Plenty to see, with fewer crowds in the way, east of the Front Range

By Eric Peterson

Sure, Colorado’s mountains get the hype and the magazine covers, but they also get the crowds. The eastern plains remain under the radar, meaning visitors can explore the area’s history without dodging bus loads of tourists. Consider a three-day tour to take in the beauty, history and solitude.

The Pawnee Buttes are a perfect starting point for a weekend loop. Located about 60 miles northeast of Greeley and just south of the Colorado-Wyoming border, this pair of 300-foot-tall sandstone buttes provide a stark contrast to the prairie below. The western butte is accessible via an easy 2-mile, one-way trail, but the eastern butte is on private land.

From the buttes, it’s a straight shot 50 miles south to the eternal resting place of visionary sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick in Riverside Cemetery in Fort Morgan. Although he was born in Chicago and died in California, Dick is buried next to his twin, who died when she was just a few weeks old, near their grandparents’ place of residence in Colorado.

Take I-76 Business highway to Sterling, which is northeast of Fort Morgan. After checking out local sculptor Bradford Rhea’s masterworks in Pioneer Park and elsewhere, cap off your day at Parts & Labor Brewing Company, the first craft brewery on Colorado’s plains. The proprietors offer a nice variety of beer, seltzer and soda, as well as a menu that ranges from nachos to steaks. To spend the night, try the Crest Motel or one of the numerous chain properties along I-76.

Get down low(ish)

Sure, plenty of peakbaggers brag about their exploits to Colorado’s high points, but how many of them have seen the lowest point in the state (notably, it is the highest low point of any state)? It’s the Arikaree River at 3,317 feet above sea level, which flows into Kansas southeast of Yuma. The spot is on private land, but you can at least get a glimpse of the river from nearby roads. While you’re in the neighborhood, hike to the three corners of the Colorado-Nebraska-Kansas Tri-point, a short stroll off of County Road 31.

About 60 miles south is the Kit Carson County Carousel on the county fairgrounds in Burlington. It’s a rare specimen, one of the 150 surviving wooden carousels carved between 1885 and the 1930s, and considered a standout due to its artful restoration and menagerie of different animals. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, and is open for riding from late May to early September.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site | SETH - stock.adobe.com

From Burlington, double back east on I-70 to Sand Creek Distillery (expected to reopen in early summer) in Hugo for a bottle of its signature American single malt whiskey. But don’t open it until you get to your room at Hotel Ordway, 79 miles south of Hugo in its namesake town. On the way, detour to the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, where you can pay respects to the more than 200 Native Americans murdered by U.S. soldiers in 1864.

Canyons of the dinos

Get an early start so you have plenty of time to explore Picket Wire Canyonlands. About an hour south of Ordway, a 17.6-mile trail takes you to a historic mission and cemetery that date back to when the area was part of Mexico. Further along is a prominent dinosaur tracksite along the Purgatoire River – Picket Wire is a bastardization of the French pronunciation of the river’s name – with more than 1,000 tracks from brontosaurus and allosaurus who wandered here millions of years ago. The canyon is accessible on foot, bike or horseback; guided auto tours are available by reservation for a fee, but you must provide a 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

Return the way you came to La Junta, where you can bunk at the Stagecoach Motel for the night after exploring Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, a trading post that was once the border of the U.S. and Mexico in the 1840s.

If you have time, drive 100 miles southeast to hike Picture Canyon, where sunlight illuminates ancient rock art in Crack Cave during the spring and fall equinoxes. Hiking is available year-round, but Crack Cave is only open on ranger-led tours in March and September.

Eric Peterson is a freelance writer who covers travel, business, and real estate, as well as Colorado’s craft beverage industry. Eric lives in Denver with his wife, Jamie, and their faithful mutts, Aoife and Ogma.

This story is in our May-June print issue. Click here to read the full magazine.