Cannabis-Friendly Ghost Tours Coming to Denver in October

Smoking weed usually doesn't end well for characters in scary movies, but you'll find safety in numbers during Denver's first cannabis-friendly ghost tour.

"I'm very interested and intrigued in how it will play out. I think there can be elements of open-mindedness that occur, and an openness — maybe into the spirit realm. Maybe they're more in tune," ghost tour guide Rachel Beckemeyer says. "Cannabis could add to the element, for sure. Our intention isn't to scare anyone, but it happens. Things happen on this tour sometimes that you just can't explain."

The Dark & Dank Side of Denver is a partnership between Dark Side of Denver tours, the Cannabis Experience mobile lounge and Native Roots dispensaries. Every Wednesday in October, the Cannabis Experience will drive passengers around downtown Denver's most notorious haunts and spirits, as well as a few lesser-known spots, according to Beckemeyer. But not before stocking up at the dispensary first.

After stopping at a CBD store and Native Roots, riders can take their own cannabis aboard the mobile lounge and smoke, vape or eat edibles as Beckemeyer and other Dark Side of Denver guides talk about historical haunts and the city's seedy side, including secret tunnels under downtown and scary events, past and present, that have taken place at Union Station.

Native Roots, which spearheaded the partnership, is currently selling a pumpkin spice-flavored vape cartridge to help you get in the spirit. While tour guests can light up in the van, there are stops around town that involve a little walking.

"We have some great spots that we're going to be talking about and visiting. We get to explore inside of some buildings, which not every tour gets to do. We talk to people firsthand about a lot of the history and haunting. Union Station will be a part of the tours, because that's where Denver was pretty much founded, and there's a lot of history there," Beckemeyer explains. "We'll also go to one of Denver's most old and legendary hotels, but [the name of] that one will be a mystery."

During the walking portions of the tour, Dark Side of Denver guides will use spiritual tracking devices and techniques to gauge ghostly activity, which is pretty frequent in the area, according to Beckemeyer.
Dark Side of Denver was founded in 2017 to lead walking tours of ghostly city posts. However, there wasn't a realistic legal option to add cannabis use to the mix until this February, when Denver's first mobile cannabis lounge, the Cannabis Experience, was permitted to hit the road. Since it launched, founder Sarah Woodson has been booking pot-friendly rides to Denver International Airport and tours around Denver taco joints and art landmarks, but adding something seasonal was a natural fit.

"I didn't know Denver had so much paranormal activity! Considering its history, and since we are downtown and check out some of those really old places, it makes sense," Woodson says. "Dark Side does these tours often, and they know how to set the mood. They provide really good historical accounts, so our job is to make sure folks have a safe, legal place to consume and get them around town in a safe way."

Despite being the first state to legalize the plant for recreational use in late 2012, Colorado still hasn't effectively established a licensed hospitality sector for cannabis. Social consumption licenses for businesses interested in allowing cannabis use weren't created at the state level until 2019, and there are fewer than ten mobile lounges and other establishments operating with hospitality licenses across the state.

Denver is one of the few local governments allowing cannabis hospitality, but only one establishment is currently licensed and open for cannabis use, while the Cannabis Experience and two other businesses are permitted to operate mobile lounges. As cannabis tour services develop, Woodson and Native Roots are open to collaborating on something for future holidays, but the business model is still very new, Woodson admits.

"I love Christmas," she says. "I haven't given that a lot of thought yet, but it would be really fun. We just have to be conscious about where we're going around town, because I don't want a cannabis bus driving down a slow street with a bunch of kids."

We'll keep our eyes peeled for Dank the Halls tours in December.

Dark & Dank Side of Denver tours take place at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. every Wednesday in October. Spaces are limited, but Woodson is considering adding more slots if the tours sell out. Tickets (21+) are $72.57 each. Passengers must bring their own cannabis, and consumption is only allowed on the van.