List of trading posts in Colorado

This is a partial list of trading posts that existed in the area of the present U.S. State of Colorado from 1828 to approximately 1868. The 24 historic trading posts in Colorado traded goods produced outside the region to Native Americans for furs, food, and locally made goods. Trading posts also sold goods to travellers and settlers.

Table

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This is a sortable table of some of the historic trading posts in Colorado. Select the OpenStreetMap link in the box at right to view a map showing the location these trading posts.

Historic Trading Posts in Colorado
Trading post	Other names	Current county	Location^[1]	Elevation^[1]	Established	Abandoned	Status
Fort Uncompahgre	Fort Robidoux	Delta^[a]	38°45′01″N 108°04′25″W / 38.7503°N 108.0737°W / 38.7503; -108.0737 (Fort Uncompahgre (historical))^[b]	4,928 ft 1502 m^[b]	1828	1844	Reconstruction^[2]
Gantt's Picket Post	Fort Gantt	Bent^[c]			1832	1834	No remains^[3]
Bent's Fort	Bent's Old Fort, Fort William, Bent's Picket Post	Otero^[d]	38°02′26″N 103°25′46″W / 38.0406°N 103.4294°W / 38.0406; -103.4294 (Bent's Old Fort (historical))	4,005 ft 1221 m	1833	1849	National Historic Site.^[3]
Jimmy's Camp	Jimmy Camp	El Paso^[e]			1833	1868	Nothing remains.
Fort Cass		Pueblo^[f]			1834	1835	No remains^[3]
Fort Convenience		Adams^[g]			1834	1835	No remains^[3]
Fort Le Duc	Fort Maurice, Buzzard's Roost, El Cuervo	Custer^[h]			1830s	1854	No remains^[3]
Fort Vasquez		Weld^[i]	40°11′40″N 104°49′16″W / 40.1944°N 104.8211°W / 40.1944; -104.8211 (Fort Vasquez (historical))	4,826 ft 1471 m	1835	1842	Restored and museum^[3]
Fort Saint Vrain	Fort George, Fort Lookout	Weld^[j]	40°16′44″N 104°51′18″W / 40.27889°N 104.8550°W / 40.27889; -104.8550 (Fort Saint Vrain (historical))	4,764 ft 1452 m	1837	1855	Historical marker^[3]
Fort Lupton	Fort Lawrence	Weld^[k]			1837	1844	Reconstructed^[3]
Fort Jackson		Weld^[l]			1837	1838	Foundation remains^[3]
Fort Gerry		Weld^[m]			late 1830s	1840s	^[4]^[5]
Milk Fort	Fort Leche, Pueblo de Leche, Fort El Puebla, Peebles Fort, Fort Independence	Otero^[n]			late 1830s		No remains^[3]^[4]^[5]
Fort Davy Crockett	Fort Misery	Moffat^[o]	40°47′10″N 108°53′40″W / 40.7862°N 108.8944°W / 40.7862; -108.8944 (Fort Davy Crockett (historical))^[p]	5,374 ft 1638 m^[p]	late 1830s		^[3]
Fraeb's Post	Fort Fraeb	Routt^[q]			1840	1841	No remains^[3]
El Pueblo	Fort Pueblo	Pueblo^[r]			1842	1854	No remains^[5]^[6]
Bent's New Fort		Bent^[s]	38°05′32″N 103°09′08″W / 38.0922°N 103.1522°W / 38.0922; -103.1522 (Bent's New Fort (historical))	3,888 ft 1185 m	1853	1860	Foundation remains^[6]
Fort Namaqua	Modena's Crossing, Namaqua Station, Mariano's Crossing, Big Thompson, Miraville	Larimer^[t]			1858 or 1859	1868	Historical marker at Namaqua Park^[6]^[7]^[8]
Fort Julesburg		Sedgwick^[u]	40°56′35″N 102°21′30″W / 40.9430°N 102.3582°W / 40.9430; -102.3582 (Fort Julesburg)	3,514 ft 1071 m	1860	1861	^[9]

Gallery

Reconstruction of Bent's Old Fort.
Reconstruction of Fort Vasquez.
Marker at site of Fort Saint Vrain.
Sketch of Fort Lupton.
Sketch of Bent's New Fort.

Maps

A map of the United States from 1828 to 1834.
A map of the United States in 1836.
A map of the United States from 1845 to 1846.
A map of the United States from 1850 to 1853.
A map of the United States from 1854 to 1858.
A map of the United States in 1861.
A map of the United States from 1865 to 1866.
A map of the United States from 1867 to 1868.

Notes

^ Fort Uncompahgre operated in the northwestern region of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
^ ^a ^b This is the location of the reproduction of the trading post.
^ Gantt's Picket Post operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Bent's Fort operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Jimmy's Camp operated in the unorganized territory of the United States until May 30, 1854, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Kansas. On January 29, 1861, the area reverted to the unorganized territory of the United States, but 30 days later the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Colorado.
^ Fort Cass operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Convenience operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Le Duc operated in the unorganized territory of the United States until May 30, 1854, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Kansas.
^ Fort Vasquez operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Saint Vrain operated in the unorganized territory of the United States until May 30, 1854, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Nebraska.
^ Fort Lupton operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Jackson operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Gerry operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Milk Fort operated in the unorganized territory of the United States.
^ Fort Davy Crockett operated without authorization in the northwestern region of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
^ ^a ^b This is an approximate location of the trading post.
^ Fraeb's Post operated without authorization in the northwestern region of Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
^ El Pueblo operated in the unorganized territory of the United States until May 30, 1854, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Kansas.
^ Bent's New Fort operated in the unorganized territory of the United States until May 30, 1854, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Kansas.
^ Fort Namaqua operated in Territory of Nebraska until February 28, 1861, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Colorado.
^ Fort Julesburg operated in Territory of Nebraska until February 28, 1861, when the area was incorporated in the new Territory of Colorado.

References

^ ^a ^b "Geographic Names Information System". United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
^ Jolie Anderson Gallagher (April 2, 2013). Colorado Forts: Historic Outposts on the Wild Frontier. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. PT8. ISBN 978-1-61423-903-1.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Jolie Anderson Gallagher (April 2, 2013). Colorado Forts: Historic Outposts on the Wild Frontier. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. PT9. ISBN 978-1-61423-903-1.
^ ^a ^b Phil Payette; Pete Payette. "Colorado forts – Fort Huerfano". American Forts Network. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c Glenn R. Scott (2004) [1975], "Historic Trail Maps of the Pueblo 1° x 2° Quadrangle, Colorado" (PDF), U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, pp. 4, 50
^ ^a ^b ^c Jolie Anderson Gallagher (April 2, 2013). Colorado Forts: Historic Outposts on the Wild Frontier. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. PT10. ISBN 978-1-61423-903-1.
^ From the Grave: A Roadside Guide to Colorado's Pioneer Cemeteries. Caxton Press. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-87004-565-3.
^ Jessen, Kenneth (July 26, 2014). "Spanish-Speaking Mariano Medina built a fort". Reporter-Herald. Loveland, Colorado. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
^ Scott, Glenn R. (1989). "Historic trail maps of the Sterling 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, northeastern Colorado". United States Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey. doi:10.3133/i1894. Retrieved July 23, 2021.

External links

State of Colorado
- Colorado Tourism Office
- History Colorado

State of Colorado

Denver (capital)

Society

Colorado portal

By name:	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

National Register of Historic Places in Colorado

By county:

Protected areas of Colorado

Federal

4 National Parks	Black Canyon of the Gunnison Great Sand Dunes Mesa Verde Rocky Mountain
9 National Monuments	Browns Canyon (BLM-USFS) Camp Hale-Continental Divide (USFS) Canyons of the Ancients (BLM) Chimney Rock (USFS) Colorado Dinosaur Florissant Fossil Beds Hovenweep Yucca House
3 National Historic Sites	Amache Bent's Old Fort Sand Creek Massacre
2 National Recreation Areas	Arapaho (USFS) Curecanti
1 Wild and Scenic River	Cache la Poudre River
4 National Historic Trails	California Trail Old Spanish Trail Pony Express Trail Santa Fe Trail
1 National Scenic Trail	Continental Divide Trail
11 National Forests	Arapaho Grand Mesa Gunnison Medicine Bow–Routt Pike Rio Grande Roosevelt San Isabel San Juan Uncompahgre White River
2 National Grasslands	Comanche Pawnee
44 National Wildernesses	Black Canyon of the Gunnison Black Ridge Canyons Buffalo Peaks Byers Peak Cache La Poudre Collegiate Peaks Comanche Peak Dominguez Canyon Eagles Nest Flat Tops Fossil Ridge Great Sand Dunes Greenhorn Mountain Gunnison Gorge Hermosa Creek Holy Cross Hunter–Fryingpan Indian Peaks James Peak La Garita Lizard Head Lost Creek Maroon Bells-Snowmass Mesa Verde Mount Evans Mount Massive Mount Sneffels Mount Zirkel Neota Never Summer Platte River Powderhorn Ptarmigan Peak Raggeds Rawah Rocky Mountain National Park Sangre de Cristo Sarvis Creek South San Juan Spanish Peaks Uncompahgre Vasquez Peak Weminuche West Elk
3 National Conservation Areas	Dominguez–Escalante Gunnison Gorge McInnis Canyons
8 National Wildlife Refuges	Alamosa Arapaho Baca Browns Park Monte Vista Rocky Flats Rocky Mountain Arsenal Two Ponds
3 National Heritage Areas	Cache la Poudre River Corridor Sangre de Cristo South Park
28 National Historic Landmarks	Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Bent's Old Fort Central City/Black Hawk Historic District Colorado Chautauqua Cripple Creek Historic District Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad Denver Civic Center Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Elitch Gardens Carousel Georgetown–Silver Plume Historic District Granada War Relocation Center Leadville Historic District Lindenmeier site Lowry Pueblo Ludlow Tent Colony Site Mesa Verde Administrative District Minnequa Steel Works Pikes Peak Pike's Stockade Raton Pass Red Rocks Park Shenandoah-Dives Mill Silverton Historic District Telluride Historic District Temple Aaron Trujillo Homesteads United States Air Force Academy, Cadet Area Winks Panorama
16 National Natural Landmarks	Big Spring Creek Garden of the Gods Garden Park Fossil Area Hanging Lake Indian Springs Trace Fossil Natural Area Lost Creek Scenic Area Morrison-Golden Fossil Areas Raton Mesa Roxborough Russell Lakes Sand Creek Slumgullion Earthflow Spanish Peaks Sulphur Cave and Spring Summit Lake West Bijou Site
National Register of Historic Places	National Register of Historic Places listings in Colorado

State

43 State Parks	Arkansas Headwaters Barr Lake Boyd Lake Castlewood Canyon Chatfield Cherry Creek Cheyenne Mountain Crawford Eldorado Canyon Eleven Mile Elkhead Fishers Peak Golden Gate Canyon Harvey Gap Highline Lake Jackson Lake James M. Robb - Colorado River John Martin Reservoir Lake Pueblo Lathrop Lone Mesa Lory Mancos Mueller Navajo North Sterling Paonia Pearl Lake Ridgway Rifle Falls Rifle Gap Roxborough Spinney Mountain St. Vrain Stagecoach State Forest Staunton Steamboat Lake Sweetwater Lake Sweitzer Lake Sylvan Lake Trinidad Lake Vega Yampa River
1 State Forest	State Forest
307 State Wildlife Areas	List of Colorado state wildlife areas
96 State Natural Areas	Aiken Canyon Antero-Salt Creek Arikaree River Badger Wash Blacks Gulch Blue Mountain-Little Thompson Fault Bonny Prairie Boulder Mountain Park Brush Creek Fen California Park Castlewood Canyon Chalk Bluffs Coal Creek Tallgrass Prairie Colorado Tallgrass Prairie Comanche Grassland Copeland Willow Carr Corral Bluffs Cross Mountain Canyon Dakota Hogback Deer Gulch Dome Rock Droney Gulch Duck Creek Dudley Bluffs East Lost Park East Sand Dunes Elephant Rocks Escalante Canyon Fairview Fourmile Creek Fruita Paleontological Garden Park Fossil Gateway Palisade Geneva Basin Iron Fens Gothic Gunnison Gravels Haviland Lake High Creek Fen High Mesa Grassland Hoosier Ridge Hurricane Canyon Indian Spring Indian Springs Trace Fossil Irish Canyon Jimmy Creek Ken-Caryl Ranch Kremmling Cretaceous Ammonite Limestone Ridge Lookout Mountain Lower Greasewood Creek McElmo Mexican Cut Mini-Wheeler Miramonte Reservoir Mishak Lakes Mount Callahan & Logan Wash Mine Mount Emmons Iron Bog Mount Goliath Narraguinnep Needle Rock North Park Phacelia Orient Mine Owl Canyon Pagosa Skyrocket Paradise Park Park Creek Hogback Pyramid Rock Rabbit Valley Rajadero Canyon Raven Ridge Redcloud Peak Rough Canyon Roxborough Ryan Gulch Saddle Mountain San Miguel River Sand Creek Shell Duck Creek Shell Rock Slumgullion Earthflow South Beaver Creek South Boulder Creek South Cathedral Bluffs Specimen Mountain Staunton Tamarack Ranch Treasurevault Mountain Trinidad K-T Boundary Two Buttes Unaweep Seep Wacker Ranch West Creek Wheeler Geologic White Rocks Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area Zapata Falls
26 Scenic and Historic Byways	Alpine Loop Cache la Poudre-North Park Collegiate Peaks Colorado River Headwaters Dinosaur Diamond Flat Tops Trail Frontier Pathways Gold Belt Tour Grand Mesa Guanella Pass Highway of Legends Lariat Loop Los Caminos Antiguos Mount Evans Pawnee Pioneer Trails Peak to Peak San Juan Skyway Santa Fe Trail Silver Thread South Platte River Trail Top of the Rockies Tracks Across Borders Trail of the Ancients Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Unaweep Tabeguache West Elk Loop