)
Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.
Deliverance is an engrossing and thrilling film with so many shocking and infamous moments that can be at times hard to watch and will stay with you for days. It also has an amazing performance that will have you immersed and even more uncomfortable.
The film is so influential that almost every single survival film that you see today has to have at least taken a few inspirations from this classic.
8. The Final Girls (2015)
Max, recently orphaned, goes to see a screening of a B-horror movie that her mother made 20 years earlier. When Max and her friends find themselves in the world of the film itself, they must apply their knowledge of horror tropes to survive.
The Final Girls is an underrated slasher film that provides humor, scares, and drama to create one of the best films in the genre. It takes many of the tropes of the genre, most notably Friday the 13th, and tries to mix them all together to create a unique story. It even has a likable cast of characters that you will grow to love and care about.
The film also has a gorgeous presentation which is just blooming with colors and style, making viewing the film such an alluring watch. Make sure to put this film on your watch list right now.
7. The Ritual (2018)
A group of old college friends reunite for a trip to a forest in Sweden, Northern Europe, but encounter a menacing presence there stalking them.
The Ritual is one of the most spine-chilling psychological horror films you’ll ever see yet. It’s got so many bizarre imageries that will have you wondering what you are seeing, as well as a pretty creepy setting that will have you tensed up due to its amazing atmosphere.
6. The Evil Dead (1981)
Ash Williams and his friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons. Now, they must try to survive the night.
The Evil Dead and its subsequent sequels are iconic for so many reasons, it's full of over-the-top gory mayhem that will have you both laughing and screaming in terror. It’s also the film that brought us the iconic Ash Williams who every horror fans love.
Although it may look like a cheap film by today's standards, it’s still an effective film that will undoubtedly make you scared of going to the woods.
5. Friday the 13th (1980)
A group of camp counselors trying to reopen a summer camp called Crystal Lake, which has a grim past, are stalked by a mysterious killer.
The granddaddy of all camping movies, Friday the 13th is a slasher classic that helped define the genre that we know today. Although this first entry may not feature the iconic Jason, it does provide a thrilling mystery and tons of great kills thanks to Tom Savini’s practical effects work.
It even features Kevin Bacon as one of the killer’s unfortunate victims. While the film may have started off as just another Halloween rip-off, the film nonetheless proved itself to be a worthy standalone film.
4. Friday the 13th Part II (1981)
Five years after the events of the first film, a summer camp next to the infamous Camp Crystal Lake is preparing to open, but the legend of Jason is weighing heavy on the proceedings.
If the first Friday film was a genre-defining entry, then this follow-up is a pop culture icon, as it's the first film in the franchise to feature the hockey masked-wearing killer that we know today, Jason. The film takes everything that made its predecessor great and amped it up even more, from the kills, the scares, and the tension.
It also stars the fan favorite final girl Ginny played by Amy Steel. The franchise had only gotten better after this entry with each sequel upping up the stakes, but if you could only watch one of the sequels then make sure it's this one.
2. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
The story centers on a group of college students who retreat to a remote forest cabin where they fall victim to backwoods zombies while technicians manipulate events from an underground facility
Arguably the most unique and inventive horror film of the modern generation, this film takes many of the horror genre’s tropes and cliches and makes fun of all time while still providing tons of scares without ever becoming a parody. It features a cast of likable characters including Chris Hemsworth who plays the stereotypical jock of the group.
The film also brings tons of references to other horror movies and video games, and not just movies about cabins in the woods, making it one of the ultimate horror movies to watch as a horror fan and will make you terrified of going camping.
1. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
The Blair Witch Project is considered the scariest film of all time for good reasons, and it’s because it manages to provide a genuine-like movie experience thanks to its unique presentation, which is the found footage. It makes every single move of the camera such an exhilarating moment as there could be something that will appear at any moment.
And while everyone now knows that the film isn’t real and that nothing is very really shown in it, the film is so effective at scaring its viewers that despite knowing the movie’s gimmick, it still doesn’t fail to have you creeped out.
