SOUTHERN COLORADO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

Bent County

Bent County is located on the Arkansas River in Southeast Colorado. The river provides water for irrigation, recreation and wildlife. The Santa Fe Trail traverses the north side of the Arkansas River and lies parallel to Highway 50.

Bent's Old Fort, which is located between Las Animas and La Junta, was a major stopping point on the Santa Fe Trail. Just south of the trail is Boggsville. It was the first Southeast Colorado settlement that was not fortified. In 1862 Thomas O. Boggs founded the settlement on the banks of the Purgatoire River.

John Prowers and Kit Carson moved here in 1867. Two of the original structures (Prowers and Boggs houses) have been restored by the Pioneer Historical  Society of Bent County. Boggs settled here to grow food and provide other provisions for soldiers at Fort Lyon Military Reservation. Fort Lyon is presently a VA nursing home facility and National cemetery.

The many lakes in the area provide places to swim, picnic, camp, jet boat, water ski, sail and windsurf. John Martin Reservoir is the largest body of water in Southeast Colorado. It is located on the Arkansas River just off Highway 50. Other bodies of water in the area are Lake Hasty and Adobe Creek Reservoir (also known as Blue Lake).

Bent County offers excellent fishing for channel catfish, bass, wipers, bullhead, crappie and tiger muskie. The Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks the reservoirs regularly and frequently reports catches of wiper and channel catfish of up to 15 pounds. Five of the last six state record wipers were caught from John Martin Reservoir.

Bent County's river valley and reservoirs offer more than 30,000 acres of public-access hunting lands. Wild game includes pronghorn antelope, mule deer, whitetail deer, pheasant, quail, wild turkey and dove. In Bent County you can also see wintering bald eagles and golden eagles, hawks, herons, sandhill cranes and hummingbirds.

Southern Colorado Economic Development District (SCEDD)
1104 N. Main St.
Pueblo, CO  81003

(719) 545-8680 - (719) 545-9908 Fax

Toll Free 877-252-7297