As you begin planning your October vacation to Telluride, you may be wanting to get into the holiday spirit, watching horror shows at the Telluride Horror Film Festival held every mid-October, exploring haunted houses, or if you have jumped on the paranormal bandwagon (we miss the Ghost Hunters so much!), actually partaking in haunted tours that will bring goosebumps to your skin and raise the hair on the back of your neck. October is a great month to visit our mountain town, offering fewer tourists, weather that is cold without being frigid, and the first opportunities to really need the fireplaces in our Accommodations in Telluride escapes. This Telluride Halloween guide to our favorite haunted attractions will ensure that your Colorado getaway is filled with thrills and chills!
Halloween on the Hill, October 31, Telluride Historical Museum, 7 PM
This first event, taking place on Halloween, offers the only haunted house that is not an authentic ghost tour, but for families with children, Halloween on the Hill offers the perfect night of holiday revelry, including trick-or-treating, children’s game, and a chance to tour the Haunted Hospital featuring actual figures from Telluride’s past. Yes, the fake ghosts are based on real figures that may be authentically haunting various spots throughout the area, adding a layer of realism to this haunted attraction. The children’s events are free and start at 5 PM, but tickets for the Haunted Hospital will cost $10 per person, starting at 7 PM and taking visitors on a tour of morgues where the undead still make their presence known.
Lamplight Cemetery Tour, Fridays in October, Lone Tree Cemetery, 6:30 to 7:30 PM
What better way to get in the mood for ghosts and goblins than with a tour of a cemetery lit only by kerosene lamps that add to the eeriness of the occasion? Led by one of the directors of the Telluride Historical Museum, the darkness of the cemetery is broken up by the flickering light of the lantern as stories are told of the denizens that reside here. Hear the tales of hard work, tragedy, and woe, and if you happen to see someone peeking through the trees, don’t worry, it won’t be someone meaning you harm, it will simply be one of the residents that may not understand that are no longer among the living.
Popcorn Alley
Popcorn Alley is a street in Telluride that offers a glimpse into its wild mining past. These buildings once housed colorful ladies of the night and were the sites of murders and mayhem as alcohol reared its ugly head. Today, the buildings have a more genteel life, serving as art galleries, yoga studios, even a medical marijuana establishment, but underlying its tame ways, its wild history still lives on. Visitors have witnessed the apparition of a woman they call Ramona (possibly her story is told at the Lamplight Cemetery Tour) or at the vary least, they have witnessed her hijinks as she smokes in an empty building (in the men’s room, nonetheless), whispers friendly greetings, and makes her presence known in a variety of ways. Research has shown that she was a prostitute who committed suicide in the Silver Bell building at the tender age of 21, but she seems to be surprisingly cheerful, in spite of her untimely and sad demise.
Alta, Colorado, Ghost Town
Colorado is known for the ghost towns that populate the region, tiny towns that once enjoyed their heyday as mining towns, only to become completely vacant, once the mines closed, and Alta, Colorado is one such place. Located just a few miles south of Telluride, the people left Alta in the mid-20th century, it was actually famous for being the first place to the use the Tesla AC transmission system. Today, the town retains a few of its original buildings, falling into disrepair with some resembling nothing more than a stack of sun faded Lincoln Building Blocks, but the spirit of this old mining town and perhaps the spirits that still live there will be just some of the reasons your visit to Telluride would not be the same without a stop in Alta. 4WD is recommended and October is the last month you will be able to reach this area with snow making the rocky road nearly impassable.
Not Haunted at All
We all love to be frightened at Halloween, but not in the homes that are supposed to bring us sanctuary, so we know that you will be relieved to hear that our Accommodations in Telluride properties are ghost-free and filled with luxury and comfort. Spend your days and early nights exploring hair-raising attractions and come home to sleep like a baby in rooms designed to bring peace and tranquility. Reserve your favorite escape today!
