In Cañon City, Colorado, Scout and Venture Crew 121 is once again bringing the community together with its celebrated haunted attraction, Dark Side of the Abbey. The haunted house, staged inside the deconsecrated Abbey Monastery off Highway 50, has earned Colorado Haunted House of the Year honors for two consecutive years and is aiming for a third.

Local Youth Create a Spooky Experience

All of the construction, makeup, acting and set design are performed by crew members aged 14 to 21. “I’ve actually had a couple of people come through my rooms in the last couple of years, and they go, ‘Oh my gosh! they’re so little!’” said crew member Adysen Pakenham. “Saturday, I actually had a group come through, and he said my height was one of the most terrifying parts of me.”

Multiple Attractions Within the Monastery

The main haunted house and four escape rooms occupy the old dormitory wings, while a sensory‑deprivation maze is set in the monastery’s original chambers. The troop has been operating the haunted house for 15 years, using the proceeds to fund scouting trips and to donate tens of thousands of dollars to local nonprofit organizations throughout Fremont County.

Adult crew leader Jason Messer explained, “By the end they’re just this super close, tight‑knit family. They come in as one person and they leave as another, so they really get into their character.”

Tickets and Hours

The attraction runs every weekend from now until Halloween, opening at 6 p.m. and closing at 11:10 p.m. Individual tickets cost $25, with fast‑pass and combo options available for guests who want to experience multiple attractions.

Community members are encouraged to attend, enjoy a family‑friendly fright night, and support the troop’s charitable efforts. The event highlights the power of youth leadership, volunteerism, and local tradition in strengthening the fabric of Cañon City.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.