The 5 Most Haunted Places In Colorado

Colorado may not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of ghostly hauntings, but it’s full of dark mountain roads, old hotels, and ghost towns, the perfect backdrops for supernatural activity. After all, Stephen King got his inspiration for The Shining after staying in one of Colorado’s mountain lodges. Whether you’re a history buff or horror fanatic, you must check out these five most haunted places in Colorado and learn about their dark pasts.

1. Ashcroft Ghost Town

Located at the headwaters of Castle Creek at the west entrance of Aspen, the remains of Ashcroft sit among alpine meadows. It was once a silver mining town with around 2,000 residents in the 1880s. In fact, it was bigger than Aspen at its height. Unfortunately, the booming town quickly went bust when the silver dried up and investors pulled out. All that remains now are a few restored remains, including a hotel, saloon, and post office. Visitors to the ghost town and hotel report ghostly sightings and strange bumps in the night. Many believe that the ghosts of those who died in mining accidents still roam the streets, and sometimes, people will see figures standing near the road or popping up in the old hotel.

2. The Stanley Hotel

The historic Stanley Hotel sits majestically among mountain scenery in Estes Park, Colorado. This sophisticated and luxurious hotel opened its doors in 1909 when inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley desired to bring the sophistication of the East Coast to this little mountain town that restored his health. While the hotel gained popularity after its completion, its splendor began to fade in the 1970s. However, a visit from the famous writer Stephen King and his eventual book The Shining gave the hotel a new life. King garnered inspiration for his book due to the overall eerie feeling of the giant hotel. He also stated that he had a dream of an evil entity chasing his son through the neverending corridors.

Many believe this hotel is a vortex of spiritual energy and that ghosts haunt the halls and several rooms. In room 428, you might hear the sound of footsteps and see furniture moving, and in room 217, you might see the ghost of Elizabeth Wilson, a housekeeper who nearly died in a gas leak accident. There are many other entities, like cowboys and children, who are said to roam the halls.

3. Cheesman Park

Situated in Central Denver, Cheesman Park is a neighborhood and urban park consisting of 80 acres, just southeast of Downtown. However, this land was not always a sprawling city park and residential area. In the late 19th century, Cheesman Park was actually Prospect Hill Cemetery, which contained bodies of Masons, Roman Catholics, Jewish, Chinese immigrants, the Grand Army of the Republic, and many vagrants. Real estate developers started lobbying for a park to be built in its place when the cemetery became an eyesore in the 1880s. In 1890, Congress allowed the cemetery to be vacated and a park to be built in its place.

While families of the deceased were given a few months to relocate their loved one’s remains, there were at least 5,000 bodies that went unclaimed, many of which were criminals and paupers. At one point, undertaker E.P. McGovern was permitted to remove the remaining bodies, but his haste and disregard for the dead led him to hack up bodies and place them haphazardly in children-sized coffins, allowing onlookers to rob from open graves. When the city canceled the contract, the rest of the bodies remained in the ground, and the park was eventually built up around them. Today, there are still nearly 2,000 corpses under the ground, with even more desecrated graves. If you visit this park at night, don’t be surprised if ghostly figures appear in the shadows. It is one of the most haunted places in Colorado.

4. Central City Cemetery

The Central City Masonic Cemetery is home to spiritual entities, including a mysterious woman dressed in all black who frequents her husband’s grave on the anniversary of his death and a little boy who’s seen crouching behind a tree, only to vanish as you walk past. Many also report seeing weird glowing orbs in pictures taken at the cemetery. You will find this spooky spot between Black Hawk and Central City in Gilpin County.

5. Phantom Canyon Road

Climbing 4,000 feet and twisting and turning through narrow mountain tunnels, the Phantom Canyon Road is not for the faint of heart even without the supernatural phenomena. This unpaved road connects Canon City and Victor, weaving through Phantom Canyon and passing by several ghost towns. When you get to Cripple Creek, you may see the ghost of a prison inmate by the side of the road or the railway. He was executed in the 1890s.

A Recap of the 5 Most Haunted Places in Colorado