ABBOTSFORD, B.C.

The stories of Keeping Road are so plentiful, some have deemed it “one of Canada’s most haunted roads.”

Located near Sumas Mountain in Abbotsford, this rural stretch holds tales of everything from demon dogs to spectres hanging from trees, lending it a dark lore to many area locals. A 2022 article in The Abbotsford News cites the most popular legends of the infamous road in its coverage of a video put out by The Paranormal Road Trippers, a pair of supernatural enthusiasts who explore alleged haunted spots in B.C. The video puts to the test two of the road’s most popular legends; the first that of a little girl who’s alleged to emerge from the darkness and remove the keys from the hood of parked cars; the other of a hanging man who appears when motorists flash their lights in a bank of trees. Though nothing appeared on the night of filming, it’s interesting to note that during the course of the video, both times references were made of the hanging man, clear audio distortions could be heard in the footage. Also, while conducting the keys on the hood experiment, the slightly ajar passenger door of their vehicle opened on its own accord while the duo waited on the deserted road. Many claim they’ve have trouble with their vehicles along the road and in the course of their investigation, the pair experienced issues with theirs. 

Other accounts of Keeping Road include the appearance of mysterious scratches, a woman in white who’s seen on the roadway, phantom moans and growling, a ghost dog, and even an ominous hearse with a broken headlight one pair witnessed while walking the lonely stretch at night. One commenter claimed to be chased by a mysterious van in the area that “disappeared in the night.” The same witness told of encountering the notorious “demon dog,” who they described as having green eyes and being “as high as our door” as it ran alongside their moving vehicle. Another commenter claimed to have the factory spec-ed lug nuts on their vehicle loosened after taking a drive along the road. A look through any comment section or forum on Keeping Road can easily pull the most casual of readers down the rabbit hole with the sheer volume of alleged accounts. 

Of course, it’s hard to validate all the claims out there. What can’t be written off though is the long list of nefarious activities that have taken place along the infamous road, including murder.

In the end, it leaves one to (hopefully0 deduce that Abbotsford’s Keeping Road is a place best avoided after dark.