Colorado’s Strange Roadside Attractions

April 13, 2020

I love the unexpected. I seek it out. I’ll drive down random dirt roads sometimes without a clue as to where I’m going, simply for the chance to see something new.

In our three years of living in Colorado, we’ve explored a fairly significant percentage of this state. But there’s always more to discover, and in a lot of ways, I feel like we’re just scratching the surface. And among my favorites in our various travels are all of Colorado’s strange roadside attractions.

Some in this series are quite famous and attract thousands of visitors from both near and far; a few are lesser-know. But it seems only fitting, especially in this time of very limited travel, that we continue to celebrate them to their fullest and plan new trips for when this pandemic reaches its end.

 1. the Ufo watchtower — hoOper, co

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 4 hours

On the western edge of Great Sand Dunes National Park sits a curious dome structure and 365-degree viewing platform known as the UFO Watchtower that owner Judy Messoline erected in 2000 after struggling to raise cattle on the gravelly farmland. There have been over 200 documented sightings from the Watchtower, the occurrences recorded in a thick binder stuffed with personal notes and photographs. Visitors can enter the dome (part museum, part gift shop), climb atop the viewing platform and explore the rock garden where thousands of previous visitors have left behind all sorts of trinkets. The garden area is also said to contain two vortexes (portals to a parallel universe). Bonus.

Interested in visiting? See our expanded article on the UFO Watchtower and Great Sand Dunes National Park.

2. The sasquatch outpost — bailey, co

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 hour

Opened in 2016 by Jim and Daphne Myers, self-professed researchers and admirers of all things Sasquatch, The Sasquatch Outpost is a super curious museum in the quiet mountain town of Bailey, Colorado that features Bigfoot lore. The life-sized replicas, artwork and fun merch are well worth the road trip detour on its own, most of it created by Jim Myers himself. There’s much to learn about the legend of Bigfoot, which here in the United States now spans over 60 years.

Of all of Colorado’s Strange Roadside Attractions, we think this is one of the newest, must-see locations. They’ve already hosted 21,000 visitors since opening, so don’t think we’re alone in this regard. Want to see more? See our expanded article on The Sasquatch Outpost and experience one of our favorite places here in Colorado.

3. Bishop Castle — Rye, co

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 2 HOURS, 30 MINUTES

Tucked away in the San Isabel National Forest is a wondrous and whimsical castle constructed of iron and stone, the result of the lifelong passion of Colorado native, Jim Bishop, who bought the land when he was just 15 years old for $450. A monumental build, both in height and in years spent, the website for Bishop Castle heralds the feat and Bishop’s motivations as a reminder to the importance of not only having a dream but sticking to it “no matter what.” Visitors can tour a seemingly endless network of elaborate rooms, intricately forged bridges, and tight spiral stairwells.

Interested in discovering more hidden gems like Bishop Castle? See our article on Colorado’s Best Hidden Gems.

4. paint mines — Calhan, CO

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES

Paint Mines Interpretive Park is a Colorado hidden gem that even some lifelong natives haven’t heard of. Tucked away in rural El Paso County, the colorful clays within the park (the result of oxidized iron compounds) were once collected by Native Americans to make pigments for ceramics. Open to the public from dawn to dusk, the site is a popular draw for hikers, photographers and artists, and there are several different trails and overlooks to explore. Climbing on the delicate rock formations is forbidden as are pets of any kind.

Interested in visiting Paint Mines Interpretive Park? See our expanded article with tips and other historical perspectives at BecauseSheCanTravel.com where we authored a guest post for the amazing solo female travel blogger, Cassidy Boone.

5. cano’s castle — antonito, co

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 4 hours

In the quiet, small town of Antonito near the New Mexico border is a curious compound of towering structures built by owner and Vietnam veteran Donald “Cano” Espinoza. Constructed of aluminum scraps like beer cans, old hubcaps and leftover strips of siding, the multi-structure complex rises higher than most in town and is hard to miss as you’re driving through. We didn’t get a chance to meet Cano on our visit—we’ve read he’s quite reclusive and even asks a donation to do so—but there are plenty of articles one can read including articles from OutThere Colorado and RoadsideAmerica which speak to his obsessions and quirks.

6. colorado gators reptile park — mosca

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 4 hours

Open to the public since 1990, Colorado Gators Reptile Park is a sanctuary for unwanted and confiscated exotic pets. In 1987 the owners purchased 100 baby alligators to dispose of the filleted carcasses leftover from their budding fishery. These gators grew and reproduced in the natural geothermal pools on the property, and after increasing interest from the community, the owners opened the farm for self-guided tours. 

Apart from the opportunity to support this environmentally-conscious refuge, the highlights are an albino alligator, several decades-old tortoises that follow your every step, and the celebrity gator who stared along Adam Sandler in the 1996 film Happy Gilmore.

7. magic town

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES

Magic Town is a 3,000-square-foot living dollhouse that artist, Micheal Garman, describes on his website as “A gritty blend of Walt Disney and Normal Rockwell.” As Garman himself describes in an audio loop during your self-guided tour, in Magic Town, “Things aren’t what they seem.” Mirrors and holograms added to this sprawling complex of dioramas allow for some serious optical illusion trickery. Plan to spend at least an hour marveling over Garman’s unique world, one that took him 10 years and $1 million to complete.

We’ve been here! Check out our expanded article on Magic Town for a closer look at this must-see Colorado roadside attraction.

8. dinosaur ridge — morrison

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 30 minutes

Along a paved section of road known as Dinosaur Ridge Trail, visitors can see 15 fossil and geological sites including over 300 fossilized dinosaur tracks. Ripple marks from ocean wave currents made 100 million years ago can also be seen on your self-guided tour. And while the sites are marked by interpretive displays, there are guided tours and a hop on/hop off shuttle available for scheduling and purchase through the Dinosaur Ridge main visitor complex. More information can be found at their website, DinoRidge.org.

9. Manitou Springs Penny Arcade

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES

Tucked in behind the galleries and gift shops that line the main corridor of historic Manitou Springs is Arcade Amusements’ Penny Arcade, an anomaly of gaming nostalgia that might just rival those of your own childhood. Skeeball, pinball, Zoltar, horse racing—some of the games date back to the 1930s, and many of them are so strange and curious you can’t help but feed in a dime (yes, a dime) just to see what they do.

To discover more unique and off-the-beaten-path destinations, see our recent post on Colorado’s Best Hidden Gems.

10. florissant fossil beds

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER -2 HRS

In a quiet valley of central Colorado, visitors can walk among a petrified forest of redwoods formed by volcanic ash and an ancient lake, allowing a glimpse into what the state might have looked like 34 million years ago. Popularized as a commercial tourist destination in the 1920s to the mid 1960s—Walt Disney himself visited and bought an artifact in 1956—the site was established as a National Monument in 1969 protecting the area for future generations.

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