For most people, camping means pitching a tent in the middle of the woods and living off the land; for others, it’s having an outdoorsy, home-away-from-home experience. However you define it, just remember this: camping can easily turn into a horror situation. Or so that’s what the movies would like us to believe.
Horror assures us that trouble is underway once the characters set foot into nature. With the great outdoors being a popular backdrop in the genre, there is no shortage of camp horror.
Now, if you want to go off the well-beaten path and look beyond the likes of Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, then you’re heading in the right direction.
These ten less-seen movies not only capture the spirit of camping, they also show the potential dangers.
Rituals (1977)
In this punishing account of camping gone horribly, horribly wrong, we head to Northern Ontario, Canada. Peter Carter‘s Rituals follows the unlucky doctors-turned-outdoorsmen who, over the course of this tragic story, are targeted by both an unseen madman and the harsh, rural landscape. Overall, Rituals doesn’t take its story lightly—and nor should you.
Body Count (1986)
From that sea of Friday the 13th emulators is this one Italian import. Although Body Count is almost egregiously low on originality, it’s rather high in aesthetic appeal. Cannibal Holocaust director Ruggero Deodato, along with cinematographer Emilio Loffredo, draws on the autumnal backdrop of this Italo slasher. The giallo-esque score is also another highlight in this attractive yet ultimately uninspired movie.
The Deadly Camp (1999)
While Bowie Lau‘s spin on the camping slasher movie is hardly any different from what’s plentifully available in the West, it’s also one of the few campout horrors from the late ’90s. By then, the genre had largely relocated to cities and suburbs, before then returning to nature, so to speak. The Deadly Camp premiered during a hot trend, specifically that fresh crop of post-Scream, postmodern slashers, and delivered something retro and straightforward. The end result is more along the lines of classic hixsploitation, albeit with some bandaged maniac running around with a chainsaw. As for its sense of humor, don’t go in expecting anything meta; you’re instead treated to that regional style of comedy that was so prevalent in Hong Kong horror.
Wilderness (2006)
In the 2000s, British cinema saw itself opening up to more kinds of horror stories. The genre wasn’t just haunted Victorian houses and wailing ghosts anymore. Among this new wave of Brit horror were the more extreme tales of survival, such as M. J. Bassett‘s Wilderness. Here, adolescent delinquents are thrown on the chopping block after they’re brought to an uninhabited island for team-building and disciplining. Yet it’s not their proctors who are doling out the grisly punishments. No, it’s that masked archer who’s picking them off, one by one, and using a pack of bloodthirsty dogs whenever one of his arrows misses its target. So, Lord of the Flies this movie ain’t, but it definitely offers coming-of-rage thrills.
The Barrens (2012)
A family campout can feel like a horror movie all on its own. But what if the trip occurred somewhere as eerie as the Pine Barrens? The titular location for this slow-burner is supposedly home to one of America’s most iconic cryptids: the Jersey Devil. Darren Lynn Bousman is sure to include New Jersey’s most infamous resident. You may come to loathe the human characters, but rest assured, your waiting for the Devil to show up will not be in vain.
Evidence (2012)
Given the popularity of found footage back then, it’s really no surprise that movies like Howie Askins‘ Evidence became so overlooked. However, this is a bona fide hidden gem that more found-footage fans should see, if they haven’t already. Here we have what looks like a very standard Bigfoot story; some unsuspecting campers spot a strange creature out in the forest. Soon enough, those same characters are thrown into a hellish situation that has to be seen to be believed. After watching, you might agree that “Endurance” would have been a better title for this movie.
Cub (2014)
As the Belgian movie Cub shows, camping isn’t always about having fun and relaxing. Sometimes it’s for learning, bonding, and confidence-building. In Jonas Govaerts‘ debut, some cub scouts and their guardians set up base in werewolf territory. Or so that’s what the boys have been told. According to their scout masters, a legendary wolf-boy named “Kai” is said to live around these parts. Well, they’re not exactly wrong. Cub may look like kiddie horror, on account of its young cast, but don’t let their ages fool you—there’s a lot of death in these woods.
The Pool (2014)
This horror story from the Netherlands doesn’t immediately disclose its threat. No, in Chris W. Mitchell‘s movie, you have to wait a short while before finding out what’s really after these two city families. Who, by the way, were asking for trouble. They incurred the wrath of someone, or something, after camping in a spot that was clearly marked off-limits. Their behaviors don’t make their trespassing any less offensive. Keep in mind, The Pool is not remotely trying to be scary, but it is intriguing and, quite often, darkly humorous.
Cruel Summer (2016)
Craig Newman and Second Sight Films producer Phillip Escott‘s ripped-from-the-headlines movie, one about an autistic teen who goes camping, lives up to its name and then some. This dark and disturbing dramatization makes fellow “hoodie horror” Eden Lake feel almost tame by comparison. Most likely you’ll not want to revisit this story too soon after watching, but that just speaks to its efficacy. It’s astonishing how unwaveringly evil this story becomes.
Marshmallow (2025)
Daniel DelPurgatorio treated us to Marshmallow, an atypical horror movie about summer camp. It’s a bit hard to discuss this unique story without getting into specifics, and also totally spoiling you. So, for the best viewing experience possible, avoid reading too much about Marshmallow. Just know it features a grieving boy, a mysterious summer camp, and an ending that is truly unexpected.