As Halloween draws near, now is the time to embrace its spirit. Colorado offers plenty of haunted places that will send chills up your spine.
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is an iconic destination said to have served as inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining.” Visitors have reported hearing children laughing, piano keys tinkling, and doors opening on their own – all sounds typical at The Stanley.
St. Elmo
St. Elmo stands out as an exceptional ghost town to visit in Colorado, boasting one of the best-preserved ghost towns and featuring many unique structures such as its general merchandise store which operates May through September; wood church; school building; various business structures, cabins; etc.
St. Elmo was once an active mining town located southwest of Buena Vista at an elevation of 9,961 feet. The peak years for St. Elmo occurred between 1878-1884 when its proximity to nearby mines attracted new settlers; and prominent local families such as Stark introduced tourism-related businesses such as renting cabins and operating a general store.
Tourists have reported numerous paranormal experiences while in town, such as windows and doors opening and closing on their own in different areas of town, or witnessing the ghostly figure of a young girl roaming freely through its cemetery.
The View Hotel
Many consider Colorado one of America’s most haunted states for good reason, as evidenced by grand old hotels that claim they harbor resident ghosts such as Denver’s historic Hotel Colorado or Estes Park’s Stanley – each boasting stories to tell about mysterious happenings there.
The View Hotel in Estes Park stands out as one of Colorado’s most celebrated haunted destinations, known for providing inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining novel and longstanding paranormal activity, such as an alleged rocking chair which rocks even when no one is sitting on it or the sounds of piano music eminating from its empty ballroom.
Rumors also swirl of ghostly presences roaming the hallways and elevators haunted by an unseen female figure that vanishes if too close is approached. Other instances include hearing a female voice coming from inside a closet as well as items mysteriously shifting around within rooms on their own.
Silverton Mines
Silverton Mines offers paranormal enthusiasts an engaging tour through an authentic mining town, filled with vintage buildings and equipment. Visitors can see first-hand how precious metals were mined from Colorado mountains for extraction purposes.
Even under harsh conditions and remote location, this mining town managed to stay alive through tourism and narrow gauge train service from Durango. Although frozen in time, it still attracts outdoor enthusiasts today.
Gold Rush miners’ ghosts seem drawn to Colorado’s haunted roads. Visitors have reported witnessing mysterious metal gates opening by themselves, doors shutting with no explanation behind it, and shadowy figures appearing in photographs. When traveling these haunted roadways of Colorado be wary; ghostly encounters have been known to happen and there’s a reason this state boasts so many ghostly tales! Not to mention Colorful Colorado being home to some of America’s most haunted places!
Sand Creek Massacre
Ortiz contends that Sand Creek massacre led to the mass expulsion of two distinct Native societies who had received treaty agreements from the federal government validating their claims to Colorado lands. According to him, its trauma has had such an impactful reverberation that its legacy can still be felt today, as evidenced by names like Chivington Drive in Longmont and Downing Street in Denver.
Reopening of Sand Creek site is part of an overall effort to raise awareness of this atrocity and combat historical amnesia that has enabled its perpetuation. A number of initiatives, from an exhibit at History Colorado to its inclusion into state social studies curriculum standards, aim at this end.
Ari Kelman documents this phenomenon in her book A Misplaced Massacre: Struggling Over the Memory of Sand Creek.
