12 places to visit that you never knew existed in Colorado
With a variety of landscapes to view, activities to experience and
history to witness, Colorado is a state unlike any other. Adding to the
draw of the state’s main attractions, there are also a number of
lesser-known and unusual places that provide a different path for
adventure and exploration in Colorado. Uncover the longest set of
dinosaur tracks ever discovered or climb atop a UFO Watchtower; from
bizarre to historical, the following is a sampling of some of Colorado’s
truly unique places to visit.
- Bent’s Old Fort/Santa Fe Trail.
Bent’s Old Fort in southeast Colorado was an 1833 fort built for the
trade of buffalo robes. For its 16-year existence, the fort was the only
major permanent white settlement in the region. It was destroyed in
1849 and a replica of the fort stands in its place today. The Santa Fe
Trail, along which the fort is situated, tells the history of the old
west with wagon ruts from trappers, traders and settlers.
- The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.
Set in the Rocky Mountain Foothills of Boulder, The Dushanbe Teahouse
was made by hand in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and gifted to Boulder, its
sister city. A symbol of friendship and cultural exploration, the
teahouse was sent to and reassembled in Boulder and now serves afternoon
tea along with other fresh baked treats.
- Camp Amache.
Also known as the Granada Relocation Center, Camp Amache forcibly
imprisoned over 7,000 Japanese from 1942 through 1945 as a World War II
internment camp. Today, it is preserved by the Amache Preservation
Society where visitors can learn about the history of the site and view
the well-maintained camp.
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
Set in central Colorado, the Florissant Fossil Beds are one of the most
diverse fossil deposits in the world. The National Monument features
petrified redwood stumps that are up to 14 feet wide, along with
thousands of fossils of insects, plants and other creatures. Children
can explore even more with the junior ranger program, led by the park’s
rangers, and earn their own junior ranger badge.
- The Grand Mesa.
The largest flat-topped mountain in the world, the Grand Mesa covers
hundreds of square miles near Grand Junction and stands more than 10,000
feet above sea level. Visitors can take the Mesa Scenic Byway to
explore the area, which offers great fishing, camping and hiking in the
summer and the Powderhorn Mountain Resort in the winter for skiing and
snowboarding.
- Kit Carson County Carousel.
One of the fewer than 150 wooden carousels still in existence, the Kit
Carson Carousel is on the county fairgrounds in Burlington. It is the
only antique carousel in the country with original paint and the only
surviving menagerie carousel made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.
- Missile Site Park.
Weld County is home to Missile Site Park where visitors can get a
glimpse into the Cold War Era’s national defense. The missile site,
constructed in 1961 and deactivated in 1965, was the location of one of
four Atlas E sites that were equipped with nuclear warheads. Visitors
can take a tour of the site and see the missile maintenance room, the
command control centers and the living quarters.
- National Earthquake Information Center.
The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) in Golden has the
mission of quickly reporting the location and size of earthquakes
occurring anywhere in the world. The NEIC gathers and keeps a global
seismic database on earthquakes and their effects on the Earth. Visitors
can explore the center to learn more about this process and see the
tools that accomplish the job.
- Picketwire Canyon.
Situated near La Junta in southeastern Colorado, Picketwire Canyon is
home to the longest set of dinosaur tracks discovered to date. The
tracks were made in mud, buried and are now turned to stone. Today,
there are over 1,300 footprints visible at the site, as well as Native
American rock art dating back 375 to 4,500 years ago.
- The Pikes Peak Cog Railway.
The highest train in the U.S., The Pikes Peak Cog Railway takes
passengers 14,115 feet above sea level to the summit of Pikes Peak. The
cog railway, which combines a historic, nearly nine-mile route offering
unparalleled views, takes a bit over three hours round-trip. This
includes a stop at the Pikes Peak summit where passengers can see
2,000-year old trees and one of the largest herds of Rocky Mountain
Bighorn Sheep in the state.
- The Real South Park.
Bearing little resemblance to the TV show, South Park is home to the
towns of Fairplay and Alma along with a variety of heritage areas and
scenic sights. The area boats 14,000-foot peaks, a river valley,
abundant wildlife and a rich history of mining and ancient trees. Gold
prospectors flocked to the area in the 1860s when $1.5 million of gold
was extracted in Park County in just three years.
- UFO Watchtower.
Take the Cosmic Highway just outside Alamosa to the UFO Watchtower. The
attraction provides 360-degree views of the San Luis Valley with no
light pollution, making for the perfect location to scope out the sky
for UFOs. The area is known for strange occurrences and visitors
regularly spot unusual lights and objects in the sky from the
observation deck.