Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps.

In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we take listeners inside a hotel that some paranormal investigators call the most active haunted location in the world: The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Ever since it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining following the author’s 1974 overnight stay, The Stanley has attracted hoards of ghost hunters and Rocky Mountain hikers alike. We’ll explore the grounds and The Stanley’s haunted history, from the colorful characters who built it to the circumstances around Stephen King’s storied trip, and talk about why this is a great place to visit—whether you believe in ghosts or not.

Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.

Carol M. Highsmith