Denver Life

Ten Best Ghost Tours in Denver and Beyond

The best ghost tours in Denver this year, from LoDo's haunted bars to Boulder's haunted theaters and the Stanley Hotel's spooky lore.
The exterior of the Stanley Hotel backdropped by a stormy sky
The undead keep a close eye on guests at the Stanley Hotel.

Katrina Leibee

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Looking to get spooked this fall? This state’s haunted history runs deep, from frontier shootouts and Victorian tragedies to spectral residents who never checked out of their hotels. These stories are alive in the whispers, shadows and chilly breezes that follow you down old streets. 

Whether you want a theatrical Shining experience, a boozy haunted pub crawl or a family-friendly lantern walk, these ghost tours bring Colorado’s supernatural stories to life. With so much spirited history, there are plenty of tours to thrill skeptics and true believers alike. Here are ten favorites:

Boulder Ghosts
700 Walnut Street, Boulder
720-378-4847
Boulder’s charming mountain exterior hides a darker history of mob injustice, tragic love and restless spirits. From the gingerbread Arnett-Fullen House to the opulent Hotel Boulderado, the tour unveils tales of children who never grew up and managers who still stalk their theaters. Even shoppers along Pearl Street report strange whispers and flickering lights, as though the wrongly accused are still demanding justice. The tour layers ghostly lore with a true sense of Boulder’s haunted heart. Tickets are $17 for youth and $26 for adults.

Colorado Haunted History
888-649-3849
For more than twenty years, storyteller Joel Chirhart has been digging up Colorado’s darker past, and his Colorado Haunted History company now offers three distinct ghost tours. In Morrison, you’ll meet the infamous Hatchet Lady of Red Rocks and hear ghostly legends tied to the town’s frontier buildings. In Golden, the “Murder, Mayhem & Madness Tour” recounts vigilante lynchings, shootouts and the city’s notorious “Night of Terror.” And new for 2025, the Old Town Haunts Tour in Arvada explores the secret societies and spirits said to linger in the suburb’s historic district. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children in Morrison and Golden; $20 for adults and $15 for children in Arvada.

The red brick exterior of The Brown Palace Hotel
Several spirits are said to occupy The Brown Palace Hotel.

Danielle Lirette

Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours
1701 Wynkoop Street
720-594-4678
Denver’s seedy underbelly comes alive on this PG-13 walking tour that combines archival research with spine-tingling storytelling. Stops include Union Station, LoDo’s old brothels and rumored underground tunnels once used for shady dealings. Guests hear tales of restless spirits who linger in the city’s most beautiful buildings, breweries and bookshops, making downtown feel alive with echoes of its haunted past. Tickets are $25.

The red brick exterior of the Patterson Inn
The Patterson Inn is one of several eerie sites around Cap Hill.

Molly Martin

Denver Terrors – Gaslights, Graves & Gold
200 East Colfax
720-885-9930
Starting on the Capitol steps, this nightly tour strolls Millionaire’s Row and explores Denver’s most notorious mansions. Stops include the haunted Molly Brown House, the cursed Croke-Patterson-Campbell House and eerie tales of tunnels beneath the Capitol itself. Guides balance polished history with goosebump-raising detail, and you can add an extended tour for even more gruesome stories of murder and mayhem. The nightly 8 p.m. start makes it a reliable pick for both visitors and locals chasing a scare. Tickets are $26 for adults and $17 for youth.

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Ghosts in the Gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens
1007 York Street
720-865-3500
By day, the gardens bloom; by night, they whisper with ghostly encounters and staff sightings of “The Boneyard.” Guests wander lantern-lit paths at their own pace while storytellers stationed throughout share firsthand experiences of spirits and strange happenings. The route includes an exclusive peek into the historic Waring House, whose Beaux-Arts halls hold chilling secrets of their own. The mix of serene beauty and eerie stillness makes this one of Denver’s most atmospheric ghost tours. Tickets are $34 for non-members and $29 for members.

Nightly Spirits Booze & Boos Tour
1400 Market Street
844-678-8687
Part haunted history, part pub crawl, Nightly Spirits is the city’s most spirited ghost tour in every sense of the word. Guides lead guests through LoDo’s former red-light district, weaving bawdy tales of western justice with stops at three to four haunted bars. Between creepy stories, there’s plenty of time to grab liquid courage and swap nervous laughs with fellow tour-goers. Equal parts eerie and entertaining, this one’s best for adults who like their scares shaken, not stirred. Tickets start at $29.95 per person.

The Shining Tour at the Stanley Hotel
333 East Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park
970-577-4000
For horror fans, it doesn’t get more iconic than the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. This one-hour theatrical tour takes guests across the campus, including a visit to the infamous Shining Suite and the restored 1909 Caretaker’s Cottage. You’ll hear ghostly tales tied to the property, snap photos with recreated film props and learn why the Stanley has remained a hotbed of paranormal lore. The Rockies’ most famous haunted hotel earns its reputation on this chilling stroll. Tickets are $30 per person.

Spirits With the Spirits at Highlands Ranch Mansion
9950 East Gateway Drive, Highlands Ranch
303-791-0177
History, hauntings and happy hour collide at this 19th-century mansion tour. Guests 21+ follow guides through dimly lit rooms and shadowy hallways, hearing real accounts of strange happenings and paranormal encounters collected over the decades. A complimentary drink kicks off the night, with a cash bar available as the stories unfold. The mix of boozy warmth and eerie grandeur makes this a Halloween-season standout. Tickets are $40 plus fees.

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Twilight Ghost Tour
901 North Sherman Street
720-365-9464
Millionaires Row turns menacing on this two-hour evening tour of Capitol Hill’s historic mansions. Guests hear tales of socialites who never left their lavish homes, and many report orbs, shadows or full apparitions captured on camera. With a 1.7-mile route and a twenty-person cap, it feels intimate yet immersive. There’s even a boozy “all-inclusive” version for those who like their spirits served neat. Tickets are $26 per person.

Victorian Death Experiences at the Center for Colorado Women’s History
1310 Bannock Street
303-620-4933
This unique tour peels back the curtain on Victorian mourning practices inside a historic house museum. Guests step into upstairs quarters decorated for a wake, learn about macabre artifacts and experience how families once honored the dead in the late 1800s. Guides lean into the eerie details while providing cultural context, making the evening both unsettling and educational. Costumes in mourning attire are welcome if you want to lean into the ritual. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

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