Entry No. 182 — the Denver file — filed under: speakeasy
Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours
An immersive paranormal walking tour that goes inside some of Denver's most haunted buildings, descends into sealed Prohibition-era bootlegging tunnels beneath the city, and ends at a hidden speakeasy bar, with guides recounting firsthand encounters.
The story
Long before Lower Downtown became a polished grid of tech offices and upscale dining, LoDo was Denver's original red-light district—a expanse of brick warehouses, saloons, and rail yards where business moved off the ledger and often under the pavement. Beneath the street surface, a network of brick-walled tunnels connected hotel basements, transport hubs, and commercial cellars. Originally cut for hauling coal and utility lines without clogging street traffic, the passages quickly became quiet thoroughfares for Prohibition bootleggers and venue owners moving illegal liquor out of sight of federal agents.
The Dark Side of Denver tour doesn't just point at brick facades from the curb; it takes you inside the structures where the city's darker events unfolded. You step inside the 1891 Oxford Hotel—where Room 320 carries a history tied to a 1898 murder-suicide and reported lingering encounters—and trace a route past historic landmarks like the Sugar Building and the former Wazee Supper Club site. The primary draw is descending into surviving Prohibition-era tunnel sections, where guides demonstrate paranormal equipment like EMF meters while sharing documented accounts from former subterranean workers and recent visitors.
It is an unvarnished look at the side of Mile High history city planners preferred to downplay: murder cases, ghost sightings, and clandestine underground routes. When schedule margins permit at the end of the two-hour loop, the group finishes inside Lincoln's, a hidden speakeasy tucked into the basement of the historic Ice House building—giving you a quiet, dark spot to debrief what you just experienced.
What it's like
Ignore where your navigation app points if you search the company name—maps often direct people to a administrative office on Sherman Street, but the tour actually gathers outdoors under the flagpole in front of Denver Union Station at 17th and Wynkoop. Arrive fifteen minutes early to check in. Over two hours, you'll walk LoDo's brick sidewalks, climb down stairs into cool basement tunnel corridors, and step inside historic building lobbies, so wear sensible shoes rather than formal footwear. The vibe balances local history with paranormal investigation—guides carry gear and invite guests to test for electromagnetic anomalies—and while pitched at a PG-13 level due to true-crime themes, the crowd leans toward date-night couples and history enthusiasts. The speakeasy stop at Lincoln's happens at the very end only if time and venue capacity allow, so plan on grabbing a drink there independently if the tour runs tight.
The move: Book the dusk tour for two, go inside the haunted buildings and down into the actual tunnels, then finish with a drink at the hidden speakeasy debriefing what you felt.
📍 Before you go Tours gather in front of Union Station at 1701 Wynkoop, under the flagpole, about fifteen minutes before start time — not at the Sherman Street office address that map listings show. It is a roughly two-hour walking loop through LoDo with stops inside historic buildings like the Oxford Hotel and the Sugar Building, plus stairs down to tunnel level, so wear real shoes. Book ahead online; the standard tour is all-ages but pitched PG-13, and the speakeasy finish (Lincolns, hidden in the Ice House building) happens only if time allows. Union Station is the regional transit hub, so the train beats hunting for LoDo parking.
- 📍 Downtown LoDo / Union Station area
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Hours: Added 2026-06-09 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Lincoln's — Since the tour's final stop at this hidden Ice House bar depends on schedule timing, heading here independently guarantees you get that post-tour drink in an unmarked brick basement.
- Nineteen 25 — If walking above LoDo's bootlegging routes sparks an appetite for subterranean history, this former brothel bar features its own sealed Prohibition tunnels below North Broadway.
- Ghost Saloon — Extend your subterranean exploration past Union Station by ducking behind the welcome room at this Larimer Square hideaway connected by an authentic Prohibition-era passage.
- 12 Spirits Tavern — Swap LoDo's commercial haunts for Capitol Hill's residential spooks by drinking in the carriage house basement of the notoriously haunted 1891 Croke-Patterson Mansion.
Good to know
Where does the tour meet?
Tours meet at the flagpole in front of Denver Union Station (1701 Wynkoop St, at 17th and Wynkoop). Do not go to the Sherman Street address listed on some map pages.
How long is the tour and what should I wear?
It is a roughly two-hour walking loop through LoDo that involves street walking, indoor spaces, and descending stairs into tunnel basements, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for changing weather.
Is the ghost tour suitable for children?
The tour is open to all ages but is written for a PG-13 audience due to discussions of true crime, local murders, and historic red-light district history.
Will we definitely visit the hidden speakeasy at the end?
The speakeasy debrief at Lincoln's (in the Ice House building) is included only if time and bar capacity allow at the end of the walk.
Where should I park for the tour?
Parking in LoDo can be difficult and costly; taking RTD light rail or public transit directly into Union Station drops you off right at the meeting flagpole.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Westword · voicemap.me
last checked: 2026-06-09