Bents Old Fort and on to Royal Gorge Colorado...

Got up this am and left about 1000 for Bents Old Fort..(actually it's pretty new as in 1976)..only about 10 miles from the campground.   Bents Old Fort was one of the significant centers of the fur trade on the Santa Fe Trail.  It was opened in 1833 by brothers Charles and William Brent and partner Ceran St. Brain.  By 1849 the trade was deteriorating and the fort closed.  Buffalo hides were the most traded by the indians.  In 1975 the National Park Service took over the fort and decided to replicate the old fort.  It was completed in 1976.  The reconstruction was based on original drawing, historical accounts, and archeological evidence.  

Below are some of the pictures we took today of the rooms and areas of the fort...we so enjoyed this self guided tour!  Never knew this existed, and honestly if not for the manager of the KOA campground..we probably would not have known what a jewel this is!  On top of that we got Ken his America the Beautiful parks pass!  So we spent $10.00 and this will last him for  life..will get him (and whoever's with him) into every National Park and Monument in the country..also gets him 1/2 price camping at NFS campgrounds and National Parks...awesome!! 

The front walk of the fort...

Ken and his America the Beautiful senior pass!

Molds of the bricks they made the fort out of..

The trade room...

View of the fort from the second floor...

Susan Magoffin's Quarters..She was pregnant with her 1st child when she
came here...she lost the child a few months later..

This is where they smashed the buffalo hides so they could carry and sell
them...it squishes things..

The Billard room..where alot of "fun" happened..

The blacksmith shop...

An original Connestoga wagon...

The view from the KOA in Canon City Colorado

Our site here at the KOA

Another view from the campsite...

So tonight we are at the KOA outside Canon City, Co near the Royal Gorge...we were here probably 15 years ago or more with Eric...they had a fire last March (year ago) and so are rebuilding..don't know what's there now..but we'll take a little drive before we head out in the morning and see what's happening there...We remember when we were here with Eric, he and Ken took the gondola across the gorge..guess from the fire the lines broke so no more gondola..at least at this point..we also tried to get Eric and Ken a heliocopter ride throught the gorge, but no one was there at the rides....again,,,memories!!

We have internet from the campground but no phone service...we will move on tomorrow heading towards 

Arches National Park..

Tomorrow is Bryan's 41st birthday...so hard to believe...Adam turned 15 on Monday and 

Eric, 39 last Saturday...where did the time go???  Amazing!   So blessed  are we with our family and our friends.... Love u all!