Colorado Springs: Guided Ghost Story and History Tour

Colorado Springs reveals a darker side after sunset, from the old morgue beneath the Rabbit Hole to Spanish Flu crematoriums and underground passages tied to the former City Auditorium. The tour turns downtown into a chain of stories rather than a simple march past old buildings.

I like the strong local history and the guides’ storytelling, especially the energy associated with John and Ty. I also like that the tour uses reported paranormal evidence, including videos shown on a guide’s phone, instead of relying only on spooky narration. The main drawback is timing: the advertised 90 minutes may run much longer with a large group, so leave your evening open afterward.

Key points about the Colorado Springs ghost walk

• The Antlers is both meeting point and finale: Begin beneath the Palmer arch and return to the hotel at the end.
• The Rabbit Hole has a grim past: The restaurant occupies premises that once housed the city morgue in the early 1900s.
• Spanish Flu stories add real historical weight: Hear about temporary morgues and crematoriums created during the 1918 epidemic.
• John and Ty bring different strengths: John is noted for humor, passion, and detailed storytelling, while Ty is remembered for his strong area knowledge.
• The walk covers several downtown landmarks: Stops include the Cheyenne Building, La Burla Bee, the former YWCA, Colorado Mining Exchange, and Peak Theatre.
• The tour costs $28: That is a fair price for a small-format, guide-led city walk, especially if you value stories over special equipment.

Why this Colorado Springs tour feels different

Many ghost walks offer a string of unexplained incidents and little else. This one ties its ghost stories to the city’s older buildings, medical crises, transportation history, and lost public spaces. That gives you something to think about even if you remain doubtful about spirits.

The most effective stories appear to come from places with a documented, unsettling past. The old city morgue, pop-up medical facilities during the Spanish Flu, and the former YWCA give the tour a human edge. You are not only hearing about apparitions. You are hearing about death, illness, grief, and the way a growing city handled tragedy.

That balance is important. I like a ghost tour best when it can entertain me without pretending every shadow is proof of the supernatural. Here, the guide appears to keep both parts in play: local facts provide the framework, while stories of black mists, moving objects, and apparitions supply the chills.

The guide also wears full regalia, which helps set the tone from the first minute. John has received particularly strong praise for his humor, passion, and ability to involve the whole group. Another guide, identified in one account as Ty or Tyson, was singled out for knowing the area well. Since the exact guide can vary, expect the personality and pacing to change somewhat from one departure to another.

Starting under The Antlers’ Palmer arch

Your meeting point is in front of The Antlers, A Wyndham Hotel, at the Palmer arch beside the sidewalk. This is a useful starting point because you have a clear landmark rather than an obscure street corner or an interior hotel desk.

The Antlers also anchors the story at both ends. At the start, the guide introduces Judge Baldwin and other spirits associated with the hotel. The building sets the mood before you have walked anywhere, and the return to the same place gives the evening a neat shape.

You should arrive ready to walk outdoors for the full tour. The information supplied does not specify the exact distance or the type of pavement, so comfortable shoes are a sensible choice. Since the tour is wheelchair accessible, it may work for many visitors with mobility needs, though the precise route conditions are not detailed.

This is a walking tour, not a ride between sites. That matters because the short passages from building to building are part of the experience. You get to see the downtown setting in real time, then hear the story while standing close to the place connected with it.

The Rabbit Hole and Colorado Springs’ old morgue

The Rabbit Hole is one of the most memorable stops because its current identity and former use sit so far apart. Today it is associated with dining, but the premises once housed the city morgue in the early 1900s.

The guide uses that contrast to explain reported activity inside the building. Expect stories of apparitions and other strange events rather than a formal visit inside the restaurant. The tour passes by the site, so the value comes from the setting and the explanation.

I like this stop because the story does not need much embellishment. A former morgue already gives the building an uneasy charge, and the guide can add the paranormal accounts on top. It is also a good example of how downtown buildings preserve layers of city life that are easy to miss during the day.

If you are hoping to enter every building, this tour may disappoint. The route is an outdoor walking experience with stops at sites of reported activity, not a series of interior investigations.

La Burla Bee and the tales of unseen company

La Burla Bee is another stop linked with several ghost stories. The details provided include reports of multiple spirits, so the guide has room to tell more than one account at the site.

This is where the delivery matters most. A flat list of supposed hauntings can become repetitive, but an animated storyteller can give each location a distinct character. The strongest feedback about the tour centers on guide personality, humor, and a clear love of the subject. That suggests the evening depends as much on the person holding the group’s attention as on the buildings themselves.

You may also see short video clips connected with certain landmarks. One guide showed video evidence on his phone, which gives the experience a more personal feel than a generic audio presentation. Keep your expectations sensible, though. The tour does not include an EMF detector, and it is not sold as a scientific investigation.

The Cheyenne Building and the downtown route

The route continues past the Cheyenne Building and other locations associated with paranormal activity. The supplied details do not assign a single specific story to every stop, so you should expect the guide to shape the order and emphasis of the evening.

That flexibility can be a strength. A live guide can spend more time on a story that catches the group’s interest, explain a building in response to questions, or adjust the pace as needed. It also means the exact experience may not be identical every night.

The walk moves through the city center, linking several sites instead of keeping you at one location. For me, that makes the history easier to follow. You begin to see Colorado Springs as a city that changed over time, with hotels, theaters, civic buildings, medical sites, and commercial spaces replacing one another.

The drawback is that a moving group can sometimes spend less time at each stop. If you prefer long, quiet investigations at one supposedly haunted building, this format will feel too brisk. If you enjoy a steady story with new locations, the route should suit you better.

The Spanish Flu, pop-up morgues, and underground spirits

The Spanish Flu section gives the tour its most serious historical subject. During the 1918 epidemic, temporary morgues and crematoriums appeared around the city. The stories connected with these places suggest that some spirits remain in the underground spaces below Colorado Springs.

This material adds needed context to the ghost tales. Epidemics are not just spooky backdrops. They changed daily life, overwhelmed local systems, and left families dealing with sudden loss. Hearing about the emergency facilities helps you understand why certain places might carry powerful stories long after their original use ended.

The underground theme continues with passages said to have led toward the old City Auditorium. The tour does not promise an underground visit, and the supplied information describes these as part of the stories told along the route. Still, the tunnels give the city a second layer, one hidden below the streets you are walking.

I would pay close attention here, even if paranormal stories are not your main interest. This part connects the tour to public health and urban change, making it more than a collection of haunted-house anecdotes.

The former YWCA and a tragic event

The former YWCA is tied to a tragic event that happened inside the building. The available description does not provide the full details, so the guide’s telling is the part you will need to hear on the night.

That restraint is useful when deciding whether to book. You know the stop deals with serious history, but you do not know every plot point in advance. If you prefer to avoid stories involving tragedy, ask the guide at the start what level of detail to expect.

The building also fits the broader theme of the tour: familiar civic and social spaces can have difficult pasts. The route does not focus only on grand hotels or theatrical venues. It includes places connected with ordinary city life, which makes the stories feel closer to the streets around you.

Colorado Mining Exchange and Peak Theatre

Later, the tour reaches the Colorado Mining Exchange and Peak Theatre before heading back to The Antlers. These stops widen the story beyond morgues and epidemics.

The mining exchange points toward the economic forces that helped shape Colorado Springs, while the theater brings in performance and public entertainment. The supplied material does not list a separate ghost story for each building, so I would treat them as part of the final sequence rather than expect a full historical lecture at every stop.

This portion of the route helps prevent the evening from becoming too narrow. You move through different kinds of places and different periods, from civic and commercial buildings to theatrical space. The guide’s job is to connect those sites into one evening of city history and reported paranormal activity.

The tour then returns to The Antlers, where the evening began. That loop is practical and easy to understand, especially if you are staying nearby or using the hotel as your downtown reference point.

What $28 gets you

At $28 per person, the tour offers a reasonably priced way to spend an evening in central Colorado Springs. You receive a 90-minute guided walk, a live English-speaking storyteller, a route through several historic sites, and access to stories that would be difficult to assemble on your own.

The price is strongest if you value interpretation. You could walk past The Antlers, the Rabbit Hole, the Cheyenne Building, and other sites for free, but you would miss the connections between them. The guide supplies the structure, context, humor, and paranormal accounts.

The value is less clear if you expect a large production with props, extensive indoor access, or investigation equipment. An EMF detector is not included. This is a personal storytelling experience, not a ghost-hunting kit.

The rating of 4.5 from 46 reviews supports a generally reliable experience, though it should not make you ignore the practical details. One group had a timing mix-up and could not attend, but the owners handled the refund professionally. That is reassuring for customer service, but it also shows why you should check your start time carefully.

Timing, group pace, and the real length of the evening

The advertised duration is 90 minutes. That is the figure to use when planning, but do not schedule an important appointment immediately afterward.

One large group found that its tour lasted more than two hours. A bigger crowd can slow the walk, create more questions, and give the guide more chances to expand on the stories. That extra time may be welcome if you are enjoying the evening, but it can be a problem if you have a dinner reservation or transportation deadline.

The experience is offered at different starting times, so check availability for your date. A later departure should provide the nighttime atmosphere that suits ghost stories, while an earlier departure may be easier for families or anyone who prefers not to finish late. The supplied information does not set an age limit, so use your judgment based on how comfortable your group is with stories of murder, death, and tragedy.

The tour is conducted in English. If you need another language, this experience is not presented as a multilingual option.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend this walk to you if you enjoy local history with a supernatural edge. It should also suit visitors who like a guide with a strong personality, since John and Ty are remembered for humor, interaction, storytelling, and detailed knowledge of the area.

It works well for a first evening in Colorado Springs because the route introduces several downtown landmarks. You get a sense of the city center while hearing why certain buildings matter.

Families with older children may enjoy it, but the subject matter is not light. Stories involve murders, morgues, crematoriums, epidemic deaths, and tragic events. The tour is better for people who can handle grim history without treating it as a simple Halloween show.

You may want to skip it if you dislike walking, want guaranteed indoor access, or are looking for a formal paranormal investigation with equipment. The experience is also not ideal for a tightly packed schedule because the 90-minute estimate can stretch.

Should you book the Colorado Springs ghost tour?

Book it if you want a modestly priced evening walk with genuine local context, lively narration, and a few unsettling stories. The best reasons to go are the old morgue at the Rabbit Hole, the Spanish Flu material, the underground tunnel stories, and the chance to hear a guide such as John connect history with reported paranormal activity.

Keep one hour of flexibility beyond the advertised time, wear comfortable shoes, and arrive at the Palmer arch in front of The Antlers. If you approach the tour as storytelling rather than proof of ghosts, the $28 price gives you a fun and thoughtful way to see downtown after dark.

FAQ

How long is the Colorado Springs ghost tour?

The advertised duration is 90 minutes. One large group reported that its tour lasted more than two hours, so leave extra time after the scheduled finish.

Where does the tour begin?

Meet in front of The Antlers, A Wyndham Hotel, at the Palmer arch beside the sidewalk.

Where does the tour end?

The tour returns to The Antlers after visiting the downtown sites.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English, and English is the listed tour language.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $28 per person.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Is an EMF detector included?

No. An EMF detector is not included.

Which places are included on the route?

The route includes The Antlers, the Rabbit Hole, the Cheyenne Building, La Burla Bee, the former YWCA, Colorado Mining Exchange, and Peak Theatre, along with other downtown locations.

Does the tour discuss the Spanish Flu?

Yes. The guide discusses pop-up morgues and crematoriums associated with the Spanish Flu of 1918, along with stories about spirits in underground parts of the city.

Can you cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.