All United States Colorado

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Colorado

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

Updated November 21, 2024

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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. Central City
  13. Colorado Springs
  14. Commerce City
  15. Creede
  16. Crestone
  17. Cripple Creek
  18. Del Norte
  19. Denver
  20. Dolores
  21. Durango
  22. Estes Park
  23. Fairplay
  24. Florence
  25. Fort Collins
  26. Fruita
  27. Gateway
  28. Glenwood Springs
  29. Golden
  30. La Junta
  31. Lake City
  32. Lakewood
  33. Leadville
  34. Littleton
  35. Longmont
  36. Loveland
  37. Manitou Springs
  38. Montrose
  39. Morrison
  40. Nathrop
  41. Nederland
  42. Ouray
  43. Pueblo
  44. Red Feather Lakes
  45. Trinidad
  46. Wheat Ridge
  47. Winter Park

Unusual Attractions in Colorado

See All 295 Things To Do in Colorado

Seasonal Magic of Colorado

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Colorado

See all 15 Places to Eat in Colorado
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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 25
History 23
History & Culture 22
Geology 21
Nature 20
Memorials 20
Architecture 19

Colorado Leaderboard

Recent Colorado Activity

Stories About Colorado

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

Why Did the Spider Cross the Road?

In Colorado, tap-dancing male tarantulas risk everything for love—including becoming lunch.
by Karuna Eberl
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

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

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