Historical places in Colorado

Explore the diverse nationwide monuments and historic websites

1 / 2 of Colorado is public land, maintained in four national parks, eight national monuments, four nationwide historic trails, two national historical websites, nine national woodlands, 42 state parks and one nationwide playground. Begin checking out now!

Rocky Mountain National Park

65 miles/104 km northwest of Denver on U.S. Hwy. 36
Rocky Mountain National Park is Colorado's preferred destination, with more than three million site visitors annually. Trail Ridge Road crosses the playground, creating the best constant highway in united states, achieving heights of 12, 183 feet/3, 736 yards. Massive peaks, rugged canyons, flower-studded meadows, peaceful lakes and thundering waterfalls combine available a whole look at the beauty of Rocky Mountains. Activities consist of hiking, biking, camping, riding, climbing, fishing and watching wildlife. You will find four customer centers; two associated with customer centers and Trail Ridge path are usually open from belated might to mid-October and are closed as a result of snowfall other year. A favorite stop is Bear Lake, which includes a paved path around it and offers an opportunity to view beaver dams and increased mountain basin pond. Estes Park on the east and Grand Lake on the west are two resort villages filled with shopping, dining and rooms.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

8 miles/13 km east of this Montrose exit on U.S Hwy. 50.
Black Canyon for the Gunnison nationwide Park preserves the essential spectacular 12-mile area of a 53-mile-long gorge created by the Gunnison River. Other canyons in the us tend to be longer or deeper, but no other integrates the level, narrowness, sheerness and somber countenance of this Ebony Canyon. A paved roadway sectors the rim for the canyon, providing many exciting viewpoints across lip, which at some points drops a half-mile down! There are numerous walking tracks, including one which takes you along the 2, 000-foot high gorge to your river in the bottom. A museum and customer center is located in the monument.

Great Sand Dunes Nationwide Park & Keep

31 miles/50 km northeast of Alamosa on Colo. Hwy. 150
Recently elevated to a national playground, Great Sand Dunes National Park & keep contains some of the highest inland sand dunes in the world. Situated on eastern edge of the San Luis Valley in south Colorado, the dunes rise to levels of 800 feet/252 yards. You're able to go and rise the dunes. Unique sand dune vehicles take people to otherwise inaccessible things in the memorial. The dunes change colors during the day, developing a dramatic and stunning normal landscape, with all the durable Sangre de Cristo Mountains in history. Discover a visitor center and museum on the internet site

Mesa Verde National Park

10 miles/6 km east of Cortez on U.S. Hwy. 160
Located in the large plateau country of southwestern Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park is designated a World Heritage website and contains a few of the biggest and best-preserved examples of the amazing Anasazi cliff dwellings. Built above 700 years ago, some of these amazing frameworks do have more than 200 areas. The park has actually paved roads offering viewpoints of the significant damages. Underneath the assistance of playground rangers, you are able to enter and explore a number of the biggest dwellings. A museum has exhibits from the Anasazi and attempts to explain the riddles of the reason why the Indians built their particular villages in caverns and exactly why because of the 12 months 1300 that they had completely abandoned the Mesa Verde plateau.

Browns Canyon National Monument

120 miles/193 km southwest of Denver on US-285 S
Recently designated as a nationwide Monument, the Arkansas River's Browns Canyon defines Colorado's outside along with its exemplary outside recreational possibilities and pure beauty. Located simply 2.5 hours southwest of Denver, this gem is regarded as Colorado's preferred area of whitewater. Looking ultimate outdoor knowledge? Colorado Adventures is famous for their particular full and half-day rafting trips down this beloved section of the Arkansas River.

Bent's Old Fort Nationwide Historic Site

8 miles/13 km eastern of Los Angeles Junta on Colo. Hwy. 194
Bent's Old Fort is a detailed repair of an old adobe fort and trading post since it looked in 1845 when it was an important stop on Santa Fe Trail. Site visitors playground a brief leave from fort, which will be screened from view by an earth wall surface. When past this wall, you leave this century and go back to the occasions for the frontier. Costumed interpreters demonstrate just what life ended up being like throughout the days of the mountain men. Site visitors are absolve to go the fort's ramparts or look at the blacksmith shop, trading post and/or trapper's quarters.