All United States Colorado

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Colorado

292 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Colorado

Updated October 3, 2024

Email

Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Alamosa
  2. Antonito
  3. Aspen
  4. Aurora
  5. Bailey
  6. Bedrock
  7. Boulder
  8. Breckenridge
  9. Broomfield
  10. Cañon City
  11. Carbondale
  12. Cascade
  13. Central City
  14. Colorado Springs
  15. Commerce City
  16. Creede
  17. Crestone
  18. Cripple Creek
  19. Del Norte
  20. Denver
  21. Dolores
  22. Durango
  23. Estes Park
  24. Fairplay
  25. Florence
  26. Fort Collins
  27. Fruita
  28. Gateway
  29. Glenwood Springs
  30. Golden
  31. La Junta
  32. Lake City
  33. Lakewood
  34. Leadville
  35. Littleton
  36. Longmont
  37. Loveland
  38. Manitou Springs
  39. Montrose
  40. Morrison
  41. Nathrop
  42. Nederland
  43. Ouray
  44. Pueblo
  45. Red Feather Lakes
  46. Trinidad
  47. Wheat Ridge
  48. Winter Park

Unusual Attractions in Colorado

See All 292 Things To Do in Colorado

Discover More in Colorado

Sponsored By Visit Colorado

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Colorado

See all 15 Places to Eat in Colorado
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Sponsored By Visit Colorado

Uncover the Magic

Learn More and Plan Your Trip

Click Here

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

9 Hidden Wonders in Eastern Colorado

Sponsored by Visit Colorado

Colorado is known for its towering mountains adorned with wildflowers, waterfalls, and endless hiking trails; however, some of its best kept secrets lie on the eastern half of the state. This adventure will take you to the furthest reaches of Colorado’s beautiful prairie and up into the pristine foothills of the Wet Mountains - all places seldom visited and teeming with intrigue. The locations below have been hand-picked for their uniqueness and ability to inspire you to journey through time via some of Colorado’s most obscure and interesting haunts found on the high plains.

View Itinerary

Explore Colorado

Museums 27
Mountains 24
History 23
History & Culture 22
Geology 21
Nature 20
Architecture 19
Memorials 18

Colorado Leaderboard

Recent Colorado Activity

Stories About Colorado

Trees and other plants can’t escape wildfire smoke.

Trees Hold Their Breath to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

Researchers made the surprise discovery when wildfire smoke blanketed their test site.
by Delphine Farmer and Mj Riches
Durango’s 140-year-old steam locomotive is just one of Colorado’s spectacular historic rail lines.

Ride the Rails to Discover Hidden History and Incredible Hiking in Colorado

Follow the footsteps of cowboys and coal miners—and catch a rare glimpse of the state’s wild inner core.
Sponsored by Visit Colorado

The Ancient Secrets Hidden in 41,000 Bison Bones

Thousands of bones from Colorado's Jones-Miller site offer a detailed picture of Ice Age hunting—and a few mysteries.
by Stephen E. Nash
An 1868 image of Pikes Peak, towering over lesser mountains, by Leon Jean-Baptiste Sabatier.

Colorado's Pikes Peak Is an Eclipse Hot Spot (for 2045)

The Mountain West helped put American science on the map during the 1878 total solar eclipse, and it's the place to be for the next big American eclipse.
by Rebecca Boyle
The eclipse of 1878 as observed from Wyoming.

How the 1878 Eclipse Almost Killed the Father of American Meteorology

Today’s National Weather Service might be very different if Cleveland Abbe had died on Pikes Peak.
by Eric Grundhauser
Honeypot ants feed on sweet nectar and death.

All Winter, These Ants Make the Ultimate Sweet Sacrifice to Their Colony

Their syrupy death is medicinal for humans, too.
by Shoshi Parks
Daniel Hogan and Eli Schwat tow a sled of gear out to the Kettle Ponds study site this March.

The Curious Case of the Colorado River’s Missing Water

Researchers are trying to unravel the mystery of snow that falls but never shows up in the river.
by Bella Biondini
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: On the Map Crossword

by AO Puzzles

Lists Featuring Colorado

Shrine of the Stations of the Cross
Fresh snow accentuates a warm ancient Puebloan city.

18 Places in Colorado to Discover Local Culture–From Past to Present

Sponsored by Colorado Tourism Office
18

Including Chimney Rock , Tabor Opera House, and Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

Star trails trace the night sky above snow-covered mountains and sand dunes.
Unaweep Divide, west.
Wheeler Geologic Area

18 Colorado Adventures That Will Take Your Breath Away (Literally)

Sponsored by Colorado Tourism Office
18

Including Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve , Unaweep Canyon, and La Ventana Arch

5-8-22
The last coal-burning steam engine.
The Sasquatch Outpost

15 Quirky Places to Visit on Your Next Colorado Family Road Trip

Sponsored by Colorado Tourism Office
15

Including Swetsville Zoo, Breckenridge Troll, and Steam Engine 638

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups.

Learn More