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All the United States Colorado

The Atlas Obscura Guide to Colorado

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


places map stories lists leaderboard
Sponsored By logo

Cities

Top Cities
Denver
Early morning snow flurries begin to transform one of Colorado Springs’ most spectacular locations.
Colorado Springs
Runoff Collection Pond from Mine Tailings in Leadville Mining District.
Leadville
The Durango-Silverton Train billows with steam along its 26-mile winter trek to Cascade Canyon.
Durango
Rainbow Falls
Manitou Springs
Opening of the cave.
Morrison
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. Central City
  13. Colorado Springs
  14. Commerce City
  15. Creede
  16. Crested Butte
  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. Grover
  32. La Junta
  33. Lake City
  34. Lakewood
  35. Leadville
  36. Littleton
  37. Longmont
  38. Loveland
  39. Manitou Springs
  40. Montrose
  41. Morrison
  42. Nathrop
  43. Nederland
  44. Ouray
  45. Pagosa Springs
  46. Pueblo
  47. Red Feather Lakes
  48. Trinidad
  49. Wheat Ridge
  50. Winter Park

Popular Cities

Denver Colorado Springs Leadville Manitou Springs Durango Morrison Boulder Pueblo Fort Collins Aspen Golden Estes Park Breckenridge Littleton Central City Cañon City Creede Lakewood Alamosa Del Norte Winter Park Antonito Trinidad Lake City Montrose Glenwood Springs Ouray Bedrock Dolores Bailey Cripple Creek Loveland Aurora Wheat Ridge Carbondale Broomfield Fruita Gateway Nathrop Crested Butte La Junta Grover Pagosa Springs Fairplay Florence Commerce City Red Feather Lakes Nederland Crestone Longmont

Do, See, and Listen

Curated for You

Sponsored By Visit Colorado logo
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nature

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Wondrous sandstone hoodoos where Native Americans collected clay for pottery, 9,000 years ago.

Story

Rodeos, Star Parties, and Festivals: Your Guide to Colorado’s Magical Summer Events

These are the block parties and summer shindigs Coloradans spend all year looking forward to.

Story

Meet The Black Cowboys Who Shaped Colorado History

The gunslingers, innovators, and explorers who carved their destinies from the sprawling promise of the West.

nature

Hanging Lake

Crystal clear lake with a shoreline of travertine located in a Colorado canyon.

Unusual Attractions in Colorado

Off the Beaten Path

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Calhan, Colorado

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Wondrous sandstone hoodoos where Native Americans collected clay for pottery, 9,000 years ago.

Sponsored by Visit Colorado
Added By
L. A. Burt
The lake (2)

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Hanging Lake

Crystal clear lake with a shoreline of travertine located in a Colorado canyon.

Sponsored by Visit Colorado
Added By
michaelmecseri
Stanley Hotel at sunrise.

Estes Park, Colorado

The Stanley Hotel

Paranormal experiences in this hotel's room 217 led Stephen King to write "The Shining."

Added By
Nick Jackson
Fresh snow accentuates a warm ancient Puebloan city.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park

The ancient dwellings of the Puebloans, located in the cliffs of majestic mesas.

Added By
Wythe Marschall
Fifty-Two 80’s

Denver, Colorado

Fifty-Two 80's

This modern antique shop is a museum for 1980's Saturday morning cartoon culture.

Added By
Daniel R. Thorne
Casa Bonita’s Lagoon

Lakewood, Colorado

Casa Bonita

At this Denver landmark, the meals are compulsory, the sopapillas are complimentary, and the insanity is everywhere.

Added By
sparepart23
Linger Eatuaries

Denver, Colorado

Linger Eatuaries

Once a mortuary that held the remains of Buffalo Bill, this Denver hotspot is now a death-fixated restaurant.

Added By
Shannon

Florence, Colorado

Desert Reef Hot Springs

This naturally-sourced hot spring is now home to a clothing-optional resort.

Added By
lisabethanderson
See All 312 places

Explore the Map

Hidden Wonders

What Do You Want to Do in Colorado

Museums (29) Mountains (28) History (25) History & Culture (22) Nature (22) Geology (21)

Colorado Stories

Articles and Podcasts

Museum of Friends

Podcast

The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free

Nestled in a small Colorado town is one of the best contemporary art museums in the state. Its collection didn’t cost a dime.

Read more
Written By
The Podcast Team
June 10, 2025
  • Enjoy stunning winter vistas on horseback at Saddleback Ranch

    forests

    Not Your Average Snow Day: 8 Wild Ways to Experience Winter Fun in Colorado

    Sponsored by Visit Colorado

  • Live out your western winter dreams on a horseride through the snow

    railroads

    Western Winter: Your Guide to Colorado’s Cowboy Culture

    Sponsored by Visit Colorado

  • Each fall, amorous male tarantulas prowl the Colorado plains in search of mates, who may or may not kill them.

    spiders

    Why Did the Spider Cross the Road?

    By Karuna Eberl

  • Trees and other plants can’t escape wildfire smoke.

    forests

    Trees Hold Their Breath to Avoid Wildfire Smoke

    By Delphine Farmer and Mj Riches

  • Homegrown herbs, farm-fresh eggs, and Colorado produce ground Hannah Hopkins’ dishes in local flavor.

    restaurants

    In Colorado, Chefs Are Taking Farm-to-Table to a Whole New Level

    Sponsored by Visit Colorado

  • Durango’s 140-year-old steam locomotive is just one of Colorado’s spectacular historic rail lines.

    forests

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

    Sponsored by Visit Colorado

  • science

    The Ancient Secrets Hidden in 41,000 Bison Bones

    By Stephen E. Nash

Lists

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

View List

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

View List

Itinerary

The painted hills create a natural colorscape in Oregon’s desert.

11 Out-of-This-World Places You Can Reach in Your Car

The best road trips are those that seem to take you to new worlds: surreal-looking beaches, wondrous parks, and roadside oddities that make you do a double take.
View Itinerary

Explore Colorado's Wonders This Summer

Plan Your Trip

Colorado Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. cyccommute
    33
  2. mikewalker
    31
  3. jusTodd
    5
  4. Devin San Luis
    5
  5. thomasharper
    5
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Colorado.

Places Edited

  1. cyccommute
    47
  2. mikewalker
    43
  3. breaingram
    41
  4. Collector of Experiences
    25
  5. ickaimp
    22

Places Visited

  1. jecka1
    209
  2. cyccommute
    205
  3. kevbot
    184
  4. back2silver
    166
  5. Ryon
    136

Recent Colorado Activity

  • TAYDERR

    has been to Ute Mountain Tribal Park

  • emmichard

    wants to go to Colorado-Nebraska-Wyoming Tri-State Marker

  • kathall77

    has been to Mile-High Steps at the Colorado State Capitol

  • kathall77

    has been to 'Unsinkable' Molly Brown House

  • kathall77

    has been to Blue Mustang

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