20 Most Haunted Places in Colorado (2026 Guide)

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Colorado's mining-boom history, high-altitude isolation, and more than a century of hotels, opera houses, and cemeteries have left the state with one of the densest collections of haunted places in the American West. Here are 20 of the most consistently cited haunted places in Colorado — historic sites first, drawing on documented mining-era and Gilded Age history, with the specific ghost stories attached to each presented as long-told local legend rather than confirmed fact. Whether you're planning a road trip through the state's mountain towns or just curious which of Colorado's haunted places have the strongest documented history behind them, this list covers the sites that come up again and again in local retellings.

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park

The hotel that inspired Stephen King's The Shining after his own unsettling stay in Room 217, the Stanley is Colorado's most internationally recognized haunted hotel. Guests and staff have long described sightings of former guests who, according to the hotel's own lore, never checked out.

The Brown Palace Hotel, Denver

With more than a century of continuous operation, the Brown Palace carries a reputation for multiple ghostly occurrences, including a former owner locals say never truly left the building he built.

Central City Masonic Cemetery, Central City

Final resting place for many of the town's earliest mining-era settlers, this cemetery has a long-standing local reputation for eerie encounters reported by visitors walking among its oldest graves.

Cheesman Park, Denver

Built directly on a former graveyard after a 19th-century relocation of remains left the job incomplete, Cheesman Park is one of Denver's most consistently cited haunted sites — a case where the park's documented history (as a repurposed burial ground) is itself unusually well-established, apart from the ghost stories layered on top.

Hotel Jerome, Aspen

Guests at this upscale historic hotel have reported encounters with the spirit of a little boy, along with other unexplained phenomena throughout the property's long operating history.

Croke-Patterson Mansion, Denver

Believed by many locals to be haunted by the spirits of its former owners, this Denver mansion is known for mysterious footsteps and ghostly whispers reported by visitors and staff alike.

Riverside Cemetery, Denver

One of Denver's oldest cemeteries, Riverside carries a variety of local ghost stories, including tales tied to the so-called “Denver Witch” — a nickname attached to one of the cemetery's more storied graves.

Central City Opera House, Central City

Dating to the 1870s, this historic opera house is said by local tradition to be visited by the spirits of performers from its earlier decades, along with occasional reported sightings of a woman in a white dress and a miner from the town's mining-boom era.

Miramont Castle, Manitou Springs

Formerly a private residence, Miramont Castle is said locally to be home to several ghosts, including a recurring figure described as a mysterious lady in white.

The Oxford Hotel, Denver

Known for its elegant architecture, the Oxford is rumored among paranormal enthusiasts to have its own resident spirits, making it a popular stop for those interested in Denver's haunted history.

Molly Brown House, Denver

The home of Titanic survivor Margaret “Molly” Brown is believed by some visitors to have retained a trace of her energy, with occasional reports of ghostly occurrences tied to her memory.

Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, Golden

Buffalo Bill Cody's resting place reportedly hosts his lingering spirit, according to local tradition, along with other unexplained phenomena reported at the site.

Silver Cliff Cemetery, Silver Cliff

This cemetery is said to be haunted by the spirits of miners who lost their lives in a documented-era mining accident, part of the area's broader mining-boom history.

Black Monarch Hotel, Victor

Once a saloon and casino during Colorado's mining era, this building is now a hotel rumored to be visited by spectral gamblers and dance-hall performers from its earlier days.

Museum of Colorado Prisons, Canon City

A former prison turned museum, this site is believed by many visitors to be inhabited by the ghosts of former inmates, adding a genuinely chilling ambiance to its historical exhibits.

The Baldpate Inn, Estes Park

Named after the mystery novel Seven Keys to Baldpate, this inn is said to host numerous ghosts, including a friendly cowboy figure and a mischievous child reported by generations of guests.

Central City Masonic Lodge, Central City

This historic lodge building is rumored to be haunted by a variety of spirits, making it a popular destination for ghost hunters visiting the broader Central City area.

Fairplay Hotel, Fairplay

Guests at this old mining-town hotel have reported disembodied voices and flickering lights, phenomena consistent with several other Colorado mining-era hotels on this list.

The Molly Brown Summer House, Denver

Molly Brown's summer retreat is believed locally to be haunted by the jovial spirit of its famous former owner, distinct from the ghost stories attached to her primary Denver residence.

What's Actually Verifiable

We could not independently verify specific ghost sightings at any of the 20 haunted places in Colorado covered above — these are long-circulated local legends, not documented paranormal events. What is independently verifiable is the historical backbone connecting most of these sites: Colorado's 19th-century mining boom, the Gilded Age hotel-building era it funded, and the state's real, well-documented mining-town history of sudden wealth, hard labor, and frequent early death — a backdrop that plausibly explains why so many of the state's oldest buildings and cemeteries carry ghost stories today, whatever the truth of any individual sighting.

Ghost-Hunting Gear & Further Reading

If you're planning to visit any of these haunted places in Colorado in person, a few books and tools below cover the state's mining history and paranormal-investigation basics in more depth.

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20 of the Most Haunted Places in Colorado