ERIE, Colo. (KDVR) – A group that has evolved into a nationwide gauger of good-hearted fear creators chose an Erie-based business as the No. 2 spot on its 2022 rankings.
The Scare Factor started back in 2005 rating the peddlers of haunt across the New England and Midwestern regions. It is nearing its second decade of reviewing haunted houses and this year, six Colorado businesses made the grade.
The rankings are created through the efforts of The Scare Factor’s “Scream Teams,” which are comprised of haunting enthusiasts who visit and review haunted houses in their respective regions.
According to The Scare Factor, “[Scream Team members] have also been trained on The Scare Factor’s centralized review criteria. When reading their reviews, you can rest assured that you’re getting a fair, honest and accurate portrayal.”
6 Colorado attractions among The Scare Factor’s 2022 top haunted houses
Scream Team members who visited the following six Colorado locations must’ve found enough jump scares and near-unintentional potty breaks to name them among the nation’s premier haunted houses.
- No. 2: Terror in the Corn at Anderson Farms – Erie
- No. 11: Hellscream Haunted House – Colorado Springs
- No. 27: The Fear Complex – Colorado Springs
- No. 59: The Frightmare Compound – Westminster
- No. 62: The Empty Grave – Longmont
- No. 77: The 13th Floor Haunted House – Denver
- No. 112: Harringtons Haunted House of Horrors – Loveland
Terror in the Corn at Anderson Farms
6728 County Road 3 1/4, Erie
Terror in the Corn at Anderson Farms was number one overall on the list last year but dropped to number two on this year’s list.
This 10-acre attraction is made up of a huge cornfield, filled with plenty of hauntings to be concerned about, but that is simply the beginning of the scare. Once through the horrifying field of corn, visitors will discover the not-so-abandoned ghost town of Raven Gulch, which will follow the cornfield hauntings swimmingly.
Hellscream Haunted House
3021 North Hancock Ave., Colorado Springs
Named to the top spot of The Scare Factor’s 2018 Must See Haunt in Colorado rankings, Hellscream has been bringing visitors holiday frights for nearly a dozen years. This multi-story attraction was created by experts in film-grade special effects.
A unique draw this year is the Pitch Black event that will be held on Nov. 4 and 5, in which visitors will be given a single candle to aid them as they try and get through the haunted house in total darkness.
The Fear Complex
2220 East Bijou St., Colorado Springs
This 24,000-square-foot four-in-one haunted house is one of the newest attractions on this list.
The Fear Complex is comprised of four haunted houses, the insane doctor-run Sanitarium, the locally significant Haunted Mines, the clown-focused 3-D Carnevil, and the Sinister Manor.
The Frightmare Compound
10798 Yukon St., Westminster
Colorado’s self-proclaimed oldest haunted house near Denver has been serving up scares for 39 years since it was brought to life by Brad Holder back in 1983.
Now, thanks to a stipulation put in his will, the late Holder was allegedly buried somewhere on the compound’s grounds so that he could continue his haunting efforts into the afterlife.
In addition to the Monster Museum and mini escape rooms, visitors can test their comfort levels with claustrophobia by partaking in the coffin ride simulator.
The Empty Grave
218 Kimbark St., Longmont
One of the more family-friendly entries on this list is the downtown Longmont attraction known as The Empty Grave.
Expect a line to be queued up outside of this haunted house during the most spooky weeks at the tail end of October, but the run through the whole of The Empty Grave haunted house is an estimated 10 minutes long.
If tragedy strikes during your visit, the frequently asked question section has provided some comfort in revealing that there is always a fully functioning 1977 Cadillac hearse on site that can help deliver you to your preferred final destination.
Harringtons HAAunted House of Horrors
The Promenade Shops at Centerra, 5957 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland
The final entry on this list is a spot that’s been haunting the region for a dozen years and just had its most successful weekend, according to its Facebook page.
This attraction is organized by the nonprofit Harrington Arts Alliance, the proceeds of which help finance the local performance art theater it oversees.
How to join The Scare Factor’s Scream Team
If you consider yourself a haunt fanatic and you’re interested in becoming a member of one of the Scream Teams that contribute to these annual rankings, you can learn how to do so by visiting their sign-up page.
There are only a few days left in this year’s Halloween season, so move fast if you’re looking to take in a scare before it becomes a season more focused on turkey-intake.