If you’re drawn to the strange, eerie, and bone-chilling side of travel, Colorado has more than just mountains and ski resorts—it’s a haven for the haunted, the historic, and the downright macabre. From ghost towns frozen in time to museums filled with medical oddities, the Centennial State is a perfect playground for fans of the weird and unsettling.
Here are 11 creepy and macabre places to visit in Colorado that are guaranteed to give you chills.
1. The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park)
You can’t talk about haunted Colorado without mentioning the Stanley Hotel—the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. Guests report ghostly activity, especially in rooms 217 and 401, and eerie piano music playing at night. If you’re brave enough, take the Night Spirit Tour.
Why visit: Haunted history, spooky overnight stays, classic horror vibes.
2. Museum of Colorado Prisons (Canon City)
Housed inside a real 19th-century prison, this museum gives you a raw look at the state’s criminal past. Exhibits include execution equipment, solitary cells, and stories of infamous inmates. The setting itself is chilling, especially if you go during off-hours.
Why visit: Authentic prison cells, eerie inmate artifacts, grim true crime tales.
3. Central City Masonic Cemetery (Central City)
Nestled in the hills above an old mining town, this graveyard is home to legends of a ghostly lady in black who leaves roses on a miner’s grave each year. The historic cemetery is filled with 1800s tombstones, many belonging to miners and pioneers who died under mysterious conditions.
Why visit: Ghost sightings, Victorian grave markers, mining town lore.
4. The Black Monarch Hotel (Victor)
Once a brothel and casino, now a boutique horror-themed hotel, each room here is named after a different real-life murderer or monster (think: H.H. Holmes, Elizabeth Bathory). It’s beautifully gothic and unapologetically eerie.
Why visit: Stay in a murder-themed room, vintage haunted vibes, Wild West history.
5. Cheesman Park (Denver)
This peaceful-looking urban park was once a cemetery, and when the graves were relocated, not all the bodies were properly moved. Locals report cold spots, ghostly figures, and an overwhelming sense of being watched at night.
Why visit: Haunting atmosphere, tragic history, ghost sightings after dark.
6. Cripple Creek Jail Museum (Cripple Creek)
Walk into old cells, feel the chill of the gallows, and explore the stories of outlaws who once called this place home. Visitors say they’ve seen unexplained shadows and heard footsteps in empty hallways.
Why visit: Wild West ghost stories, jail cell exploration, paranormal activity.
7. The UFO Watchtower (Hooper)
Creepy in a different way, this roadside oddity in the San Luis Valley is dedicated to alien sightings and other strange phenomena. The area is a hotspot for UFO activity and conspiracy theories.
Why visit: Alien encounters, desert strangeness, off-the-grid weirdness.
8. Ludlow Massacre Site (Ludlow)
This solemn, isolated spot marks one of the darkest chapters in Colorado history. In 1914, striking coal miners and their families were attacked, resulting in many deaths. The site still carries a heavy energy, and visitors say it feels unnaturally quiet.
Why visit: Historical tragedy, unsettling atmosphere, forgotten labor history.
9. Telluride’s Lone Tree Cemetery (Telluride)
Overlooking the town, this cemetery is the final resting place for outlaws, miners, and victims of epidemics. It’s beautiful but lonely—and many report seeing misty figures during evening walks.
Why visit: Historic graves, mountain views with a spooky twist, ghost stories.
10. Colorado Fuel & Iron Company Steelworks Museum (Pueblo)
The museum documents the harsh, dangerous lives of steelworkers—but it’s the underground tunnels and equipment displays that give this place a sinister edge. Some say former workers still linger here.
Why visit: Industrial history meets ghost lore, eerie exhibits, real worker stories.
11. St. Elmo Ghost Town (Chaffee County)
One of Colorado’s best-preserved ghost towns, St. Elmo is frozen in time. Abandoned storefronts, creaky buildings, and stories of lingering spirits make this a must-see for lovers of the paranormal.
Why visit: Abandoned beauty, real ghost town vibes, haunting silence.
From haunted hotels to tragic historical sites and alien watchtowers, Colorado’s creepy side is both chilling and fascinating. Whether you’re seeking spirits, stepping into the past, or just love a good ghost story, these 11 sites offer the perfect mix of mystery, history, and horror. Pack your hiking boots—and maybe some sage—and dive into the darker side of the Rockies.
SOURCES
[1] https://traveltriangle.com/blog/haunted-places-in-colorado/
[2] https://www.colorado.com/articles/haunted-colorado-hot-spots-ghost-hunters
[3] https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/haunted-places-in-colorado.htm
[4] https://www.coloradoculturemagazine.com/ghost-stories-from-haunted-places-across-colorado-part-1/
[5] https://www.colorado.com/articles/quirky-roadside-attractions-colorado
