The Atlas Obscura Guide To Colorado

296 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Colorado

Updated November 22, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Colorado

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Calhan, Colorado

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Wondrous sandstone hoodoos where Native Americans collected clay for pottery, 9,000 years ago.

The lake (2)

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Hanging Lake

Crystal clear lake with a shoreline of travertine located in a Colorado canyon.

Interior of the International Church of Cannabis.

Denver, Colorado

International Church of Cannabis

A technicolor place of worship for Elevationists.

Stanley Hotel at sunrise.

Estes Park, Colorado

The Stanley Hotel

Paranormal experiences in this hotel's room 217 led Stephen King to write "The Shining."

Fresh snow accentuates a warm ancient Puebloan city.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park

The ancient dwellings of the Puebloans, located in the cliffs of majestic mesas.

Fifty-Two 80's

Denver, Colorado

Fifty-Two 80's

This modern antique shop is a museum for 1980's Saturday morning cartoon culture.

Casa Bonita's Lagoon

Lakewood, Colorado

Casa Bonita

At this Denver landmark, the meals are compulsory, the sopapillas are complimentary, and the insanity is everywhere.

Linger Eatuary

Denver, Colorado

Linger Eatuary

Once a mortuary that held the remains of Buffalo Bill, this Denver hotspot is now a death-fixated restaurant.

See All 296 Things To Do in Colorado

Seasonal Magic of Colorado

Sponsored By Visit Colorado

Apatosaurus trackway

List

21 Unexpected Wonders in Colorado’s Vibrant Cities and Small Towns

Uncover hidden gems within Colorado’s charming cities and small towns–like Durango, Golden, Grand Junction, Last Chance, and more.

Written and Photographed by Matt Payne

railroads

Colorado Winter Wonderland

Pack your snowshoes and see the Centennial State like never before. We hand-picked a collection of unique Colorado destinations transformed by glistening frost and white snow.

Durango’s 140-year-old steam locomotive is just one of Colorado’s spectacular historic rail lines.

forests

Ride the Rails to Discover Hidden History and Incredible Hiking in Colorado

Follow the footsteps of cowboys and coal miners—and catch a rare glimpse of the state’s wild inner core.

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Colorado

Casa Bonita's Lagoon

Lakewood, Colorado

Casa Bonita

At this Denver landmark, the meals are compulsory, the sopapillas are complimentary, and the insanity is everywhere.

Linger Eatuary

Denver, Colorado

Linger Eatuary

Once a mortuary that held the remains of Buffalo Bill, this Denver hotspot is now a death-fixated restaurant.

Pikes Peak Summit House

Manitou Springs, Colorado

Pikes Peak Summit House

Thanks to a quirk of elevation this gift shop produces magic doughnuts that are found nowhere else on Earth.

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder Teahouse

This tea house was a hand-built gift from Boulder's sister city in Tajikstan.

See all 15 Places to Eat in Colorado

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

9 Hidden Wonders in Eastern Colorado

Sponsored by Visit Colorado

Colorado is known for its towering mountains adorned with wildflowers, waterfalls, and endless hiking trails; however, some of its best kept secrets lie on the eastern half of the state. This adventure will take you to the furthest reaches of Colorado’s beautiful prairie and up into the pristine foothills of the Wet Mountains - all places seldom visited and teeming with intrigue. The locations below have been hand-picked for their uniqueness and ability to inspire you to journey through time via some of Colorado’s most obscure and interesting haunts found on the high plains.

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Explore Colorado

Museums 27

Mountains 26

History 24

History & Culture 22

Geology 21

Nature 20

Memorials 20

Architecture 19

Collections 16

Art 15

Animals 15

Water 14

Places To Stay 8

Unique Restaurants & Bars 3

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wants to go to Canyons of the Ancients
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wants to go to Garden of the Gods
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wants to go to Bishop Castle
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Stories About Colorado

Each fall, amorous male tarantulas prowl the Colorado plains in search of mates, who may or may not kill them.

Why Did the Spider Cross the Road?

In Colorado, tap-dancing male tarantulas risk everything for love—including becoming lunch.

by Karuna Eberl

November 6, 2024

Trees and other plants can’t escape wildfire smoke.

Trees Hold Their Breath to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

Researchers made the surprise discovery when wildfire smoke blanketed their test site.

by Delphine Farmer and Mj Riches

Durango’s 140-year-old steam locomotive is just one of Colorado’s spectacular historic rail lines.

Ride the Rails to Discover Hidden History and Incredible Hiking in Colorado

Follow the footsteps of cowboys and coal miners—and catch a rare glimpse of the state’s wild inner core.

Sponsored by Visit Colorado

The Ancient Secrets Hidden in 41,000 Bison Bones

Thousands of bones from Colorado's Jones-Miller site offer a detailed picture of Ice Age hunting—and a few mysteries.

by Stephen E. Nash

An 1868 image of Pikes Peak, towering over lesser mountains, by Leon Jean-Baptiste Sabatier.

Colorado's Pikes Peak Is an Eclipse Hot Spot (for 2045)

The Mountain West helped put American science on the map during the 1878 total solar eclipse, and it's the place to be for the next big American eclipse.

by Rebecca Boyle

The eclipse of 1878 as observed from Wyoming.

How the 1878 Eclipse Almost Killed the Father of American Meteorology

Today’s National Weather Service might be very different if Cleveland Abbe had died on Pikes Peak.

by Eric Grundhauser

Honeypot ants feed on sweet nectar and death.

All Winter, These Ants Make the Ultimate Sweet Sacrifice to Their Colony

Their syrupy death is medicinal for humans, too.

by Shoshi Parks

December 5, 2023

Daniel Hogan and Eli Schwat tow a sled of gear out to the Kettle Ponds study site this March.

The Curious Case of the Colorado River’s Missing Water

Researchers are trying to unravel the mystery of snow that falls but never shows up in the river.

by Bella Biondini

Lists Featuring Colorado

Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

Fresh snow accentuates a warm ancient Puebloan city.

18 Places in Colorado to Discover Local Culture–From Past to Present

Including Chimney Rock , Tabor Opera House, and Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

Star trails trace the night sky above snow-covered mountains and sand dunes.

Unaweep Divide, west.

Wheeler Geologic Area

18 Colorado Adventures That Will Take Your Breath Away (Literally)

Including Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve , Unaweep Canyon, and La Ventana Arch

5-8-22

The last coal-burning steam engine.

The Sasquatch Outpost

15 Quirky Places to Visit on Your Next Colorado Family Road Trip

Including Swetsville Zoo, Breckenridge Troll, and Steam Engine 638

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