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Off the Tourist Map

Off the Tourist Map

12 Colorado Gems You Never Knew Existed

By Jessica Wyatt

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 our UFO Watchtower. From bizarre to historical, the following is a sampling of some of Colorado’s most unique places to visit.

Camp Amache

Also known as the Granada Relocation Center, Camp Amache forcibly imprisoned more than 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.

UFO_Watchtower_Hooper_ColoradoUFO 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Bent's_Old_Fort_buildingsBent’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.

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.

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.

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 more than 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 boasts 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 in gold was extracted in Park County in just three years.

To learn more about these destinations and more, visit Colorado.com.

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