A 100-Year Old Railroad, Turned Scenic Byway called Gold Camp Road
A Popular City Fixture- In More Ways Than One
Gold Camp Road in Colorado Springs Colorado is one of the city's many gems. Winding through the mountains at an elevation of over 9000 feet, Gold Camp has some of the best views of Colorado Springs, especially at night!
Although beautiful, this road has a dark past and is known as one of the most haunted locations in town. Because of this, Gold Camp Road is a popular hangout for anyone wanting a scare. In this blog post, I will talk about the history and tales of Gold Camp Road.
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Going Back in Time
In the 1800’s Gold Camp Road was built to ship Ore from gold mines in Cripple Creek to processing plants in Colorado Springs, this was the cheapest and most effective option at the time.
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In 1901 a train service Known as the “Short Line” began shipping people, supplies and minerals. The Short Line was able to ship 200 fully loaded cars at once.
Theodore Roosevelt once road the Short Line and claimed his trip, “Bankrupts the English language.”
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Deconstructed and Sold for Scrap
After serving its purpose as a railway Gold Camps Train tracks were deconstructed and sold for scrap.
In 1924 the once Short Line was turned into a toll road named Corley Mountain Highway.
The toll road made it possible for anyone to explore the tunnels and scenic views.
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Automobile Access was permitted up until tunnel #3 collapsed.
Haunting in the Hills
Gold Camp Road has a dark history complete with stories of death, hauntings and the paranormal
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Rumor has it that in 1988 a school bus full of children collided with Tunnel #3 causing it to collapse in on the bus, killing everyone inside.
The laughter of little children along with child size handprints left on cars has been reported in the area. People have also claimed to see apparitions of young children, hanging around the inside of the tunnel.
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While Tunnel #3 is said to be haunted, paranormal investigators and the curious can also reasonably expect activity at Tunnel #2 at night.
There have been claims that if you pull your car into Tunnel #2 and put the car in neutral, your car will begin to roll forward UPHILL.
Murder in the mountains
While considered a relatively safe area to recreate in Colorado Springs, Gold Camp Road has seen more than its fair share of Crime.
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In 1977, a ghost-hunting family wandered into Gold Camp Road for a scare and got more than they bargained for...
While driving, and looking for ghosts- the family encountered a woman covered in blood, running unclothed after their car.
The woman was just looking for help, as she had just been assaulted, stabbed repeatedly, and pushed down the mountain 100 ft and left for dead. Miraculously, she survived and climbed to safety.
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*** This case, which examines the brutal attack of Kaitlyn Bennett by attacker Charles Warren, is featured on Colorado Springs' Murder Investigation Series, Homicide Hunter, by Joe Kenda.
Another tragic incident took place in March of 2017 when a 7 year old boy fell to his death while hiking on Gold Camp.
His guardian at the time was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and is currently serving a 12-year. prison sentence due the event.
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87-year-old Kathryn “Kit” Grazioli, also suffered a brutal attack and was killed on the road. Grazioli was killed by someone who intended to rob her. COS Fire Department were called out to respond to a fire, where they found her body set afire by her attacker.
We Like Visiting in the Day: Just Our Experience
My wife and I have visited Gold Camp multiple times during the day, and also at night.
At night, the pitch black darkness of night seems to close in on you. In this darkness, and with the road's history- I have been admittingly paranoid that people I see on the road at night are there to kill or dispose of bodies.
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During the day, it's quite hard to believe anything bad could happen in a place with such amazing views.
All things considered, I have never experience any paranormal activity on this road. Neither my wife. However, I can't consciously ignore the reports of others, considering the past of the area and it's dark history.
Photos From The Visit:
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