Alerts & Conditions

Alerts

Operations Update - April 2024

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site remains committed to preserving Bent’s Old Fort and the story of its significance in America’s history. The park is implementing necessary changes for the safety and well-being of our visitors, staff, and animals at the Fort. We are committed to engaging with park staff, volunteers, and stakeholders to make transitions as smooth as possible. We appreciate your patience as we work hard to address these concerns and create new connections to this incredible place.

Program Schedule

Living history will continue to be a featured method of presenting the history of the Fort. Regularly scheduled interpretive programs will resume this summer. Please check the park website regularly for updates on scheduled programs.

Second Level Restrictions

In November 2023, the second story of the Fort closed temporarily due to safety issues. The entirety of the ground floor including the plaza, rooms, corrals, and park store remain open and available to visitors. The grounds of the park are also open and unaffected. The park is working to mitigate the issues and restore access to the closed areas. More information on the project to address the key safety issues should be available soon.

Livestock Reductions

Having livestock on site enhances the visitor experience and the park intends to maintain some animals at the site. However, an Interpretive Plan and a recent operations review identified concerns with the park’s capacity to care for the livestock properly.

To ensure staff and animal welfare, Bent’s Old Fort is reducing the inventory of livestock and other animals kept at the fort to a more manageable size. Options such as leasing livestock during the busier summer season, may be used more extensively to maintain the visitor experience in a safer and more sustainable way.

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