Although there is evidence of human habitation in this area for thousands of years, it was in the mid-1800s that the first Europeans came upon the desert ruins.  The name “Hovenweep,” Paiute/Ute for “deserted valley,” was adapted by pioneer photographer William Henry Jackson in 1874, and quite accurately describes the desolation of these canyons and mesas wherein the ancient farmers cultivated and irrigated their crops.  Though we know the natives in this Four Corners area as Anasazi, they are more accurately called Ancestral Puebloans, and the fascinating thing about them, besides their mysterious exodus, is the variation in the composition of their living areas.  While the better known Mesa Verde tribe built into the cliffs, the Hovenweep people, also members of the Mesa Verde tribe, had a penchant for building towers and massive castle-like buildings with shapes that varied, including square rectangle, round, D-shaped and horseshoe.  The remains of these structures are now Colorado haunted houses.

The Hovenweep area began with small, scattered units, pueblos built on the mesa around 1100, and evolved after 1200 into sophisticated masonry-walled pueblos, with large structures interspersed, often at the head of the canyons.  Water was the life-blood of the Ancestral Puebloans, which, in this dry, arid climate, they diverted into the fields to grow food, using innovative farming methods like terrace farming and irrigation.  Modern scientists examined tree rings from the logs used for construction in the area and found that from 1250 to 1300 there was a severe drought, which likely caused a large migration of the Puebloan people.  Additionally, there now are no trees here, although logs were a corporate part of the construction.  This indicates a depletion of a vital building material and fuel.  Not everyone left however, as they are believed to be the ancestors of the modern tribes of the Hopi, Zuni and Pueblo.

It is widely believed that the Hovenweep Castle is an ancient haunted houses, cursed by the spirits of the Ancestral Puebloans who were forced to migrate during the drought of 1250 – 1300.  Modern-day visitors have reported hearing Native American drumming in the distance.  Others have reported smelling the odor of sage smoke, often used in Puebloan ceremonies.  In a sense, the Hovenweep Castle is one of the most interesting and unusual Colorado Haunted Houses.

If you’re like most people who stretch Halloween into a month-long frightfest, you’ll be looking for a good Haunted House here in the next couple of weeks.  Haunted Houses have become big business in recent years and they’re not exactly cheap, so I recommend doing a little research before heading out for the night.  Here are a few things that you’ll want to know before making your trip out for the evening:

1. Know what time the Haunted House closes. Some of these attractions can be a bit of a drive and it’s a real bummer to get rejected because they are closed or the line is too long to get in before they close.  (I learned this the hard way last year.)  Some haunted houses have a number you can call to check on the status of the line but in all cases just get there early!

2 . Check on the ticket options. The average price is around $15 per person, but you might want to see if there is a “VIP” ticket and online ticketing options.  The VIP tickets will cost a little more, but could save you a lot of time.

And don’t forget to find out if there are any discounts available.  Some of the venues give a small discount with a canned food donation.

3. Get the scoop on the the “fright factor”. Ask friends and co-workers to see which ones they like/dislike and how scary they are before choosing your Haunted House.   Picking a Haunted House is like picking salsa – do you want Mild, Medium or Hot?

4. Who are you going with. When you ask your friends, co-workers, and check the review boards about the particular haunted houses you need to keep in mind who you are going with.  Are you planning on having a few beers and going with your buddies?  Are you planning on attending with a younger child or girlfriend who might not appreciate the blood and gore.  Keep this in mind when choosing a haunted house!

Here are two websites that are good resources for a lot of this information.   Haunted Colorado | Haunted House Guide