Great Weekend Getaways - The lure of the Plains

Bent's Fort

By Christine Loomis

Photo Courtesy National Park Service

From 1821 to 1869, a critical corridor to the West was the Santa Fe Trail, a route along which many cultures met and merged. At no place was that truer than Bent's Fort, where explorers, adventurers, trappers, settlers, Plains Indians and the U.S. Army gathered for commerce and survival.

Back then, negotiating the trail meant an arduous journey of eight to 10 weeks for most travelers. Today, you can do the whole thing in two to three days, but linger awhile at Bent's Fort, located between La Junta and Las Animas, an accurate reproduction of the original fort built in the 1830s. Start with the 20-minute documentary film, "Castle of the Plains," for an overview of the fort's place in history. Then visit the 15 first- and second-floor rooms, furnished as they were when the fort was a thriving trade center.

The dining room is the largest, but the Council Room was the most important; it was here that the Bent St. Vrain Company men hosted Native American leaders. If all went well, the Indians would trade their buffalo skins, which were the lifeblood of the fort's economy. The Fur Warehouse is hung with pelts and furs and the Trade Room is stocked with the goods and supplies needed on the Trail.

Upstairs, the general harshness of fort life is evident, yet by some measures the people had luxuries-beds, cooks, furs and fireplaces. You can stand out on the bastions for views of the Arkansas River and surrounding plains, just as lookouts would have done.

You can walk the fort on your own or join a guided tour. In summer, tours led by living history interpreters go at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., no reservations necessary. There's much at the fort to intrigue children (and special pages for kids on the National Park Service website), so bring the whole family. This summer you can catch the Santa Fe Trail Encampment, a reenactment of events at the fort in the 1800s, July 29-31.

Information: 719-383-5010, www.nps.gov/beol.

Please note: This article is from our archives and some facts may have changed. Please contact your nearest AAA office and ask to speak to a travel counselor to update you on the latest travel information.

Christine Loomis is a freelance writer and editor in Lafayette, and a frequent contributor to EnCompass.