Guide to Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site – Colorado

Bent’s Old Fort, a lesser-known National Park Service unit out in rural Colorado, shows what life was like during the 1840s during the fort’s prime adobe fur trading days along the Santa Fe Trail. If you happen to be in the La Junta area of Colorado, you might want to stop by this historic site for a few hours. You can see living historians dressed in period costumes re-enact the past. I’ll give you everything you need to know before visiting Bent’s Old Fort National Monument in Colorado. Let’s begin.

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Overview – Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

Hours:

Summer: 8:30 – 5:30pm
Winter: 9am – 4pm

The park has a gate – gates open to the parking lot an hour before the fort opens.

Fee: $3 per person or show your America the Beautiful pass for up to 4 people in your party. Though I didn’t see anyone asking for admission, nor was I asked to show my pass.

Time Needed: About an hour – maybe more if you’re really into history.

Always check the National Park Service page before visiting for the latest information or any closures.

Quick history of Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

Bent’s Old Fort is a reconstructed 1840s fur trading post that sat along the Santa Fe Trail. During its time, trappers and traders would trade with the local Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes in a peaceful setting. This was the one of the busiest trading centers of the American West, due to its location between Mexico and many plains tribes. At one point, the fort was the largest structure in the US between St. Louis and the Pacific Ocean!

When the US / Mexico war began in 1846, Bent’s Old Fort was used as a staging area for military troops. Unfortunately, this was the beginning of the end for Bent’s Old Fort.

The US Military presence itself was alarming to the tribes. Workers at the fort were overwhelmed, burned out and exhausted. Then, a cholera outbreak in 1849 killed many tribe members and soon the fort was abandoned and set on fire.

The fort was eventually rebuilt and restored in 1976 to what you see today.

Where is Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site?

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site is located just outside the small town of La Junta, Colorado. This is in the lesser-traveled southeastern-ish area of Colorado, so it doesn’t see a lot of visitation.

From Pueblo, Colorado, it’s a 1 1/2 hour drive to Bent’s Old Fort.

From Trinidad, Colorado, you’ll have a 1.5 hour drive to the fort.

Colorado Springs is a 2 hour drive away.

Visiting Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

From the parking lot, you will need to walk a 1/4 mile trail to the actual fort. This trail is actually part of the original historic Santa Fe Trail. It’s a paved, flat walkway, so it’s completely accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

If you or someone in your party has trouble walking, there is a phone in the parking lot area to call the fort to request a ride.

If you arrive at the right time, you can join up with a guided tour to take you through the rooms in the fort, and see the living historians re-enact the prime adobe fur trading days at the fort.

Related: View all of my posts about Colorado!

I visited in the late spring, and was under the threat of thunderstorms, tornado and severe weather, so unfortunately, I had to make my visit quick. There were no tours going on during my visit, and I only saw a few historians in period dress walking around. I was one of the few tourists here – but it was a weekday in May, and the storm threat probably kept a lot of visitors away – and maybe even the workers!

So if you can’t join a tour, you can do a self-guided tour through the entire fort, checking out as many of the rooms as you’d like. The rooms are very well done with lots of interpretive signs, giving you the history of what you’re viewing.

There are a ton of cats and chickens roaming freely throughout the fort, so keep an eye out for them. I even saw a peacock here!

Where to stay when visiting Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

During my visit, I was just passing through, so I didn’t stay anywhere nearby. However, if you’re looking for lodging close by, La Junta is the closest city and they offer a handful of motels and hotels – check current pricing here.

Otherwise, you could do a day trip here from Colorado Springs, which is the nearest major city. Check hotel availability here for Colorado Springs.

There are no campgrounds available at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site – Final Thoughts

All in all, this was a nice visit, even though I had to go through it quickly and keep an eye on the sky for severe weather (just as I got in my car, there was a huge downpour!). You won’t find huge crowds here at this National Park Service unit, as it’s out in the middle of Nowhere, Colorado. The history re-enactors wearing period costumes really bring Bent’s Old Fort to life, so hopefully during your visit, you’ll be able to see more of them than I did. Plus the cats and chickens strolling around is a lot of fun to see!

Have you ever visited Bent’s Old Fort in La Junta, Colorado? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!