Book excerpt: Drink in the spooky spiritual history of this charming Rocky Mountain town—from the author of Colorado Legends & Lore. Manitou Springs has long been known as a spiritual hot spot. From the healing waters of the local springs to the town's patron spirit, the benevolent Emma Crawford, whose life and afterlife is celebrated annually at Halloween, Manitou Springs takes pride in its legends and legendary residents. Join haunted tour guide Stephanie Waters as she uncovers the stories behind some of Manitou’s most famous ghostly tales: the historic spirit lights on Pikes Peak, the specters of Red Stone Castle where poor Emma’s sister went mad and the phantoms of the stately Cliff House and Briarhurst Manor. Includes photos! “Stephanie Waters, author of Haunted Manitou Springs, theorizes that the greenstone rock, which is plentiful at Red Crags, attracts extra energy in a town that’s already no stranger to the mystical. The word Manitou even means spirit.” —Manitou Marquee