Entry No. 33 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: haunted
Forest Queen Hotel
The Forest Queen Hotel occupies a narrow, two-story Victorian wood-frame building at the center of Elk Avenue that has stood since 1881, when it opened as a brothel. Seven rooms on the upper floor retain original plank floors and period details; the Coal Creek Grill bar occupied the ground level. The hotel's documented ghost is Elizabeth, a madam who in 1884 lost her life savings to a gambler at the adjacent Kochevars Saloon and then jumped from the second-story room #4 into Coal Creek below. Rooms #2, #3, and #4 carry the heaviest reputation — guests have reported shaking beds, disembodied boot-steps in hallways, and cigar smoke with no visible source. The hotel's own house rules banned Ouija boards "for the comfort of other guests."
The story
The narrow, two-story wood-frame building sitting at 129 Elk Avenue didn't start as a mountain lodge—it opened in 1881 as a mining-era brothel. Its most notorious chapter unfolded in 1884, when a madam named Elizabeth walked down the block to Kochevar's Saloon, lost her life savings to a gambler at the gaming tables, and returned to her second-story room. Desperate, she threw herself out the window of room #4 into Coal Creek below.
That single night set the tone for the upper floor's seven rooms, which still retain their original 19th-century plank flooring and period details. Rooms #2, #3, and #4 carry the heaviest paranormal reputation: guests consistently report unexplainable wafts of cigar smoke, disembodied boot-steps pacing the narrow hallway, and beds that shake in the middle of the night. The activity was persistent enough that former operators added an explicit ban on Ouija boards to the house rules 'for the comfort of other guests.'
What it's like
Stepping into the Forest Queen feels less like checking into a hotel and more like boarding a creaky 1880s time capsule right on Crested Butte's main strip. Don't expect resort pampering—there's no elevator, the floorboards translate every step, thin walls let in room-to-room chatter, and late-night bar noise off Elk Avenue spills directly through the front glass. When open, you come for raw history and the sound of Coal Creek rushing past your window, not high-thread-count luxury.
The move: Book room #3 or #4 for the night — the building sits steps from Kochevars Saloon and the rest of Elk Avenue's bars. Walk the same block Liz walked in 1884, then see how well you sleep with the windows cracked over Coal Creek.
📍 Before you go The Forest Queen's operating status is uncertain as of 2025 — the Wheeler family announced they would not renew their lease after five years of operation. Verify current status before planning a trip around a stay here. If it has reopened under new ownership, the 7 rooms run roughly $99 and up; no elevator, thin walls, and street noise from Elk Avenue are recurring complaints. Crested Butte is roughly 3 hours from Grand Junction via US-50 and CO-135; the road is open year-round but winter driving requires caution.
- 📍 Crested Butte
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 129 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, CO 81224
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Kochevar's Saloon & Gaming Hall — Walk right next door to the 1891 saloon where Elizabeth lost her savings before her fatal jump into Coal Creek.
- Dogwood Cocktail Cabin — A minute's walk away, this candlelit 1891 miners' bunkhouse pairs craft drinks with its own mining-era hauntings.
- Two-Story Outhouse — Tucked in the nearby alley between Elk and Maroon, this two-story privy is another surviving relic from Crested Butte's frontier days.
- Montanya Distillers — Grab a high-altitude rum cocktail right down Elk Avenue before turning in above Coal Creek.
Good to know
Is the Forest Queen Hotel currently open for stays?
Its operating status is uncertain as of 2025 after the Wheeler family ended their five-year lease. Verify current operational status and booking availability before planning a trip around a room here.
What is the origin of the hotel's ghost story?
The ghost is Elizabeth, an 1880s madam who lost her entire savings gambling at nearby Kochevar's Saloon in 1884 before leaping from room #4 into Coal Creek.
Which rooms have the most reported hauntings?
Rooms #2, #3, and #4 carry the heaviest reputation for strange occurrences, including shaking beds, phantom cigar smoke, and boot-steps in the corridor.
How do you get to the Forest Queen from Grand Junction?
It is about a 3-hour drive from Grand Junction via US-50 and CO-135. The highway remains open year-round, but winter weather demands proper mountain driving preparation.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: travelcrestedbutte.com · snowbrains.com · cohauntedhouses.com · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-06-11