Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site CO
Lat, Long: 38.03977546, -103.4266499
Designation: National Historic Site
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.
Weather:
Summer temperatures are often in the high 90s and low 100s. Weather is generally fair in the fall and spring. Winter temperatures can be below freezing. Most of the fort is unheated and does not have modern cooling systems, so dress accordingly.
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.
For more details ›Address/Contact:
35110 State Highway 194
La Junta, US, 81050
Phone: 719 383-5010
Email: beol_interpretation@nps.gov
Entrance Fees:
Entrance - Per Person
$10.00
$10.00 per person - Adults (age 16 and older).
Entrance - Education/Academic Groups
$0.00
Applications for fee waivers must be received two weeks prior to your anticipated trip. Those organized, educational groups of children who are less than 16 years of age with less than 75 students and no more than 10 adult teachers and chaperones must call to schedule a field trip to the park at least two weeks in advance of their visit in order to enter the park free of charge without a fee waiver.
