Initial Public Feedback - Bent's Old Fort Concept Alternatives

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is engaged in a planning process to identify a full range of options for the future of the replica fort, the historic site, and the overall visitor experience. visitor access and circulation in the park's busiest and most popular locations. Dedicated in July 1976, the replica fort was constructed using a hybrid of noncompatible materials began to cause serious building failures before construction was completed in 1976. This began 50 years of patchwork repairs and unsustainable maintenance (approx. $150K/year for the last decade). A tipping point occurred in 2023-24 when deterioration forced closure of the majority of the fort. With the aid of safety barriers and stabilization measures, at present the plaza and a small handful or rooms remain open to staff and the public.

We are at the beginning of the planning and development process and are seeking your thoughts on future development at the park. Please share your responses to the questions below.

Topic Questions Instructions:

Please refer to the linked document when submitting comments or answers to the topic questions.

Topic Questions:

1. Imagine Bents Old Fort National Historic Site 50 years from now. What do you hope visitors will be able to do, understand, and experience? What might they take away from their visit?

2. Consider all of the early concepts we have described. Are there aspects of these alternatives that are appealing? Are there other ideas that you would like to see us explore?

Document Content:

BEOL_concept-alternatives_08-2026_PEPC.pdf   (7.0 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.