8 Haunted Houses That Deliver the Fright This Spooky Season

If October means rewatching Friday the 13th, Halloween, and Scream rather than Hocus Pocus, chances are you’re the type of horror buff who will enjoy the Mile High City’s most terrifying haunted houses. Some of the experiences are the stuff of nightmares (like being trapped in a haunted cornfield), some are based on real-life history (see: the seance at the Molly Brown House), and all are terrifying.

So, while the rest of us curl up on the couch and start our annual rewatch of the Harry Potter flicks, we hope the scream-seeking crowd enjoys these eight local haunted houses. It’ll be an event to remember—or one you’ll try to forget.

The Frightmare Compound

• Address: 10798 Yukon St., Westminster
• Dates: Now through Nov. 2
• Hours: Sunday–Thursday 7–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7 p.m.–midnight

Mention of a family-run business might conjure images of quaint stores and warm hospitality, but this four-decade-old Denver haunted house run by founder Brad Holder’s kin is anything but twee. You’ll come face-to-face with serial killers, learn what it’s like to be buried alive, try to find a way out of mini escape rooms, and more. At the end of your trip, take a selfie with a spooky monster to prove that you made it all the way through the labyrinth. Tickets start at $30

13th Floor Haunted House

• Address: 3400 E. 52nd Ave.
• Dates: Now through Nov. 9
• Hours: Monday–Thursday 7–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7 p.m.–midnight

For over a decade, the ever-changing storylines at this Denver mainstay have provided adrenaline junkies with a reliable thrill. This year, attendees will meet a twisted taxidermist who lives in a secluded forest cabin; contend with Sanguis Rex, a loyal servant of the so-called “Blood Queen”; and try to evade Captain Rust Hook, who haunts the deep seas. There are also a number of side attractions, including a zombie shooting range and a tiki tarot bar, which might soothe your post-fright nerves. Tickets start at $27

Fright By Night

• Address: 2000 Elitch Circle
• Dates: Now through Nov. 3
• Hours: Saturday–Sunday 6–9 p.m.

Denver’s iconic amusement park, Elitch Gardens, is trading face painting and funnel cakes for hair-raising frights during this after-dark fest. Sunset will bring out some of the park’s more unsavory guests, like flesh-hungry clowns and chainsaw-wielding weirdos. You’ll have to navigate through scare zones filled with these creepy characters to hit up your favorite rides after dark, so be prepared to face your deepest fears head on. Feeling extra mettlesome? Immerse yourself in one of the attractions entirely devoted to disturbia, like the group seance or the disorienting prison maze. Tickets for each haunted attraction sold á la carte, starting at $23

HellScream

• Address: 3021 N. Hancock Ave., Colorado Springs
• Dates: Now through Nov. 9
• Hours: Times vary

If you’ve ever wondered what you’d do in a horror movie, this spooky, cinematic adventure is your way to find out. The detailed sets and storylines have been curated by film, TV, and special effects professionals, resulting in a scare reminiscent of a Stephen King movie. Dodge all the circus clowns, evil doctors, and demented hospital patients, and you’ll be able to tell your friends you survived one of Colorado’s most horrifying houses. Tickets start at $24

Victorian Horrors

• Address: 1340 Pennsylvania St.
• Dates: Oct. 10–Oct. 26
• Hours: Thursday–Saturday 6–9 p.m.

The stories at the center of this theater performance are so chilling they’ve remained with us for centuries—and are still frightening new generations. As guests rove from room to room, actors will tell gothic tales from dearly departed authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, H.G. Wells, and Mary Shelley. Opt for a late-night seance party ticket to hear the stories and indulge in boozy drinks. The experience is held in the more than 100-year-old Molly Brown House Museum, so be wary of spirits showing up to tell tales of their own. $25–$75

The Fear Complex

• Address: 2220 Bijou Street, Colorado Springs
• Dates: Now through Nov. 9
• Hours: Times vary

The Fear Complex, which debuted last year in Colorado Springs, offers four themed haunted experiences under one roof, ensuring you get the most barbarity for your buck. In Haunted Mines, you’ll explore a now-abandoned coal mine full of enormous spiders and other secrets. Then, meet the patients inside the Sanitarium, who likely won’t be checking out anytime soon. The Sinister Manor is filled with eerie dolls and torture chambers while the 3D Carnevil is a playground for unhinged clowns. Tickets start at $24

Haunted Field of Screams

• Address: 10451 McKay Rd., Thornton
• Dates: Now through Nov. 2
• Hours: Thursday & Sunday 7–9:30 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7–11:30 p.m.

Thanks to Children of the Corn, boundless farm fields—something the Centennial State has no shortage of—have an extra spooky air. This experience takes place in a field along Riverdale Road, which is allegedly Colorado’s most haunted byway. Outrun sinister entities as you weave through massive corn stalks, attempt to make it out of pitch-black haunted houses, and then, let us know if the lore about this street is true. Tickets start at $30

Terror in the Corn

• Address: 6728 County Road 3¼, Erie
• Dates: Now through Nov. 2
• Hours: Thursday & Sunday 7–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 7–11 p.m.

The hair-raising backstory of this experience in the aptly named town Erie dates back to the late 1800s, when a brother and sister moved to town and began to terrorize the locals. The twins took pleasure in stalking their soon-to-be victims through the cornfield using underground tunnels, then torturing them until they collapsed. Some say the sadistic siblings still roam the territory, and brave Coloradans can find out for themselves during this attraction that stretches for a mile. Tickets start at $40