Rawlins Library, Wyoming
When I arrived at Trinidad a snow storm was predicted for the next day. Checking my atlas I noticed that La Junta to the east was almost exactly 2000 ft. lower; so I drove to La Junta, where there was some rain but no snow.
Bent's Old Fort is a replica of a key fort along the Santa Fe Trail.
One sees many plaques donated by the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolutions) but very few by the Daughters of the 1810 Rvolution (or War with Britain). [Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]
A plaque/map of additional sites to the east along the Santa Fe Trail both in Colorado and western Kansas.
An aerial view of Bent's Old Fort, which is clearly made of adobe.
Points of interest as well as difficulty to the west of Bent's Old Fort near La Junta.
Because this National Monument closes two gates at 4:30 p.m., I had to park outside the monument and traverse the roads via Shank's Mare. [N.B. There is a golf cart for those unable to walk the quarter of a mile from the restrooms to the Fort.] (The rocks outline the cemetery.)
There may be a pot-bellied stove inside the Fort given the pile of firewood both in an above plaque as well as this photo.
Since the indians also traded at the fort, the cannon is "just in case...."
Though he's in the shade, a male peacock likely spread his tail for the nearby female rather than to warn me to "back off."
The fort also had a corral as well as pens for cattle. [Examined one big bull carefully, but he was more interested in feeding than in running me out "of his territory."
At each corner of the fort there is a circular tower from which defenders inside the fort can fire upon any miscreants attempting to scale the walls.
[Click once to enlarge; press ESC to return here.]
Among those who had visited or lived at Bent's Old Fort were John C. Fremont, Susan Magoffin, who kept a diary, the Bent's family slave, Charlotte, Kit Carson, Yellow Wolf, Jim Beckwourth, after whom a trans-Sierra pass is named, and Lt. J.W. Abert, whose maps, diaries, and sketches facilitated the reconstruction of Bent's Old Fort in 1976.
Links:
-
Nation Park Service website for Bent's Old Fort
- Filter Press chapter on Bent's Old Fort about Susan Magoffin
- Wikipedia article on Jim Beckwourth
- Wikipedia article on Beckwourth Pass
- Wikipedia article on La Junta, Colorado
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F 24 May Actual Route: Lafayette W/M - Louisville Museum - Louisville Lib - Frederick - Platteville - Greeley W/M
Su 26 May Actual Route: Greeley W/M - Greeley Br Lib - Ft Morgan W/M
M 27 May Actual Route: Ft Morgan W/M - Ft Morgan Lib
T 28 May Actual Route: Ft Morgan W/M - Ft Morgan Lib - New Raymer - Ault Lib - Fort Collins - Harmony Rd W/M
W 29 May Actual Route: Harmony Rd W/M - CO Visitor Ctr - Council Tree Br Lib - Harmony Rd W/M
Th 30 May Actual Route: Harmony Rd W/M - Council Tree Br Lib - Cheyenne, WY, Main Lib - Cheyenne W/M - Chugwater - Wheatland - Jcn WY34 & US30/287 bd
F 31 May Actual Route: Jcn WY34 & US30/287 bd - Laramie W/M - Laramie Lib - Rawlins McDonalds - Truck Stop bd
Sa 1 Jun Actual Route: Rawlins Truck Stop bd - Rawlins P.O. - Rawlins Lib Pk Lot - RV World CG
Su 2 Jun Actual Route: RV World CG - Rawlins Lib Pk Lot - Flying J - Rawlins Truck Stop bd
M 3 Jun Route: Rawlins Truck Stop bd - Rawlins P.O. - Rawlins Lib - Rawlins Truck Stop bd
T 4 Jun Route: Rawlins Truck Stop bd - Rawlins P.O. - Rawlins Lib - Rawlins Truck Stop bd
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
