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.
What you’ll hear
31 places to explore in this park.
- Bent's New Fort and Fort Wise/Lyon
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
- Blacksmith's Shop
- Carpenter's Shop
- Cemetery
- Cook's Quarters
- Council Room
- Craftsman's Quarters
- DAR Entrance Arch
- Front Bastion
- Fur Warehouse
- Gunpowder Magazine
- Main Corral
- Military Warehouse
- Native Trade Room
- Orientation Plaza
- Pantry
- Rear Bastion
- Side Corral
- St. Vrain's Quarters
- The Fort's Dining Room
- The Fort's Kitchen
- The Fur Press
- The Plaza
- The Trade Room
- Wagon Alley
- Watchtower
- Well Room
- William Bent's Office
- William Bent's Quarters
- Zaguan (main entrance)
Hear it on Trailtold
Download the app and let Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site narrate itself as you walk — GPS-triggered audio, hands-free.
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