Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

11/06/2026

Across the National Park System, memorials, monuments and historic landscapes preserve the stories of those who served and sacrificed. From the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and World War II Memorial to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Pearl Harbor National Memorial and the newly dedicated Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial, these places invite us to reflect on the people behind the history.

Beyond the memorials, historic battlefields, military forts and other sites across the country help tell the stories of generations who served. On Veterans Day, take time to visit a place of remembrance, discover a story you didn't know, and honor those who served.

Explore places that commemorate America's military history: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/veterans-day.htm

Image: Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial Raptors in Flight. NPS/Brodsky

11/06/2026

11/05/2026

The histories, cultures, and living traditions of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander communities are an important part of the stories told across our national parks.

Throughout the year, and during November’s Native American Heritage Month, explore the stories, places, and cultural heritage preserved and shared in national parks and communities across the country: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/native-american-heritage-month.htm

NPS Photo

11/04/2026

It’s leaf-peeping season. The trees have made an effort, so the least we can do is go outside and stare at them.

Leaf peeping is the ancient human tradition of traveling long distances to look at leaves, take photographs, and stand in the middle of roads while saying, “Oh, wow, look at that one.”

Nobody knows exactly when this became a major event, but the trees seem okay with the arrangement. So get out there and see what all the rustle is about.

NPS photos

11/04/2026

As Veterans Day approaches, take a moment to honor those who have served our country. One way to celebrate their service is by helping them discover the places and stories that make our nation's public lands special.

U.S. military veterans and Gold Star Families are eligible for a free America the Beautiful Military Lifetime Pass, providing free access to federal recreation lands where entrance or standard amenity fees are charged.

From the quiet beauty of a mountain trail to the stories preserved at historic sites, our public lands offer opportunities to explore, reflect, learn, and connect with the places that help tell America's story.

Learn how to get your pass and start planning your next adventure: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm

Image: Korean War Veterans Memorial at National Mall & Memorial Parks /NPS

11/02/2026

Hello darkness, my old friend. Now you start at 5:00 pm.

With daylight saving time behind us, the sun is clocking out a littler earlier. Just as before, if you’re heading to a national park, make sure and check park hours, trail conditions, weather forecasts, and sunset times.

Fun fact: admiring fall foliage is much more enjoyable when you’re not trying to navigate a trail in the dark while wondering which tree looks familiar.

NPS photo

11/02/2026

11/02/2026

🦋 Imagine flying thousands of miles to make it home for a family reunion. Monarch butterflies do it every year.

Every fall, two journeys come together. As millions of monarch butterflies travel south on one of nature's greatest migrations, families gather to honor loved ones during Day of the Dead or Día de los Mu***os.

For many communities, the arrival of the monarchs is more than a sign of the changing season. These butterflies are seen as messengers, symbolizing the return of loved ones in spirit and serving as a beautiful reminder of the enduring connections between generations.

Traveling thousands of miles across North America, they depend on healthy habitats, including in parks, to rest, feed, and continue their journey.

What animal makes you feel connected to your family or community?

Several parks across the country host cultural Day of the Dead programming, including San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, among others.

NPS Photo taken at Amistad National Recreation Area

11/02/2026

Día de los Mu***os, or Day of the Dead, is a centuries-old tradition that honors the lives of loved ones who have passed. Its roots stretch back to Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, where ancestors were remembered through ritual, art, and celebration. When the Spanish arrived in what is now Texas, these native customs merged with Catholic traditions like All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day; creating the vibrant holiday we know today.

At San Antonio Missions, you can see this cultural fusion come to life. From colorful altars adorned with marigolds and candles to music, food, and stories, the park reflects how Spanish and Indigenous traditions shaped communities along the San Antonio River.

Come explore mission descendant ofrendas/ Day of the Dead altars while they are still inside the Mission San Jose granary for a few more days!

NPS Photo/ Andrew Shirey

10/31/2026

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins* scream in the dead of night!

Happy Halloween!

*No pumpkins have been observed screaming in national parks. You may be hearing a coyote, bobcat, fox, owl, or that marmot looking for Alan…or was it Steve?

Image: Boo! Carved jack-o’-lantern with ranger hat at Hartwell Tavern at Minute Man National Historical Park

10/16/2026

One week remains to comment on the condition and future of the reconstructed fort at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

What should visitors be able to do, understand, and experience here 50 years from now? Are there parts of the four early concepts that the NPS should carry forward or additional ideas it should explore?

Review the concepts and submit a formal comment through October 23: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?documentID=152575

NPS photograph of park rangers talking with a group of visitors in the plaza of the replica fort.

10/15/2026

Join staff, volunteers, and Tribal partners at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site for a daylong event on Saturday, October 24th, 2026. From 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., interpretive demonstrations and programs by guest artists, traditional dancers, park staff and living history volunteers will explore the Business of Bison and connections with the historic fort.

Please join the park in welcoming Tewa Dancers from The North of Ohkay Owingeh, artists George Curtis Levi (Cheyenne, Arapaho, Lakota) and Tessa Robledo (Kiowa, Comanche).

Park staff will perform Historic Weapons demonstrations, and living history volunteers will be available in hunting and trading camps.

Formal Programs:

10:00 a.m.-Back corral: Tewa Dancers from The North of Ohkay Owingeh, traditional dancers will perform buffalo and two other animal dances

11:00 a.m. - Front of Fort: Historic Weapons Program

12:00 p.m. - Back corral overhang: Ranger Program on Ciboleros

1:00 p.m. - Back corral overhang: Ranger Program on The Business of Bison

2:00 p.m. - Back corral: Tewa Dancers from The North of Ohkay Owingeh, traditional dancers will perform buffalo and two other animal dances

3:00 p.m. - Front of Fort: Historic Weapons Program

NPS Photograph of a buffalo with historic hunting equipment.
Photograph of Tewa Dancers at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, courtesy Tewa Dancers from the North

10/09/2026

Two weeks remain to comment on early concepts for the future of the reconstructed fort at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

The concepts consider different approaches to safety, accessibility, interpretation, visitor experience, durability, and long-term maintenance. No preferred concept or final decision has been made.

Review the concepts and submit a formal comment through October 23: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?documentID=152575

NPS Photograph of park rangers speaking to a group of visitors in the plaza of the replica fort.

10/02/2026

The replica fort is open today for regular hours. Please respect all closures and restrictions and any instruction from park rangers.

[NPS photograph of the plaza of the replica fort from the interior of the zaguan gate]

10/01/2026

Due to heavy rains, the replica fort is closed on Thursday, October 1, 2026, to allow for water to drain and the structure to dry out.

[NPS photograph of flooding in the plaza of the reconstructed fort]

09/30/2026

Join us online to learn more about the future of Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

The National Park Service will host a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, October 6, at 5:30 p.m. MDT as part of the ongoing public comment period on the future of the reconstructed fort.

During the meeting, NPS staff will present information about the history and current condition of the reconstructed fort and walk through the four concept alternatives now available for public review. Participants will also have an opportunity to ask questions following the presentation.

Visit the Bent’s Old Fort project page on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website for the meeting link and additional information about the project. https://parkplanning.nps.gov/MeetingNotices.cfm?projectID=136963

We hope you’ll join us and learn more about the concepts being considered for the future of Bent’s Old Fort!

[NPS photograph of rain draining along the plaza edge of the replica fort on 9/30/2026]

08/25/2026

Happy Birthday, National Park Service!

For 110 years, the National Park Service has worked to preserve some of the most important places and stories in our nation. These places are fundamental parts of our national identity and help us understand who we are as a country.

At Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, we preserve and interpret a pivotal trade and military location within the Arkansas River watershed and the site's impact on Native American Tribes, the United States, and Mexico.

NPS Photo

08/22/2026

There are some questions we may never know the answers to:
-How many licks does it take to get to the chocolately center of a lollipop?
-Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
-Why did William Bent abandon Bent's Old Fort?

We may never know the exact details why he abandoned the fort in 1849, but we can piece together some possible reasons. The Mexican-American War led to geopolitical instability and violence on the Southern Plains. Measles and Cholera epidemics devastated the Plains Tribes. Cholera alone reportedly killed half of the Southern Cheyenne. Financially, the buffalo robe trade was decreasing, and William unsuccessfully tried to sell the fort to the military. Overgrazing left little area for livestock to graze. Overharvesting meant wood for fuel was now miles from the fort, something William mentioned as a reason for a move east as early as 1846. William also suffered the deaths of his wife and two brothers within a ten-month span in 1847. The economic changes, personal trauma, and memories of the fort may have been too much to overcome.

If you put yourself in William’s place, is it much of a surprise that he had enough of Bent’s Old Fort? Despite everything, he wasn’t ready to quit trading. Within a few years he built Bent’s New Fort forty miles to the east.

So why did William Bent abandon his fort? The world may never know.

Drawing of Bent's New Fort by Daniel A. Jenks, 1859; Library of Congress

08/21/2026

On August 21, 1849, William Bent abandoned Bent’s Old Fort.

He removed between ten and twenty wagonloads of supplies. We know that some portion of the building was set on fire and that there was some sort of small explosion. Those are the only concrete facts. Neither William Bent, or anyone else left a verifiable eyewitness account. The lack of documentation created a myth that the whole fort was destroyed in a fire.

Enough of the structure still stood that it was used throughout the 1850s. It served as a landmark along the southern route to the gold fields by Pike’s Peaker’s in 1859. The fort became a stagecoach stop in 1860, and a post office a few years later. It became on of the most important stations on the stage line connecting Denver, Santa Fe, and Kansas City until replaced by the railroad in 1875. Into the 1890s it was part of the Prowers Ranch before it was completely abandoned.

The drawing below comes from a 1967 children's book about the fort. It seems to draw inspiration from the (equally fictious) destruction of the Alamo seen in the 1960 John Wayne film.

Illustration from "Bent's Fort: Crossroads of the Great West" by Wyatt Blassingame, published in 1967 (NPS photo)

08/18/2026

The National Park Service is seeking your input on the future of the reconstructed fort at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site.

The reconstructed fort is experiencing significant deterioration related in part to its design, construction, and materials. The NPS constructed the replica and is responsible for addressing its condition while protecting the significance of the entire historic site.
Four early concepts are now available for public review. They range from rehabilitating or reconstructing a complete replica to partial, contemporary, or landscape-based approaches. No preferred concept or final decision has been made.

What do you hope visitors will be able to do, understand, and experience here 50 years from now?

Review the concepts and submit a formal comment through October 23: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ beolalternatives/ You can also use the QR code to comment.

NPS Photograph of park rangers talking to a group of visitors in the plaza of the replica fort.