"Provided for the benefit of HRCA members only." The Highlands Ranch Community Association uses those words for the trails in the Backcountry Wilderness Area, and it asks members to carry their recreation center ID cards as proof. HRCA describes the property as an 8,200-acre conservation area. It protects wildlife habitat and also serves as a nature destination for the community. Most of the year, the preserve stays quiet on purpose.
Then comes the back half of October. Over about eight days, HRCA runs a haunted trail with two scare levels, a daytime family festival, and a 13.1-mile race through the same ground. For many people, these events are the only time they'll walk the Backcountry without a membership card or a program registration. The proceeds from the Haunted Forest nights go straight back to the land.
Who Gets In the Rest of the Year
It helps to know exactly how the Backcountry works before deciding which October night is worth your Saturday. HRCA says the Backcountry has more than 25 miles of natural-surface trails. Only 11.2 of those miles are HRCA's own, and the association calls them "private trails open for residents and accompanied guests." The other 12 miles are the Douglas County East/West Regional Trail, which is open to the general public.
The facilities are even more restricted. On its map and directions page, HRCA says:
"The Horse Corrals and Base Camp are not open for drop-in visits. Visitors must be part of a program, lesson, activity, etc."
The same page says there is "no public trailhead or independent access to the Backcountry Wilderness Area from the Backcountry Outdoor Center." The archery range is the one drop-in option on the property. You need a day pass or season pass, and HRCA says you don't need to live in Highlands Ranch to buy one.
The calendar matters too. The Wildcat Trail System closes every year from January 1 through March 31 for wintering wildlife, and some trails also close for golden eagle nesting. So the Backcountry rotates between members-only use, program-only use, and full closure for part of each winter. That's the backdrop for the October events, which bring large numbers of people onto the property.
One Trail, Four Intensities, Two Days
The Haunted Forest is a ¾-mile walk through the woods, open for two nights. The other events on October 24 use the same staging area, so you can pick your scare level. Every Haunted Forest event parks at Rocky Heights Middle School, 11033 Monarch Blvd. From the south end of the lot, you follow a trail toward the Haunted Forest Community Area, with music and lights marking the way. HRCA's listing gives a Lone Tree mailing address, 80124, for that parking lot, which is worth knowing if your GPS hesitates.
Here's the lineup, from gentlest to most intense:
- Haunted Forest Fall Fest, Saturday, October 24, 1 to 4 p.m. Crafts, a bounce house, food trucks, and a less-scary walk through the forest.
- Haunted Forest Fright Lite, Saturday, October 24, 5 to 7 p.m., $10. You get the lights, music, decorations, and themed scenes without live scare actors. HRCA notes that crew members will still be in the woods getting ready for the full show, but they won't be performing and may not be in full costume.
- Haunted Forest, night one, Friday, October 23, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Haunted Forest, night two, Saturday, October 24, 7 to 10 p.m. Both nights are $15 for general admission or $25 for a fast pass. HRCA recommends the full Haunted Forest for ages 10 and up and warns that the forest uses flashing strobe lights.
On Saturday the 24th, the events run back to back from early afternoon until 10 p.m. A family with younger kids can come for the festival, stay through Fright Lite, and be gone before the scare actors take their places. Older kids and adults can arrive after dark for the full version. Each event has its own ticket.
The HRCA waiver for these events notes that the walk "may involve walking off trail in unimproved, natural areas." Wear shoes you'd wear on a trail, even if you're dressed for a party.
Where the $10, $15 and $25 Go
HRCA's pages for both the Haunted Forest and Fright Lite say the same thing: "All proceeds benefit the Backcountry Wilderness Area Fund." According to HRCA, the fund works to improve wildlife habitat, inspire future nature stewards, and support conservation, education, and community engagement. One program it names is the Future Conservationists Initiative, which brings free environmental education to local second-grade classrooms.
So the fright nights fund the preserve that hosts them. A $15 ticket buys a scary walk through land that's usually off limits, and it pays for keeping that land managed as habitat. The fund page also shows a slightly different figure: its dashboard lists 7,440 acres of wildlife habitat to protect, compared with 8,200 acres on HRCA's main Backcountry page. HRCA doesn't explain the difference. One reasonable reading is that the smaller number counts the habitat the fund supports, while the larger one is the whole property.
October 31 Starts at 9 a.m. on Singletrack
A week after the Haunted Forest, the Backcountry hosts a very different crowd. The 18th annual Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 31. The 13.1-mile course runs on the Douglas County East/West Trail and through the Backcountry Wilderness Area, and HRCA describes it as singletrack and hills.
The race uses both kinds of trail described earlier: the public county trail and the preserve trails that are usually reserved for members. That makes it the one event of the season with long stretches of the Backcountry beyond the haunted trail area. Every runner gets a long-sleeve technical shirt, a custom bib, a finisher medal, a pancake breakfast from Flippin' Flapjacks, and post-race beers from Living the Dream Brewing. The top three male, female, and non-binary finishers win $600, $400, and $200. Registration is on RunSignup, and HRCA's event page links to it.
If you'd rather end Halloween somewhere other than a trail, Highlands Ranch Mansion is hosting Last Stop Halloween from 6:30 to 9 p.m. the same evening. It's free and outdoors, with a DJ and a cash bar, and no reservation is needed. The Mansion's 21-and-over Spirits with the Spirits tours on October 7, 14 and 21 are sold out, and the Mansion is taking waitlist names. The Mansion posted both pages back in January, so check them again before you go.
Filling the Rest of the Month Around the Woods
The week leading up to the Backcountry events is busy elsewhere in town. On October 15, the Highlands Ranch Metro District and Highlands Ranch Water are holding a free trivia night at Max Taps, 2680 E. County Line Road, from 6 to 7 p.m. to mark the community's 45th anniversary. Registration is required, food and drinks are available to buy, and the top three finishers win prizes.
The Fall Craft Fair from the Friends of the Highlands Ranch Senior Center is on October 24, the same day as the Haunted Forest events. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 200 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway, with more than 60 artisans, free admission, and food for sale. The fair ends two hours after Fall Fest starts, so you can easily do both on Saturday.
The Highlands Ranch Farmers' Market keeps going at 9288 Dorchester St. in Town Center, Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through November 1. November 1 is the day after the half marathon. Joy Batch Cookies & Coffee, the rebranded and relocated Quinnie's Cookies, is a short walk from the market at 9315 Dorchester St., Unit 109. Its grand opening is set for Friday, October 9, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Door That Stays Open After Halloween
When the decorations come down, the public way into the Backcountry is the same as before: the Douglas County East/West Regional Trail. HRCA says the county trail starts at Rocky Heights Middle School and heads south to connect with the Wildcat Mountain trails. The Wildcat Mountain Trail System next to it is private. Douglas County says its parks and trails are open for public use. A reservation is only required for events or groups of 15 or more. In other words, the parking lot you used for the Haunted Forest is also the starting point for a public walk any day of the year.
A second public option is in the works. Wildcat Regional Park, a planned 202-acre park, is still being designed. HRCA says it will be open to the public when it's finished. The project timeline shows design wrapping up in fall/winter 2026, construction starting in early 2027, and an estimated opening in late 2027 or early 2028. Until then, the Haunted Forest weekend and the October 31 race are the main times each year when the HRCA side of the Backcountry is open to anyone with a ticket or a race bib.
If you're comparing which parts of Highlands Ranch put the Backcountry trailheads close by, or you just want to talk through what HRCA access means for a home you're considering, I'm glad to go over it with you. Reach out to Thaddeus Howells, and let's talk about your home.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
