Trips

From people who decided to check out the canyons and plains on their way to somewhere else to the inquisitive weekend explorers who decided to head in this direction for an off-the-beaten-path type of adventure to those fortunate few who travel for a living and then write about what they've seen and experienced, comments like these appear in posts more and more (and more) often.

"I wish I'd had more time."

"I'm definitely going back, and, next time, I'm going to spend at least a couple of days."

"Who knew this kind of place still existed in Colorado?"

Whether you're planning a first time trip or have been here before and are coming back for more, here is a list of some suggested itineraries for spending two or three days in Colorado's Outback (aka The Other Colorado).

A Journey of Stones

This tour will take you down the Santa Fe Trail through the heart of the Arkansas Valley in southeastern Colorado making a loop at the Kansas border and coming back through the High Plains area. From Pueblo, Colorado, travel to the east down Highway 50 following the Arkansas River and then back up Highway 96 as you explore 20 historical cemeteries in 3 days. Along the way, enjoy down home hospitality in three southeastern Colorado towns. This trip is for people who love to explore and connect the dots and clues about our shared histories found in southeastern Colorado. The cemeteries represent many cultures of people who came to follow the buffalo, set down roots as pioneers homesteaders, protect the Union as soldiers, create great wealth as businessmen, and looking for work and a better life as immigrants.

Art on the Trail

This four-day excursion is focused on hiking the canyons of southeastern Colorado and enjoying the different voices of the plains through unique artist expression. Travel first to Springfield, Colorado located in the extreme southeastern corner of the state. This is where you will meet up with two amazing canyon hikes, a historical working ranch, and a couple of local artists with big dreams. Your canyon explorations will then take you north to La Junta, Colorado for the final two days. There you will see a historical museum and kiva, admire local art, and challenge yourself in two more canyons where amazing wonders await.

100 Years in 100 Miles

Wandering from room to room or listening to any one of the volunteers working at Bent's Old Fort describe life in the 1840s provides an authentic glimpse into the reality of that era in time. A tour at Camp Amache allows a new depth of understanding of the price paid by Japanese Americans during World War II. Walking up the hill on the sacred land at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site while an interpretive guide tells the story of that horrendous massacre provides a perspective—unheard anywhere else—on how history was forever changed on that day. Even the small towns you'll drive through on your tour of the region remind us of those days gone by.

Get ready to travel through 100 years of history in 100 miles on this Heritage Sites trip. And along the way there are so many things to see and do.