Dark Side of Denver – RiNo’s True Crime and Murals Tour

Denver’s RiNo district gives this tour an unusual mix: bold street art on the walls and some of Colorado’s darkest stories under discussion. In 1.5 hours, you’ll walk about 2 miles while hearing about the Sand Creek Massacre, a failed kidnapping of beer executive Adolph Coors III, a 2022 shooting rampage, and Market Street’s former red-light district.

I like two things right away. First, the route gives you dozens of murals by local and international artists, so the walk is not all grim subject matter. Second, the guide can adjust the talk toward true crime, general history, or the art around you. The main consideration is that food and drinks cost extra, and the subject matter includes murder, racism, sexual exploitation, and violence.

Key points of the RiNo true crime walk

• Two miles of RiNo murals: See a broad mix of public art while moving between stories.
• Colorado cases with local context: Hear about Sand Creek, Silas Soule, Adolph Coors III, and Market Street.
• Optional case list: If your group is interested, the talk can include JonBenet Ramsey, Columbine, Chris Watts, James Holmes, Ted Bundy, and Jack Gilbert Graham.
• Small group format: The tour is limited to 10 participants, leaving room for questions and topic changes.
• Food and beer stops: You can pause for snacks, restaurant food, food trucks, or craft beer, but purchases are not included.
• Flexible and accessible: The English-language tour is wheelchair accessible and begins and ends at Wonderyard Garden + Table.

Why RiNo works for a dark history tour

RiNo is a useful setting because the art keeps changing the mood. One minute you are looking at a large painted wall by a local or international artist. The next, you are hearing about a crime, a political wrong, or a part of Denver that is easy to forget beneath its newer restaurants and creative spaces.

That contrast is the heart of the walk. You are not sitting in a dark room listening to a list of crimes. You are outside, moving through a working district, with murals, bars, restaurants, and food trucks around you. The setting gives the stories a physical connection to the city.

The route covers about 2 miles in 90 minutes. That is a steady walking pace rather than a full-day outing, but it is still worth wearing comfortable shoes. The route may feel easy for most people, though the exact walking conditions and number of stops are not specified.

Murals first, then the darker stories

The art is more than decoration between crime stories. RiNo is known for large-scale murals, and this tour gives you a chance to see dozens of them while learning how the district connects to Denver’s past and present.

You should expect a mix of local and international artists rather than a single artistic style. The information provided does not identify the artists or guarantee a particular mural route, so the exact walls will depend on the guide’s path and what is accessible during the tour.

I like this part of the format because it gives you a reason to look up as well as listen. If the crime material becomes heavy, the murals offer a visual change. If you mainly want public art, the historical commentary adds useful context without requiring you to book a separate history walk.

The art also makes this a better option for mixed-interest groups. One person can come for true crime, another for street art, and both can find something to follow. Ask the guide early if you want more time spent on murals or more time on cases.

Sand Creek and Silas Soule

The tour does not limit itself to sensational crime. One of its most important subjects is the Sand Creek Massacre, along with Silas Soule’s efforts to expose what happened.

That topic gives the walk a wider frame. Colorado history includes state violence, broken trust, and public efforts to challenge an official version of events. Including Soule makes the story about more than the event itself. It also raises questions about who tells history, who is believed, and what courage can look like after wrongdoing.

You should know that this is difficult material. The description does not provide a full script or detail the level of discussion, but the subject is serious and likely more sobering than the lighter art and food stops. If you prefer a tour focused only on modern criminal cases, ask for that emphasis when the walk begins.

The Coors kidnapping case and Denver’s criminal past

One of the more unusual cases concerns a failed kidnapping attempt targeting beer mogul Adolph Coors III. The suspect was a former Benjamin Paints employee, which gives the story a local business connection rather than making it a distant tale of organized crime.

This is the kind of case that suits a walking tour. You are hearing about people, workplaces, wealth, and opportunity in the setting of a city where industries and family businesses helped shape public life. The tour description does not promise every legal or investigative detail, so think of this as a guided overview rather than a formal case seminar.

Market Street brings a different kind of history. More than 1,000 prostitutes once worked there, making it one of the largest red-light districts of its time. That fact changes how you view the street. What now feels like an ordinary urban corridor once had a very different reputation and economy.

The Market Street story also helps connect crime to social history. It is not simply a list of arrests. It points toward the businesses, laws, workers, and customers that made a red-light district possible. If you enjoy seeing how a city changes over time, this may be one of the most useful parts of the walk.

Optional cases from JonBenet Ramsey to Ted Bundy

If the group wants more well-known cases, the guide may cover several major Colorado stories. The possible list includes JonBenet Ramsey, the Columbine shooting, Chris Watts, James Holmes and the movie theater shooting, Ted Bundy’s escape from jail in Colorado, and Jack Gilbert Graham’s plot to blow up the first commercial airliner in the United States to kill his mother.

That is a wide range of subjects. Some involve unsolved questions, some involve mass violence, and some involve family or domestic murder. The guide can adjust the focus, but the tour is only 1.5 hours, so you should not expect full treatment of every case.

This flexibility is useful, especially in a small group. If your party has already heard a great deal about one case, you can ask to spend more time on another. If you prefer general Colorado history and murals, you can move away from the most upsetting material.

The group’s interests matter here. With up to 10 people, the guide has a realistic chance to ask what you want to hear. With a larger group, that kind of adjustment would be harder. Still, the final balance depends on the guide and the participants, so be clear about your preferences at the start.

Food, craft beer, and a practical break

The 2-mile route includes opportunities to stop for drinks and snacks. RiNo has restaurants, food trucks, and craft beer, so you may be able to turn part of the walk into a casual tasting stop.

Food and drinks are not included in the $25 price. That keeps the base cost low, but you should budget extra if you want to order something. The tour does not state which restaurant or food truck will be used, so do not book it expecting a fixed meal or a guaranteed tasting flight.

I see the food option as a pleasant extra rather than the reason to reserve. It gives you a break from walking and lets your group linger if the schedule allows. It also adds a social note to a tour that can otherwise feel heavy.

If you are trying to keep spending under control, you can simply treat the food stop as optional. The listed price covers the guide, not purchases along the way.

What $25 gets you

At $25 per person, the value depends on how much you want from guided storytelling. You are paying for an English-speaking guide, a planned walk through RiNo, and a flexible discussion that combines public art with Colorado history and crime.

That is a reasonable price for a 90-minute small-group tour, especially with a maximum of 10 people. The smaller group may make it easier to ask questions and request a different subject. You are not paying for transportation, admission tickets, food, or drinks, but none of those are required for the walk.

The value is weaker if you only want to see murals. You could walk through RiNo independently, though you would miss the guide’s connections between the art, the streets, and the cases. The tour makes more sense if you want interpretation and conversation rather than a simple route map.

It is also a good low-commitment choice for a free afternoon. The walk lasts 1.5 hours, starts and ends at the same place, and does not require a full day away from other Denver plans.

Small group details that matter

The group is limited to 10 participants. That number is small enough for a more personal conversation without making the outing feel like a private tour. It also suits the flexible format, since the guide can learn what interests the group and adjust the material.

The tour is in English. No other language is listed, so you should be comfortable following spoken English for the whole 90 minutes.

The starting point is in front of Wonderyard Garden + Table, and the tour returns there at the end. That makes the meeting point easy to use as a fixed anchor for your plans. The supplied information does not state exact starting times, so check availability for the date and time that work for you.

The activity is wheelchair accessible. Since the route covers about 2 miles through an urban district, you may still want to confirm any specific access needs when booking, but the tour is listed as accessible.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if you are still arranging the rest of your Denver schedule.

Who should book this walk

I would choose this tour if you enjoy true crime with a local setting, rather than a generic list of famous criminals. The cases are tied to Colorado, Denver streets, businesses, and public events.

It also suits visitors who want street art but prefer some structure. You will see murals without having to research artists or plan your own route, and you can ask for more art if the crime material is not your main interest.

This is a good pick for adults and older teens who can handle serious subjects. The content includes murder, mass violence, racism, sexual exploitation, and disturbing criminal acts. Families should decide carefully based on the ages and sensitivities of their children.

I would not choose it if you want a relaxed food tour, a formal museum-style history lecture, or a complete account of every Colorado crime listed. The short length means the guide must select and summarize.

A few ways to get more from the experience

Read the list of possible cases before you arrive and decide what interests you most. You can then tell the guide whether you want to focus on modern crime, older Denver history, the Sand Creek story, or murals.

Wear shoes suited to a 2-mile urban walk. Bring room in your schedule for an optional snack or drink, but do not assume that food is part of the ticket.

Keep an open mind about the mix of subjects. The tour moves between public art, painful history, business crime, prostitution, and notorious modern cases. That variety is the point, but it also means the tone can shift quickly.

If you are sensitive to graphic or tragic material, say so early. The guide can focus on general history and murals instead of pushing toward the most upsetting cases.

Should you book Dark Side of Denver?

Book it if you want a compact, affordable walk that joins RiNo’s murals with Colorado stories you are unlikely to encounter in a standard city sightseeing tour. The small group and flexible focus are the strongest reasons to choose it, while the art and optional food stops keep the 90 minutes from becoming one long crime lecture.

Skip it if you want a purely cheerful art outing or a detailed investigation of one case. For everyone else, $25 is a fair price for a guided introduction to RiNo, especially if you value local stories, thoughtful context, and the chance to shape the conversation.

FAQ

How much does Dark Side of Denver cost?

The tour costs $25 per person.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts 1.5 hours.

Where does the tour start?

The guide meets participants in front of Wonderyard Garden + Table.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How far does the group walk?

The route covers about 2 miles.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Are food and drinks included?

No. Food and drinks are not included, though the route includes opportunities to stop for snacks, restaurant food, food trucks, or craft beer.

How large is the group?

The tour is limited to 10 participants.