Creepy Colorado Hikes

Halloween weekend is the perfect time to take a haunted hike. Especially during spooky season, going on a haunted hike is a great way to add something new and thrilling to your outdoor experience. Like most western states, Colorado is home to Native American spirits, abandoned ghost towns, and creepy landscapes. If you're looking to get your adrenaline really revved up, here are seven spooky spots to explore. 

Helen Hunt Falls | Colorado Springs

2.3 miles | 429 ft. elevation gain | Loop

This spot was named after poet, writer, and Native American activist Helen Hunt, who was buried in Colorado Springs. Hikers have reported hearing strange voices at the falls, where the area is steep, dangerous, and has unfortunately claimed many lives. The crisp air and autumn trees will certainly add to the creepiness factor of this haunted spot. 

Great Sand Dunes National Park | San Luis Valley

Choose your own adventure on the dunes!

If you are a self-proclaimed UFO buff, then you'll really enjoy visiting the UFO Watchtower. Many sightings have been reported here, along with some creepy and unexplained cattle mutilations. This part of Colorado offers a wide variety of exploration, as it hosts Great Sand Dunes National Park and the beautiful San Luis mountain range.

Stormy Peaks B-17 Crash Site | Glen Haven

5.6 miles | 1,217 ft. elevation gain | Out & back

In 1943, an Army Flying Fortress bomber left Rapid City, South Dakota, bound for Denver. It never arrived. The military plane crashed in the Comanche Peaks Wilderness, killing all eight passengers on board. Today, you can hike to the eerie crash site where the wreckage remains. The site is reported to be heavy, spooky, and sad. With that said, it's important that you leave the wreckage untouched if you choose to take this haunted hike. 

Horsethief Canyon | Fruita

Multiple trail options ranging from 4-15 miles.

Horsethief Canyon was once a corridor for horse smugglers. It's said that a woman was trampled to death by a smuggled herd of horses in this canyon and that her ghost now wanders the trails. Perhaps she is looking for a hiker like you to be her companion . . .

Ghost Town Hollow | Pikes Peak HWY

Multiple trail options ranging from 1-20 miles.

This former mining camp is a ghostly site that houses Oil Creek Tunnel, a blocked passageway that was once used for mining gold. Many accidental miner deaths took place in the tunnel. Old log houses and remnants from its historical past make Ghost Town Hollow a great place to visit for a spooky experience. You'll need to travel for a bit on the Pikes Peak Highway before you reach Ghost Town Hollow, but the trek is worthwhile. 

Mount Vernon Cemetery | Jefferson County

Multiple trail options ranging from 3-8 miles.

An unmarked cemetery? Now that's creepy. The Mount Vernon Cemetery has one of the oldest known graves in the state, dating back to 1860. Do this hike at night for an even more bone-chilling experience. 

Carter Lake Sundance Trail | Berthoud

5.9 miles | 265 ft. elevation gain | Out & back

Many locals believe that there is ghost named Bennet who wanders the Carter Lake Sundance Trail. Legend has it that Bennet used to live on the shore of Carter Lake, but was shot and killed there during a heated altercation with a neighbor. Some hikers claim to have seen his ghost still wearing his 1800s clothing, while others swear they have felt his ghostly hands grabbing them in the water. 

No matter which spooky hikes you embark on this fall, make sure you are fueled for the journey. And who knows? Ghosts might like camping food, too.