Thornton, CO has one of the nation’s most haunted roads

Riverdale Road: Beautiful by day, spooky by night.

I grew up in Thornton, and Riverdale Road was part of my life long before I heard any ghost stories about it. It was always scary but the fastest way north or to Commerce City and Brighton.

I rode it with my parents and later drove it myself. And yes… that road can get scary. The old trees, the windy roads. There was a tree off of the 112th road that people always said collected cars.

During the day, the winding stretch between Thornton and Brighton is beautiful, with cottonwood trees and open space. At night, those curves and stretches of darkness can give the same drive a completely different feeling.

Riverdale has plenty of spooky legends: a phantom Camaro, a ghostly jogger who supposedly taps on passing cars, and a place people call the “Gates of Hell.” They’re stories, though—not established history. But, I like hearing the stories and I can agree with most of them.

Denver Ghost Hunters co-founder Stephanie Smith described feeling an unexplained sense of dread along one side of the road. She also recalled seeing what looked like a man approaching her in cowboy boots.

Enough to make you check your rearview mirror, right?

Police quoted in the original 2019 report said they hadn’t found calls supporting the haunting legends. The real danger is less mysterious: blind curves, limited lighting and drivers going too fast.

I can’t tell you whether Riverdale Road is haunted. But as someone who grew up driving it, I understand why it gets people talking.

If you go, drive carefully, stay on public property and leave the ghost hunting to the passengers.

Have you ever had a spooky experience on Riverdale Road? I’d love to hear it! Read more about the scary road report here