Things to do in October
October is a month filled with fun and sometimes spooky fall activities. Here are a few ideas:
Hop on a train ride
The Leadville Colorado and Southern Railroad have special fall rides where there are enjoyable views of the Arkansas River Valley and yellowing aspen trees.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad’s Pumpkin Fest train is a close-by option, or hop on a Cascade Canyon Express excursion via the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
There’s no better way to see the changing season and maybe some wildlife than the The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the cog train transporting guests to the top of Pikes Peak.
Take a scenic drive
Popular routes include the Million Dollar Highway, Last Dollar Road, The West Elk Loop and the Gold Belt Tour and Scenic Historic Byway.
Get lost in a corn maze
Explore the seven-acre corn maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield or see the maze from above with views from the two 15-foot-tall illuminated bridges.
Cottonwood Farms in Lafayette is a family-owned farm with a 4-acre corn maze cut by hand and not by tractors. Rock Creek Farm in Broomfield, Maize in the City in Thornton and Anderson Farms in Erie all have unique corn maze features. Most farms offer pumpkin patches and mini-mazes for little ones. Some offer the chance to get spooked with after-dark events. Remember to pick up some pumpkins while you’re there.
Fall into a festival
In Manitou Springs, check out the Emma Crawford Coffin Races & Festival and take part in the Skeleton Craze contest and ghost tour. The Bloody Mary Festival in Denver and the Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival offer many food and beverage options to try. Run in the Day of the Dead’s 5K or 10K in Denver or attend the Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead family celebration in Longmont.
Get spooked in a haunted house
For a terrorizing experience check out the 13th Floor in Denver or Ritual Haunted House in Englewood. Outdoor options include Slaughter Gulch at Lone Creek Farms in Franktown, the Haunted Field of Screams in Thornton and the Creepy Walk in the Woods in Loveland.
Stay in a haunted hotel
The Stanley in Estes Park is one of the most well-known historic hotels with spirits and ghostly hauntings. Other haunted Colorado spots include the Imperial Hotel in Silverton and the Hotel Jerome in Aspen. The Oxford Hotel in Denver has had specific sightings in room 320 as well as in the Cruise Room bar. The Brown Palace Hotel in Denver is rumored to be home to spirits who stayed in room 904 more than 100 years ago and have never left.
Check websites for more information.
By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay
