diff --git a/numpydoc/docscrape.py b/numpydoc/docscrape.py
index 0e0af470..b014967a 100644
--- a/numpydoc/docscrape.py
+++ b/numpydoc/docscrape.py
@@ -222,12 +222,18 @@ def _read_sections(self):
 
     def _parse_param_list(self, content, single_element_is_type=False):
         content = dedent_lines(content)
+
         r = Reader(content)
         params = []
         while not r.eof():
             header = r.read().strip()
             if " : " in header:
-                arg_name, arg_type = header.split(" : ", maxsplit=1)
+                arg_name, arg_type_w_whitespace = header.split(" : ", maxsplit=1)
+
+                # Strip extra spaces from backslash-continued parameter type
+                # lines. Continuation lines are indented, although we don't know by how
+                # much. So, we compact any run of 2+ whitespace.
+                arg_type = re.sub(r"\s{2,}", " ", arg_type_w_whitespace)
             else:
                 # NOTE: param line with single element should never have a
                 # a " :" before the description line, so this should probably
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
index acf5194c..465d4d95 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_docscrape.py
@@ -207,6 +207,20 @@ def test_parameters(doc):
     assert desc[0].startswith("The type and size")
 
 
+def test_type_continuation():
+    doc = NumpyDocString("""
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    foo : a type that goes across \
+          multiple lines
+        This is the description line.
+    """)
+    arg, arg_type, desc = doc["Parameters"][0]
+    assert arg == "foo"
+    assert arg_type == "a type that goes across multiple lines"
+    assert desc[0] == "This is the description line."
+
+
 def test_other_parameters(doc):
     assert len(doc["Other Parameters"]) == 1
     assert [n for n, _, _ in doc["Other Parameters"]] == ["spam"]