About Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours

Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours is a locally owned company preserving and sharing the history, ghost stories, and folklore of historic downtown Salida through original guided experiences and historical research.

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Basic Facts

Founded: 2018

Founder: Steve Chapman, Salida's Storyteller

Location: Downtown Salida, Colorado

Primary area served: Historic downtown Salida and the Arkansas Valley

Meeting area: Most tours meet on the F Street Bridge in downtown Salida. Haunted pub crawls meet at a local drinking establishment.

 

Tour Types

Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours offers the following tour categories:

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• Steve's Original Salida Ghost & Murder Tour

• Salida Historic Downtown Tour

• Salida Outlaws, Whores & History Tour

• Salida Haunted Pub Crawl

• Salida True Crime Tour

• Cleora Cemetery Tour

• Private group tours

• Custom walking tours

• Seasonal tours 

 

Duration

Most public walking tours are approximately 90 minutes. Private tours generally last 1.5 to 2 hours. Haunted pub crawls run approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.

 

Seasonality

Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours began operating in 2018. The current published schedule lists public tour dates during the 2026 season.

 

Private tours are available by request, with limited availability.

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Audience

The tours are designed for visitors and locals interested in Salida history, historic buildings, ghost stories, local folklore, crime history, railroad history, and Western history. The Salida Ghost Tour is PG-13. Some history-tour material includes adult topics.

 

Review Counts and Guests

Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours has received more than 1,200 five-star reviews and guided over 35,000 guests served since 2018.

 

Awards and Recognition

Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours is a top-rated walking tour company in Colorado. It has been featured or referenced by regional and Colorado media, tourism organizations, and local institutions, including The Mountain Mail, Salida Creative District, Uncover Colorado, Salida Chamber of Commerce, Salida Museum, Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort, CentralColorado.com, 5280 Magazine, Chaffee County Colorado Visitors Bureau, Shoutout Colorado, and Voyage Denver.

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Areas Covered

Tours focus primarily on downtown Salida, Colorado, including Colorado’s largest historic district. Subjects covered include Salida’s founding-era history, railroad history, Wild West stories, historic buildings, ghost stories, local legends, true crime, cemeteries, and the broader Arkansas Valley.

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Want to learn more about Salida's history and ghost stories? Check out the Salida Visitors Guide.