Bent'S Old Fort National Historic Site

National Park Service, Colorado.

In the 1840s the Arkansas River was the border between territory claimed by the United States and Mexico. Located along the river, Bent's Fort was an adobe trading post on the Santa Fe Trail, where traders, trappers, travelers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together in peaceful terms for trade. Today, a reconstructed fort allows visitors to explore the front line of Westward Expansion.

Activities and Experiences

  • Bent'S Old Fort National Historic Site Tours

Site Passes

  • Bent'S Old Fort National Historic Site Site Pass

Nearby Activities

  • Hiking
  • Historic & Cultural Site
  • Wildlife Viewing

Directions

The park is accessed via U.S. Highway 50 and Highway 194. From La Junta, Colorado on U.S. Highway 50, take Colorado Highway 109 north 1 mile to Colorado Highway 194, then east on Colorado Highway 194 six miles to the fort. From Las Animas, Colorado, on U.S. Highway 50, take Colorado Highway 194 west 13 miles. Set your GPS to 35110 State Highway 194 E., La Junta, CO.

Additional Information

  • Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Map
  • Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Official Website

Photo Gallery

  • Bent's Old FortFor much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements.
  • Bent's Old FortFor much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements.
  • Bent's Old FortFor much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements.
  • Bent's Old Fort at night
  • Horse and Mule in the Plaza
  • Beads in the Trade roomTrade Room beads
  • The Past and Future at Bent's Old Fort
  • Bent's Old Fort PlazaFor much of its 16-year history, the fort was the only major permanent white settlement on the Santa Fe Trail between Missouri and the Mexican settlements.
  • Saddles in the PlazaPack saddles are at the ready.
  • Boxes and FursBoxes and Furs in the Plaza.
  • TraderoomThe trade room catered to trappers, traders, the fort's labor force, and travelers from the ranks of soldiers, explorers, and adventurers.

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