Is Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site open right now?
National Historic Site · CO
Partially closed
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is partially closed.
Why this statusPlaza Access to Reconstructed Fort
Last checked Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:00:58 GMT
In the 1840s the Arkansas River was the border between territory claimed by the United States and Mexico.
- Type
- National Historic Site
- State
- CO
- Nearest town
- La Junta
Government shutdown
A federal government shutdown is in effect. Access and staffing at National Park Service sites vary — some close and barricade entrances, some stay open but unstaffed. Live shutdown status →
About Bent's Old Fort 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.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗ Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Visitor info
Address35110 State Highway 194, La Junta, CO 81050
Hours| Mon | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Tue | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Wed | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Thu | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Fri | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Sat | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Sun | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site Getting thereThe 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…
How we read this status
We derive Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site's status from the National Park Service's own alerts and operating hours, refreshed hourly — this is our reading, not an official determination. As of the last check: Plaza Access to Reconstructed Fort Full method: how we check park status.