Discover spooky mansions and ghostly hotels in the following list, including the Brown Palace and the Stanley, which famously inspired The Shining. Haunted bars, creepy cemeteries and more also await on these ten best ghost tours in Denver:
Hear local legends from Phil Goodstein on Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours.
Eric Heinz
102 Main Street, Central City
303-582-5283
Past the glitzy casino lights, Central City has a dark side. Some of its eleven cemeteries are said to be haunted, and downtown’s century-old buildings hold a chilling past. You don’t even need to use your imagination on this Creepy Crawl, as cold-blooded murders, ghostly encounters and other spooky lore are re-enacted by the Gilpin Historical Society. Join its staff on this hour-long walking tour on October 11, 12, 18 and 19 starting at 6:30 p.m. Additional tours are available every thirty minutes through 8:30 p.m., and tickets cost $17.85 each.
Colorado Haunted History
888-649-3849
The foothills are home to some of Colorado’s most haunted hikes, but not all ghosts took to the trails. Some may still reside in old structures throughout Morrison and Golden, and Colorado Haunted History storyteller Joel Chirhart knows each of their spine-tingling tales by heart. Ask him about the “hatchet lady” of Red Rocks and what horrors happened at Morrison’s Cliff House Lodge, or opt for the Golden tour to hear of murders, lynchings and shootouts in the wicked Wild West. Tours are hosted most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and cost $42 per person.
Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours
1701 Wynkoop Street
720-594-4678
Starting at Union Station, Dark Side of Denver’s most popular experience takes guests to spooky sites around LoDo. But don’t overlook its other tours hosted by historian and author Phil Goodstein, who’s working on a three-book series titled The Scenic History of Denver Cemeteries. Who better to lead you into Cheesman Park, which was previously Mount Prospect Cemetery? According to Goodstein, “upwards of 2,000 bodies” remain buried there, and several nearby homes — including the Henry Treat Rogers House, which inspired The Changeling — are highlights on the tour. Goodstein also takes groups around Capitol Hill, a supernatural hot spot with haunted mansions and restless spirits, some of whom may have been decapitated in their former lives. Hear these local legends on select evenings for $25 per person.
Several spirits are said to occupy The Brown Palace Hotel.
Danielle Lirette
Enduring Spirits Tour at the Brown Palace Hotel
321 17th Street
303-297-3111
Open since 1892, the Brown Palace Hotel is one of Denver’s most notorious haunts. Many visitors have reported the same mysterious characters: A baby crying in the boiler room, a railroad conductor floating into the old ticketing office and a grief-stricken woman who lived in room 904 for fifteen years...and perhaps never really left. Learn more about these apparitions and the hotel’s history during an Enduring Spirits tour, which is available to the public through October on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Tickets are priced at $25 per person.
Ghosts in the Gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens
1007 York Street
720-865-3500
Just two years ago, a human arm was discovered at the Denver Botanic Gardens. But Ghosts in the Gardens continued business as usual. After all, it wasn’t the first time remains were discovered in the former Mount Prospect Cemetery. The ground beneath the gardens and Cheesman Park once held thousands of bodies, and clearly, some (whole and dismembered) remain. Storytellers share more about the area’s paranormal activity during self-guided Ghosts in the Gardens tours, which take place from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. on October 12 and 13, as well as October 17 through 20. Tickets are $29 (member)-$34 (non-member) are timed and must be purchased in advance.
Ghost Ride Haunted Tours
1509 North Street
The weather can be difficult to predict this time of year, but regardless of the forecast, Ghost Ride Haunted Tours make guests comfortable in a 26-passenger shuttle. Start your experience at the Mansion on Colfax, one of the best Halloween bars in Denver. Then ride around Capitol Hill as your guide points out more than a dozen spooky sites while on-screen videos add to the narration. Tickets are priced at $44.99 and include a complimentary cocktail, and tours are available at 7 and 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as Halloween night.
Allegedly haunted, the Cruise Room is often a stop on the Booze & Boos Tour.
Cruise Room
1400 Market Street
844-678-8687
Headquartered locally since 2014, Nightly Spirits hosts one of the most popular ghost tours in Denver — which is also part pub crawl. Hear stories about the city’s seedy and spooky past between stops at up to four haunted bars, which may include the Cruise Room at the Oxford Hotel. Through the flood of red light, you might spot a mailman at the bar who mutters softly to himself before vanishing into the night. If you dare greet him and other apparitions, book a 7 p.m. tour on most days through October for $29.95 per adult.
The Shining Tour at the Stanley Hotel
333 East Wonderview Avenue, Estes Park
970-577-4000
After staying in the Stanley Hotel’s room 217, Stephen King was famously inspired to write his best-selling novel The Shining. The film starring Jack Nicholson followed, and on this new tour, you can view the ax used in his iconic “Here’s Johnny!” moment. Soon, this prop may be joined by many others in the hotel’s upcoming horror movie museum. Many would agree that the Stanley is a suitable place for such relics, as there have been innumerable paranormal encounters since the hotel’s opening in 1909. Perhaps you will also come across a few ghosts during the Shining tour, available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for $30 per person.
Spirits With the Spirits at Highlands Ranch Mansion
9950 East Gateway Drive, Highlands Ranch
303-791-0177
It's a classic horror movie trope: A realtor dodges questions, and only after the buyers move in do they learn that their house is haunted. Similarly, Highlands Ranch Mansion prefers a historical narrative, never admitting to visitors that ghosts occupy its secret passageways and vacant rooms. But on October 16 and 23, staff will divulge unexplained circumstances that have occurred in the home, which was once occupied by some of the most notable families in Colorado. Perhaps you’ll encounter their spirits on this tour, which starts at $39.19 per person and includes an alcoholic beverage.
Victorian Death Experiences at the Center for Colorado Women's History
1310 Bannock Street
303-620-4933
The Center for Colorado Women’s History resides within an early twentieth-century home in Capitol Hill. It was first owned by William Byers, founder of the city’s first newspaper, and later sold to William Gray Evans, whose father heinously incited the Sand Creek Massacre. With decades gone by, it’s hard to say when it happened or what caused it. But paranormal enthusiasts are keen to believe that a portal lies within the Byers-Evans house, and the spirits coming through aren’t necessarily friendly. You can be the judge during a Victorian Death Experience, which is one of the best Halloween events in Denver. Wear black to this eerie experience, which highlights death rituals, macabre artifacts and mourning in an earlier era. Tickets are available on select dates through October for $25 per person.
