Visitors can once again go inside the main building at Bent’s Old Fort National Park, but only on a guided tour led by a park ranger. The reconstructed fort near La Junta was closed to the public late last year due to safety issues.
The existing adobe structure was built in the 1970s on the site of the former 1800s trading post. Problems with walls and supports became critical a couple of years ago. The park service closed the upper floor of the building to visitors in November 2023. Additional deterioration occurred after a major snowstorm a year later and the entire building was closed.
"We are excited to invite the public back into the reconstructed fort through guided tours," said Superintendent Eric Leonard in a press release. "The reconstructed fort offers valuable opportunities to explore and remember our nation’s past.”
Work to repair and stabilize the structure is ongoing.
The guided tours are limited in frequency and number of participants, but are currently the only way to access the fort building.
Summer 2025 ranger-led tours are scheduled at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturdays, and only at 11 a.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. There are no tours slated for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Tours are limited to 25 participants, last about 75 minutes and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis at this time.
The park grounds, including trails, are open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except for holidays.
- Fewer livestock at Bent's Old Fort? These and other changes could come to the national historic site in southeastern Colorado
- Main building at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic site near La Junta is temporarily closed due to safety concerns
- These Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico national park sites brought millions of dollars to the region last year
