When autumn slips in—when leaves swirl, shadows stretch, and the air hums with stories not quite ordinary—that’s when hiking with your dog takes on a new texture.
Something magical. Something a little spooky. Something that calls to the adventurer inside both of you.
Here in Colorado, the landscape is littered with haunted histories, abandoned mines, ghost towns, eerie cemeteries, and remote trails where legend whispers through the pines.
Combine that with crisp wind, rustling leaves, and your dog trotting beside you—and you’ve got an experience that’s more than a walk.
It’s a journey into stories half-told, energy half-seen, and the kind of setting where your imagination wakes up.
Below are 13 of Colorado’s spookiest, most dog-friendly hikes—each with its own lore, each with a pull.
These are the trails where shadows flicker, where history breathes, and where your pup might just sense the thickness in the air.
1. Red Rocks & Mt. Vernon Cemetery — Morrison, CO
Start with something iconic. Red Rocks is known for its amphitheater and natural beauty, but when you trace trails toward the old Mt. Vernon Cemetery, you step into layers of history. Two stone grave markers remain among ghost stories of a headless lady, wandering Ute spirits, and whispers in the rocks. The loop through Village Walk, Red Rocks, Cherry Gulch, and Morrison Slide is about 5.8 miles round trip.
2. Griffin Memorial via 7:30 Mine — Silver Plume, CO
Here’s a hike that’s short on leniency and high on tension. The stories of Clifford Griffin—violin playing at dusk, a mysterious gunshot, a cabin on the mountainside—cling to this trail. At just 3.6 miles round trip, with steep climbs, it’s a haunting yet doable trek for the determined.
3. Rattlesnake Gulch Trail (Crag Hotel Ruins) — Eldorado Canyon
Once crowned by the Crag Hotel (built 1908, burned 1912), the ruins now sit among cliffs and canyon walls. As the trees change, the leftover foundations flicker into view in dusk light and seem to carry the weight of the stories left behind. Round trip about 2.9 miles.
4. Ben Tyler Trail — Bailey, CO
Bigfoot lovers, this one’s for you. Local legend says a hairy creature stood and stared near the 4th or 5th switchback. Whether you believe in cryptids or not, the forest is prime for spines to tingle. The full trail stretches about 11.7 miles.
5. Carter Lake Sundance Trail — Loveland, CO
A calm lakeshore with a restless legend. Some report seeing a lone man in old clothes strolling near the shore, vanishing when approached. At 5.9 miles round trip, this trail walks you through autumnal forests and haunting silence.
6. Oil Creek Tunnel & Ghost Town Hollow — Colorado Springs, CO
Ruined cabins, mining remnants, a tunnel that seems to sigh… this 4.4-mile hike transports you into a ghost town nearly consumed by time. At dusk, wind through the tunnel echoes.
7. Wichita State Plane Wreck — Loveland Pass
This 2.9-mile out-and-back hike leads to a plane crash site memorial. The tragedy lingers in the cold mountain air, mementos left by visitors, and the quiet that settles in the clearing.
8. Irvin Homestead – Estes Park
Once eight homesteads, now decrepit ruins hidden in forest. Hike 6.6 miles round trip. The ghosts here are soft, in the creaking floorboards, in the crowns of fallen homes.
9. Iowa Hill Trail — Breckenridge, CO
Short but powerful. At 0.7 miles round trip, you’ll pass mining relics, cabins, and palpable quiet. Great for a quick spooky stroll.
10. Pelican Ponds Loop & Riverdale Road — Thornton, CO
Not deep woods, but eerie in its own right. Riverdale Road is steeped in legends—phantom drivers, ghost dogs, and wandering children. You can hike Pelican Ponds (1.8 miles) as a side circuit.
11. Caribou Hill — Nederland, CO
A ghost town in silver mining’s wake. Walk ~3.3 miles round trip. Explore old foundations, wander through the cemetery, let the wind speak.
12. Lake Gulch Trail → Castlewood Canyon Dam
2.6 miles round trip. Ruins of the broken dam, ghost reports, and rock shelters tied to old tragedies make this a trail where water’s silence feels heavy.
13. Central City Cemetery District — Central City
Not exactly a hike, but walkable. Loop through multiple cemeteries on hill slopes. Stories of orbs, the “Lady in Black,” a mourning widow—this is cemetery lore come alive. You pick the distance.
Tips for Spooky Trails with Dogs
- Go before dark or at dusk, not during full night—visibility matters.
- Bring a headlamp or flashlight (for you and a pet-safe light on the collar).
- Keep your dog leashed. These trails are remote, with cliffs, ruins, and hidden hazards.
- Bring water and a basic first aid kit.
- Respect the lore. Don’t trespass into restricted areas or ancient grave sites.
- Walk slowly. Encourage sniff breaks. Let your dog soak up the atmosphere too.
Autumn in Colorado is a sensory painting—maple golds, pine whispers, frost in the dawn, golden sun low in the sky.
Now imagine that overlaid with the glow of ghosts, abandoned places full of memory, silhouettes that half-dissolve into dusk.
That’s what these hikes offer.
Take your pup. Walk among history and legend. Let your bones tingle. Let your heart feel that uncanny pause between things seen and unseen.
Because, after all, a hike with your dog isn’t just about exercise—it’s about story, presence, and the wild stories the trail still holds.
Which of these trails would you like me to map for your area (near you)? I can find the local “spooky hikes near me” if you tell me your region.
