Roam with dinosaurs, scale the minarets of an actual castle, witness rare birds, and revel at starry skies.
9 Hidden Wonders in Eastern Colorado

Hidden in a canyon below the Comanche National Grasslands is a wondrous desert landscape filled with an incredible array of biodiversity, including cholla cactus, cottonwood trees, and an ecosystem supported by the Purgatoire River. Hiking into the Picketwire is a literal journey back in time. You’ll encounter the Dolores Mission – a preserved townsite dating back to the mid-1800s with a quaint, yet spiritually-charged cemetery containing the remains of the first non-native settlers to the area.

You’ll also find yourself on the Purgatoire River, where a riverbed has been preserved, containing the tracks of several species of dinosaurs. Around 150 million years ago, this area was filled with tropical forests containing ferns, pines, and sequoia trees all surrounding an enormous shallow lake. Along the muddy shoreline, dinosaurs such as Apatosaurus and Allosaurus roamed, leaving their gigantic footprints in their wake. What remains today is the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America with over 1,900 individual footprints making up over 130 trackways.

Beyond the tracksite, gaze upon specimens of Native American rock art, including hand-crafted artwork of deer, elk, humans, and fascinating abstract designs that are between 500 and 4,500 years old. Hiking into this area in the summer months will fill your appetite for history and knowledge, but be sure to bring plenty of water for the long journey ahead. For those not wanting or able to hike, auto tours are available by reservation in the summer and fall through Recreation.gov.

Visiting the Fort is a delightful journey back through time - the National Park Service has done an incredible job of restoring and preserving artifacts that give you a clear glimpse into what life was like at the Fort. In 1833, three traders named Charles Bent, William Bent, and Ceran St. Vrain decided to establish a trading post on the bank of the Arkansas River, which at the time served as the boundary between the United States and Mexico. The location of the fort was of important business and strategic significance as it was on the Santa Fe Trail, was close enough to the Rocky Mountains to attract fur traders, and was close to the native lands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche tribes who were looking to barter for goods. What resulted from the creation of this trading post was a cultural crossroad, where ideas, goods, and peace councils took place. Visitors were allowed to mingle freely within the rooms of the fort, which housed blacksmiths, carpenters, traders, and cooks. Be sure to take part in the self-guided tour which offers you more insight and knowledge as to what the average day was like back in the mid-19th century in eastern Colorado.

In 1932, a local lumber dealer named Bill Brown decided to build a gas station and one of the most unique structures that exists anywhere - a building made entirely of petrified wood, which was sourced from a local mountain known as Two Buttes. Mr. Brown cleverly used this as a marketing tactic to attract people to what he called, “the oldest working gas station in the world, at over 175,000,000 years old.” The doorways of the building are formed by massive petrified trees nearly four feet in diameter, with the largest weighing over 3,000 pounds. The interior floors are also made of petrified wood, making it the oldest hardwood floor in the world. After Brown's death, the building became the home of Lamar Tire Service, otherwise known as Stagner, Inc., which is now an automotive sales and service business proudly serving the city of Lamar. A visit to the building is worth the drive if not only to marvel at its intricate craftsmanship and the fascinating patterns that have been created by joining these impenetrable sections of ancient wood-turned-stone.

Located in the core of one of eastern Colorado’s friendliest towns lies an unlikely and unique venue filled with restored “orphaned” automobiles and plenty of space for art exhibitions. The Orphanage has a pleasant retro vibe and entering the building immediately primes you for a trip down memory lane. Orphaned cars, by definition, are ones where the manufacturer is no longer in business - hence the namesake. Inside, rare cars and motorcycles have been fully restored and are on display for your enjoyment, with rotating art exhibitions gracing the large walls. Owners Ron Wenger and Richard Bernie have built this glorious refuge for cars and artwork as a passion project, resulting in a space that locals have come to treasure and adore. Upon entering the building, you’ll be greeted by one of the owners who are happy to tell you about the history of the location and how it has evolved into a place where local artists can showcase their creations. Throughout the year, they exhibit all kinds of artwork, including a collection of hood ornaments, paintings, and other local artwork. Each June, the town of Yuma hosts an internationally renowned quilt show, where quilters from all over the globe ship their finely crafted quilts for exhibition in The Orphanage - making it a great time to explore Yuma. A visit to The Orphanage will surely pique your interest in old automobiles while invoking a calming hometown feeling that won’t easily fade.

When you think of Pueblo, Colorado, images of green chili cook-offs, spring baseball tournaments, and an epic riverwalk immediately come to mind; however, after visiting the Neon Alley, you can add unique public art exhibitions to that list as well. The Pueblo Neon Alley will take you by surprise as you round the corner of an adjoining street and are immediately struck by a sense of wonder. The neon signs that adorn the buildings here are a-glow 24/7 and are the pet project of a local criminal defense attorney, Joe Koncilja. There are over 100 neon signs in Koncilja’s collection, each telling its own story from the heyday of neon signs - the 1940s and 1950s. The bright green police sign at the end of the alley was once a proud fixture above a Pasadena, California police station, while perhaps one of the most artistic signs is an illuminated Aladdin’s Lamp sign, which was locally sourced from a Colorado bar. While in the area, be sure to check out one of the many great local establishments such as Brues Alehouse, who have a fantastic selection of local microbrews on tap, or D.C.’s on B Street, one of Pueblo’s oldest fine dining establishments.

A stop in the lovely city of Trinidad will place you in the perfect position to further transport yourself back in time to revel in the history of the Centennial State. Steam Engine 638 is well-situated at the heart of town and serves as a historical marker and reminder of just how far mankind has traveled on the arc of technology. This train engine was created in 1906 to transport coal, cattle, agricultural products, and merchandise in and out of Trinidad and stayed in service for 60 years. Train engines such as this long served as the lifeblood of many small communities in eastern and southern Colorado. Along the sidewalks near the train are flags from every state, depicting when each one entered the Union. A stop at this memorial will provide you with easy and free access to history while infusing you with a sense of pride in American ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Nestled high in the foothills of the Wet Mountains near Rye, Colorado rests Bishop Castle, one of the most peculiar and inspiring structures one could ever imagine. In 1969, when Jim Bishop was 15 years-old, he decided to build his very own castle on a 2.5 acre parcel he purchased using money he earned mowing lawns and delivering newspapers. Over the years, Bishop Castle has transformed from a simple stone cottage into a full-on medieval castle with stone towers and stained-glass windows. There’s even an upper ballroom festooned with a functional stainless steel fire-breathing dragon. This transformation is over 60 years in the making and continues today – Bishop is still the only person who works on the castle, doing all of the masonry and iron-work himself.

At the center of the castle, Mr. Bishop has erected a 30-foot-tall steel steeple on top of the masonry, taking the total height to roughly 160 feet, the equivalent of a 16-story building. Not only is the castle a sight to behold, adventuring within the walls of the castle and climbing the narrow staircases of its towers is well-worth the visit.

The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is one of the most geologically unique places in eastern Colorado. This 750-acre park is aptly named after the colorful shades of clay that used to be harvested by Native Americans to make paint, and evidence of human activity at the location dates back as far as 9,000 years. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the Paint Mines are the eerie and imaginative spires and hoodoos that have formed there due to erosion. A visit to the park will provide you with ample opportunities to encounter wildlife, see interesting high plains flora, and to learn about the unique geological processes that helped form this special natural wonder. The Paint Mines is also one of the most magical destinations for watching the night sky. During meteor showers, the tall desert hoodoos can become illuminated, making a special moment to experience. While the Paint Mines is now closed at night due to vandalism, a permit is available for those that want to visit at night to take in all of the nocturnal wonders that eastern Colorado has to offer.

John Martin Reservoir State Park is a peaceful location that has something for everyone. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by knowledgeable and friendly local state park rangers who are able to answer even your most obscure questions about the park. Truly an outdoorsman's paradise, the reservoir offers uncrowded boating, waterskiing, and idyllic conditions for wind water sports such as sailing and paragliding. Fishing at the reservoir is also a time-honored tradition, and there are plenty of walleye, bass, perch, and catfish in the water to tease your angling fancies. Perhaps the most alluring aspect of John Martin are the almost 400 documented bird species that make the reservoir their home throughout the year, including bald eagles, pelicans, and endangered species such as the piping plover. For those that enjoy marveling in the glory of the night sky, John Martin is perhaps perfectly situated, with almost no noticeable light pollution impacting the dark skies around it - especially to the south and east where the Milky Way can be seen rising above the water. Camping is abundant at John Martin and must be made in advance on Recreation.gov - making it the perfect refuge along your eastern Colorado adventure.