On Saturday, October 24, the Highlands Ranch Community Association runs the Backcountry Wilderness Area Haunted Forest three times, and each one is scarier than the last. At 1 p.m. the trail is a decorated walk for small kids with a bounce house next to it. At 5 p.m. the lights and music are on but the scare actors are not acting. By 7 p.m. it is the full three-quarter-mile haunt, recommended for ages 10 and up. Across Highlands Ranch, most of October is planned by age, and this one Saturday shows it most clearly.
One trail, three versions
All three versions use the same parking, the same trail south of the parking lot and the same entrance at the Haunted Forest Community Area. The time of day changes the scare level and the price.
| Version | Oct. 24 hours | Who it's built for | Listed tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haunted Forest Fall Fest | 1–4 p.m. | Younger children and families | $10 per child, $5 per adult, free under age 1 |
| Haunted Forest Fright Lite | 5–7 p.m. | Anyone skipping the jump scares | $10 |
| Haunted Forest, full haunt | 7–10 p.m. | Recommended for ages 10+ | $15 general admission, $25 fast pass |
The full haunt also runs on Friday, October 23, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday has only that one version, so the gentler walks happen on Saturday alone.
HRCA's page describes Fall Fest as a "not-as-scary walk through our decorated forest trail." The community area has a bounce house, crafts and food truck treats, and the page says it is "designed for younger children and families looking for festive fun."
Fright Lite has the most honest description of the three. HRCA says it keeps "the lights, music, decorations, and themed scenes of the trail" and warns that "people will still be in the woods preparing for our full haunt experiences, but scarers will not be acting and may not be in full costume." Fright Lite runs while the crew gets ready for the 7 p.m. full haunt. You see the same scenes without the people in them jumping out at you.
The full Haunted Forest promises that "your nightmares are lurking behind every tree and bush." Its page carries one warning the other two pages don't: "there will be flashing strobe lights in the forest."
What changed from last year
In 2025, Fall Fest had its own event page on the HRCA site, dated October 4, as a fall event separate from the haunt. The 2026 version is called Haunted Forest Fall Fest, its page opens with "Fall Fest goes spooky!", and it now happens on the haunt trail on the same afternoon as the full haunt that evening.
Because of that change, a family with a 4-year-old and a 12-year-old can now plan around one place on one day instead of two separate weekends. The money ends up in the same place, too. All three pages say proceeds go to the Backcountry Wilderness Area Fund.
Choosing a time slot by the youngest person going
The prices give you a rough idea of what each version is meant to be. For two adults and two children at the listed prices:
- Fall Fest comes to $30: two $10 kid tickets and two $5 adult tickets. Babies under 1 get in free. This slot is meant for toddlers and early grade-schoolers.
- Fright Lite comes to $40 at the flat $10 ticket. It suits a child who likes the decorations but not being startled, or a mixed group where one person wants to skip the scares.
- The full haunt comes to $60 at general admission or $100 with fast passes. The 10+ recommendation is HRCA's own guidance, and the strobe warning matters for anyone sensitive to flashing light.
The schedule also leaves a gap. Fall Fest ends at 4 p.m. and Fright Lite starts at 5, so there's an hour between them. Fright Lite ends at 7 p.m., just as the full haunt opens. A household with kids at both ends of the age range could do the afternoon walk, go home for dinner and bring the older kids back after dark.
Getting to the trail
Parking for all three versions is at Rocky Heights Middle School, 11033 Monarch Blvd. The school has a Lone Tree mailing address, but it is the trailhead for the Highlands Ranch Backcountry. From the parking lot, take the trail at the south end to the Community Area. For the full haunt, HRCA says music and lights will guide you in.
None of the three event pages limits attendance to HRCA members or lists separate member prices. Each one shows a single price list. The Fright Lite page also includes a liability waiver.
The rest of October is sorted by age, too
The Haunted Forest is the clearest example, but most of the month's other Halloween events are also aimed at a particular age group.
For little kids with an adult: HRCA's Haunted Hayrides are for ages 2 and up. They run Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Stockton's Plum Creek Stables, 7479 W. Titan Road. Rides leave every half hour and last about 30 minutes. Tickets are $16 for adults and children alike, and children 2 and under ride free on an adult's lap. HRCA encourages families with younger children to pick an earlier ride. Full payment confirms the reservation and is non-refundable, and HRCA asks riders to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early.
For kids at a morning event: Coffee with a Cop at Northridge Recreation Center on Wednesday, October 28, from 8 to 10 a.m. includes a Halloween craft for kids. It's free.
For adults who read horror: The Douglas County Libraries Highlands Ranch branch hosts Haunts & Horrors, a book club for horror, dark fantasy and science fiction. It meets Thursday, October 15, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Event Hall B.
For the 21+ crowd: The Highlands Ranch Mansion's Spirits with the Spirits evening tours still have Wednesday dates on October 14 and 21, but as of the latest check the Mansion lists every date as sold out and points people to a waitlist. The other adult option is Halloween Bingo with Dave at Max Taps, 2680 E. County Line Road, on Friday, October 30, from 7 to 9 p.m.
For older adults: The Friends of the Highlands Ranch Senior Center Fall Craft Fair runs Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Senior Center, 200 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway. Admission is free and food is for sale. That puts it a few hours before Fall Fest opens on the same day. The Senior Center's Halloween Dance on Thursday, October 29, from 5 to 8 p.m., includes dinner, music by the Cruisin' Cats and a costume contest, according to DougCo Social. Tickets are $19 for members and $22 for non-members.
For adults with an Individual Service Plan: HRCA's Therapeutic Recreation Halloween Dance on Friday, October 30, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Southridge Wildcat Auditorium is for ages 16 and up with an ISP. It has a DJ, performers, giveaways and a photographer. Tickets are $18 for members and $22 for non-members.
For riders: On Halloween morning, Westridge's cycle studio holds Paranormal Pedal, a Halloween-themed class, from 9 to 11 a.m. It costs $20 for members and $25 for guests.
For everyone, from the sidewalk: HRCA's Halloween House Decorating map went live October 8. HRCA will keep adding homes through October 30, and the event page has the submission form. The map keeps growing through the end of the month, so it will list more homes on October 30 than it does today.
Halloween night ends at the Mansion
October 31 is the one night set up for all ages at once. The Highlands Ranch Mansion's Last Stop runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and is free, with no reservations needed. The Mansion pitches it as the answer to "what are you doing after trick-or-treating," with trick-or-treating at the front door, a DJ playing Halloween music and a cash bar on the veranda with a signature spooky cocktail. The event is outdoors only, and the Mansion's interior will be closed.
The Mansion lists two rules for the night. Parking is limited and parking in the surrounding neighborhoods is not allowed, so the Mansion recommends carpooling and asks nearby residents to walk or bike. Pets, including dogs, are not allowed on the grounds.
If you want something calmer before Halloween week, the HRCA Farmers' Market keeps running at Highlands Ranch Town Center, 9288 Dorchester St., on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through November 1. Its last market falls the morning after Last Stop.
Planning a Highlands Ranch October means matching the right time slot to the right age, and planning a home sale is the same kind of timing question. If this season has you thinking about your next move, Andrew Borremans and the team at Borremans Properties can walk you through what your Highlands Ranch home is worth before the spring market picks up. Get a Free Home Valuation, and we'll lay out the timing plainly.
