
Discover Amarillo’s Secrets With A Guide to the 7 Gates of Hell
It never fails. Every year around Halloween, someone starts asking questions about one of the most infamous urban legends in Amarillo, Texas. Supposedly, it's a way for you to find yourself standing toe-to-toe with the front door of the Devil's house. One minute you're out in the middle of nowhere near Amarillo, the next you're wondering why it's so hot. I've spent years looking for this portal, and here's everything I know.
Halloween In The Texas Panhandle Means Finding Amarillo's 7 Gates Of Hell
Before I get into this, I must point out how dumb it is. Who in their right mind wants to go out late at night and meander their way through some hidden portal until they wind up on vacation in the land of the eternally damned? Not me; that's who. The premise alone makes this seem like one of the dumbest ideas of all time.
That's exactly what is supposed to happen, though. You walk through these seven gates and magically are transported to Hell. It's not my idea of a prime destination for a little getaway. Then again, I'm not an angsty goth kid. Maybe I'm not the target audience for a little R&R in Hell.
The location of these gates is open to much debate. The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that it always involves a fair amount of trespassing, which is obviously always a horrible idea.
Where Are The Seven Gates Of Hell In Amarillo?
Some claim that these gates rest along a stretch of railroad tracks north of town. Supposedly, you go north on Western until you can't anymore. The problem with this theory is that you are met with plenty of "No Trespassing" signs along the way, and getting close to those tracks is no easy feat. On top of that, no one is specific on exactly how you're supposed to trigger these gates. They say to walk backward but never tell you which direction. Do you go north or south? Yet one more mystery of the 7 Gates of Hell.
Another theory involves tunnels that lead to the old Air Force base. Another horrifically bad idea. Lots of trespassing, and supposedly these tunnels are hazardous to navigate your way through. I don't know that I want to get stuck in some tunnel while trying to find my way to Hell. The ending is bad enough, I don't want the trip there to suck as well.
The last theory has something to do with one of the intersections in town, which makes a little bit of sense. Have you seen the way people drive here? Of course you have, and you know that some of these intersections do seem like a portal to Hell.
How Did The 7 Gates Of Hell Legend Get Started?
Amarillo, Texas isn't the only place with 7 Gates of Hell. There are towns all over the country with gates, and honestly, that's a little nerve-racking. Imagine yourself hanging out in some strange rural town and then you accidentally drive in the wrong direction and find yourself at a house party for the damned.
The most famous, and what some consider to be the birthplace of the legend, is in Hellam Township, Pennsylvania. Supposedly, it all started with an insane asylum that burned to the ground. That tragic accident somehow created these gates that drag you all the way to eternal torment. One gate is visible during the day. The rest come out at night. Spooky.
The weirdest part is that no one has ever made it to the 7th gate. The furthest anyone has ever gotten, according to hyped-up legends shared by middle schoolers, is the fifth one. But if someone made it to the 7th gate, do you really think they'd be allowed to come back and say, "Bro! I totally made it!" Probably not.
If you're thrill-seeking in Amarillo this Halloween, skip the 7 Gates Of Hell and choose one of our many haunted attractions instead. At least when you're done you won't be stuck somewhere that smells like sulfur.
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