The Centennial State hosts ghosts, coffin races, conspiracy theories and more

By Kristian DePue

Last fall, on a railroad ride between Durango and Silverton, a tourist captured footage of what appeared to be Bigfoot, the elusive cryptid. Possibly someone simply in a Sasquatch suit, this is just a minute in a long history of supposed sightings in the Centennial State. Beyond cryptozoology, Colorado is known for various oddities.

The San Luis Valley is a hotspot for UFO sightings. An observation platform was constructed in 2000 and has kept eyes on the skies for over two decades.

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park was Stephen King’s inspiration for “The Shining.” Linger is an in-demand dining spot in Denver, despite being a former mortuary. The Rabbit Hole in Colorado Springs never has a slow night, but the subterranean restaurant was previously the city morgue — with many claims to ghostly encounters.

Known for "300 days of sunshine," there’s a plethora of dark oddities in the shadows of the Centennial State. Here's Thirst Colorado’s primer to peculiarities that’ll leave you thirsting for more…

A gunslinging gambler and a cannibal | Linwood and Littleton Cemeteries

One infamous figure is John Henry "Doc" Holliday — a dentist, gunslinger and gambler buried in a graveyard in Glenwood Springs. Acquitted of a shooting in Leadville, Holliday moved to Glenwood Springs in 1887, hoping the hot springs would alleviate his tuberculosis. Despite his efforts, Doc died later that year — buried somewhere in Linwood Cemetery. The exact location remains unknown, but there is a beautiful and short hike to a Doc Holliday memorial marker.

Alferd Packer, also known as "The Colorado Cannibal," was a prospector infamous for a gruesome episode of cannibalism. In 1874, Packer led a group through the Rockies during a harsh winter. Months later, he emerged from the mountains alone and suspicions arose. Eventually, he confessed to cannibalism to survive, and subsequently served 17 years in prison. Packer is buried in Littleton Cemetery.

Colorado coffin races | Manitou Springs and Nederland

The mystical tourist town of Manitou Springs hosts a morbid competition inspired by a casket that washed down a mountainside.
Born in 1863 on the East Coast, Emma Crawford moved to Manitou Springs at the age of 12 with her mother and with the hope that the fresh mountain air and mineral springs would relieve her tuberculosis, much like Doc Holliday.

Death knocked on Crawford’s door in 1891. Interred on Manitou’s Red Mountain, her burial site succumbed to weathering, and her coffin fell into a landslide in 1929. This incident eventually evolved into a Halloween event—the Emma Crawford Coffin Races & Festival—but it’s not the only one.

In 1989, a Norwegian man brought the corpse of his deceased grandfather, Bredo Morstøl, to the U.S., preserved on dry ice and later in liquid nitrogen. In 1993, almost 30 years ago, Morstøl’s body was placed inside a shed in the town of Nederland — where Morstøl’s frozen corpse remains to this day. For years, Nederland had its annual coffin race during the Frozen Dead Guy Days celebration each March. The celebration has since been moved to Estes Park.

The crumbling ruins of the Castlewood Canyon Dam | Castle Rock

The failed remnants of the Castlewood Canyon Dam hardly resemble the robust wall that unleashed a flood in 1933. Built in 1890 and plagued by leaks for years, the dam collapsed during a torrential storm. When the deteriorating stone barrier broke, more than a billion gallons of water surged over 40 miles of wilderness, ultimately inundating Denver. Logs floated through train stations, bridges were swept away, and the Mile High City was submerged in waist-high water. Only one person perished, but the property damage was devastating.

Century-long coal fire | New Castle

Accidental coal fires are fairly common, and the Colorado River Valley has had several within 10 miles of the small town of New Castle. One has been burning since 1896, when the Vulcan Mine exploded, killing 49 men. Despite the explosion and ongoing fires, the mine was reopened — only to experience another ignition that killed 37 in 1913.

The detonations are two of the worst mining disasters in Colorado. Despite these catastrophes, mining at the Vulcan Mine continued. Three more died in 1918 during sulfur extractions. A memorial to the miners is located in a park in New Castle.

The slopes over the mine are barren due to the underground forever fires. During winter, snow melts more quickly than the surrounding ground — steam and smoke can sometimes be seen rising from the site.

One of several puzzling paintings at DIA.

Concourse conspiracies | Denver

Denver International Airport is the Centennial State’s central hub for transit and tourism. It is the largest airport by area in the United States and ranks among the five busiest on the continent. DIA opened in 1995, replacing Stapleton International Airport, which had served as Denver's primary airport since 1929.

The airport is surrounded by intrigue and conspiracy theories regarding its infrastructure and décor. Rumors persist about an underground labyrinth supposedly housing a secret bunker. The four main murals, created by Chicano artist Leo Tanguma, have been interpreted in various ways, with some seeing them as depicting the Apocalypse and a One World Order.

Additionally, the massive blue mustang statue near the airport's entrance has a reputation for being intimidating with its red, fiery eyes. The horse sculpture, nicknamed “Blucifer,” tragically caused the death of its creator, Luis Jimenez, when a piece of the statue fell on him, resulting in fatal injuries.