Timpas Unit of the Comanche National Grassland | Otero and Las Animas Counties, CO 719-384-2181 | visit our website Evidence of thousands of years of human history can be found at the Comanche National Grassland, a unit of the United States Forest Service. Sites representing Native American, Hispanic, and European-Americans' adaptations to the High Plains can be found in a natural setting marked by contrasts between steep canyon lands and vast open prairie.

City of Durango | Durango, CO 970-247-3500 | visit our website Nestled between red sandstone bluffs in the lush Animas River Valley, Durango, is blessed with natural beauty matched only by its colorful history. As miners flocked into Southwest Colorado in the 1870s, the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Company purchased land from homesteaders to establish Durango's charming downtown. With the quick mining money came grand hotels, fine Victorian buildings and even a 3 story "skyscraper," all of which still stand in Durango's historic district. Along Main Avenue, the big red trolley runs daily past the brick and stone buildings that still bear the names of the frontiersmen who built them.

Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway | Golden, CO visit our website The completion of the Lariat Trail in 1914 allowed early automobile travelers to escape the congestion of Denver and test their driving skills on a twisting mountain road that featured numerous hairpin turns and sharp drop-offs.  Today, drivers and bicyclists can experience the same thrills on the 40-mile Lariat Loop Trail, a designated Colorado Scenic & Historic Byway.  Numerous historic sites and structures are located along the route, including several museums open to the public.

Trinidad History Museum | Trinidad, CO 719-846-7217 | visit our website Explore the past and present of the American West at the Trinidad History Museum.  The museum features several attractions on one block of Trinidad's acclaimed historic district, "El Corazon de Trinidad."  Historic homes, local treasures, and lovely gardens make the Trinidad History Museum a great place to spend the day.  The Trinidad History Museum is a property of the Colorado Historical Society.

Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site | Colorado Springs, CO 719-578-6777 | visit our website Towering Pikes Peak and the red rock formations of the Garden of the Gods serve as the dramatic back drop for Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site in Colorado Springs.  The ranch is owned by the City of Colorado Springs and operated as a living history museum, interpreting the history of the settlement of the Pikes Peak Region between 1775 and 1910.Visitors will learn about the rigors of homesteading, the perils of 19th century agriculture and the sophistication of an early 20th century estate built by the founder of Colorado Springs.

Flat Tops Trail Scenic and Historic Byway 970-878-5344 (Meeker) 970-638-4511 (Yampa) visit our websites COME WALK IN THEIR FOOTPRINTS East gateway located near the town of Yampa in Routt County and West Gateway located near Meeker in Rio Blanco County. The Flat Tops Trail cuts through the heart of the original White River Plateau Timberland Reserve.  This landscape of forest, lakes, streams and pasturelands contains a rich history of exploration, recreation and settlement. Native Americans, trappers, pioneers, miners, cowboys, ranchers and outlaws all left their mark on the land, much of it now protected for public recreation and enjoyment.

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum | Colorado Springs, CO 719-385-5990 | visit our website This summer the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum will host the Annual Quilts and Fine Woodworking Exhibition, with a striking combination of contemporary quilts and woodworking created by regional artists. Each year this juried exhibition draws thousands of area residents, many of whom view the show several times. From August 30 through November 1, 2008 the gallery will be awash in color as traditionally pieced quilts mix with others incorporating digital manipulation and hand beading. The quilts are exhibited along side one-of-a-kind woodwork creations that combine such woods as walnut, bubinga, cherry or ash, to name just a few. "It's a delightful blend of textures, designs, colors, and techniques. Each year we are surprised by what the artists come up with," says Museum Director Matt Mayberry.

Fort Garland Museum | Fort Garland, CO 719-379-3512 | visit our website Fort Garland is situated in the San Luis Valley of Southwestern Colorado on a tract of land that was originally part of New Mexico.  The Fort was established in August, 1858 by the United States Army to protect new settlements from random attacks by neighboring Native American Tribes.  Fort Garland was built with adobe bricks made by the enlisted men of Company E, Regiment of Mounted Rifles and Company A, Third US Infantry.

MacGregor Ranch | Estes Park, CO 970-586-3749 | visit our website MacGregor Ranch is the last remaining working cattle ranch in Estes Park and one of the few sites operating as both a working ranch and youth education center in northern Colorado. It is unique in that its historic collection and structures are original to the 1873 homestead family, and its collection is completely intact. MacGregor Ranch offers a window into the past for its visitors. Take a step back in time as you come in the front gate. Percheron draft horses and ranch hands work the hay meadow. The main ranch house, now the museum, is warm and inviting - welcoming children's groups and summer visitors. The Black Angus cattle and horses grazing the meadow remind you of simpler times.

Museum of Northwest Colorado | Craig, CO 970-824-6360 | visit our website The Museum of Northwest Colorado is housed in the former National Guard Armory in downtown Craig, Colorado. The building was built in 1921 and was used as an Armory until the 1970s when it became a community center. It was renovated in 1991 and became the local history museum.

Cherokee Ranch | Sedalia, CO 303-688-5555 | visit our website Cherokee Ranch and Castle is a place where people can discover a distinctive architectural treasure in an extraordinary natural setting. It is the legacy of two families–the Johnson Family from the early 1900s and Tweet Kimball in the mid 1900s. The Johnsons purchased the land, built the castle and started a working ranch on about 2,200 acres. In 1954, Tweet Kimball purchased the ranch and raised prize winning Santa Gertrudis cattle.

This project is paid for in part by a State Historical Fund grant
from the Colorado Historical Society.