| La Junta, CO – Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site announces a special program hosted from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, on Saturday, June 14, 2025. This program will commemorate the 250th Birthday of the United States Army, which is also Flag Day.
This program will include a military timeline, formal programs, and a historic weapons demonstration. The regularly scheduled tours of the fort will also take place, in addition to our Stories from the Borderlands Programming.
9:00-4:00 Living History Volunteers and staff will be at locations near the fort in a timeline showcasing the involvement of the United States Army in the Arkansas Valley. They will be available to answer questions, show equipment, and discuss the period they are representing.
9 a. m. Guided Tour of the fort. This tour is limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. You will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
10 a. m. A Reexamination of Roles: Bent’s Fort as a Military Installation?
This park ranger-led program will discuss the reality of the situation in 1846 when the US Army of the West arrived on site in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, essentially converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
11:00 a. m. Guided Tour of the fort.
This tour is limited to the first 25 visitors to arrive for the program. No reservations will be taken in advance. You will meet the Ranger near the front of the fort.
12:30 p. m. Go for Broke: The Most Decorated Unit in U.S. Military History.
This program presented by a Ranger from Amache National Historic Site will discuss the history of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, composed of 12,000 Nisei volunteers recruited out of incarceration centers including Camp Amache. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
1:30 p. m. Let Lose the Dogs of War!
This Historic Weapons Demonstration will discuss the evolution of technology used by the military from the early 19th Century into the middle of the 20th Century, and the importance of those weapons in the region.
2:30 p.m. A Reexamination of Roles: Bent’s Fort as a Military Installation?
This park ranger-led program will discuss the reality of the situation in 1846 when the US Army of the West arrived on site in preparation for the invasion of New Mexico, essentially converting the fort into a Forward Operating Base on the Mexican Border. This program will take place in La Junta at the Woodruff Memorial Library.
2:30 p.m. From Neighbors to Volunteers.
This program will discuss the service of the New Mexico Volunteers in the region during the American Civil War, specifically their role at the Sand Creek Massacre. This program will take place in the corral at the rear of the fort.
All programs are free to the public. As always, visitors should be prepared for the weather. Water, sunscreen, bug spray, and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. It is a 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the fort.
For more information about upcoming Bent’s Old Fort programs, please visit the park’s web page at www.nps.gov/beol or follow us on Facebook for additional information about the park. Check our page on the Status of the Reconstructed Fort for current information on the structure. |
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Reconstructed fort at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site to open for guided tours
Park trails and grounds remain open; guided tours to begin on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
LA JUNTA, Colo – The National Park Service is working to provide visitors to Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, and national parks throughout the country, with safe and memorable experiences. Guided, park ranger-led tours of the reconstructed fort will begin on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
For the summer of 2025, guided tours of the fort will occur at 9 and 11 a.m. on Saturdays and at 11 am on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Each tour will last approximately 75 minutes and begin at the visitor parking orientation shelter. Tours are limited to twenty-five participants.
The park’s trails and grounds are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m., except for holiday closures. The fort will remain closed to public access except during guided tours to ensure visitor safety.
In November 2023, the second story of the reconstructed fort closed due to safety issues stemming from nearly 50 years of use and deficiencies in the original reconstruction of the fort. A major snow event in November 2024 accelerated previously documented areas of concern, resulting in major loss of plaster and render cover on brick walls, leaving walls and supports severely unstable and liable of collapse. Stabilization work and monitoring of the structure is continuing.
“We are excited to invite the public back into the reconstructed fort through guided tours,” said Superintendent Eric Leonard. “The reconstructed fort offers valuable opportunities to explore and remember our nation’s past.”
It is important for visitors to do due diligence when planning to visit the park. This includes checking the park’s website for weather-related conditions, closures and other alerts, services available, hours of operations, and safety notices. Visitors planning to explore the grounds and trails should be prepared for the often-unpredictable weather of the high plains. Bring water, dress in layers, and wear comfortable walking shoes.
For more information on the reconstructed fort, please use the NPS App or visit the park’s web page at www.nps.gov/beol to plan your visit.
–www.nps.gov–
