Bent’s Fort to Host American Mountain Men

Bent’s Old Fort will host the American Mountain Men Western Territorial Encampment, October 22-25, 2014. Visitors are especially invited to the park on Saturday, October 25 to visit the camps and the 50 to 60 mountain men.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site will host the Fall 2014 Territorial Encampment of the American Mountain Men, October 22-25, 2014.  Between 50 and 60 re-enactors are expected to take part in the encampment which will be located in the cottonwood grove between the fort and the Arkansas River.

Visitors are invited to visit the camp and interact with the mountain men on Saturday, October 25 from 9 am to 4 pm.  They can expect to see a historically correct picture of the life and times of the legendary trappers of the Rockies with the fort as the backdrop.

The American Mountain Men (AMM) hold “Territorials” each years hosted by one of the Western brigades.  Bent’s Fort was chosen for its central location, its setting, and its relation to the fur trade.  Together the fort and encampment will offer a terrific learning environment for participating AMM members and visitors alike.  A spokesman for AMM does respectfully ask that visitors “do not feed or poke the mountain men.”

American Mountain Men is “an association of individuals dedicated to the preservation of the traditions and ways of our nation’s greatest, most daring explorers and pioneers, the Mountain Men; to the actual conservation of our nation’s remaining natural wilderness and wildlife; and to the ability of our members to survive alone, under any circumstances, using only what nature has to offer. Although we are now world-wide, we are not a large group. We are not interested in the quantity of members; we are interested in the quality of members. Our members are the best and proud of it.”

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site is located 8 miles east of La Junta or 13 miles west of Las Animas on Colorado Highway 194.  There is no admission fee to visit the AMM Encampment, but there is a fee for touring the fort of $3 for those 13 and older; $2 ages 6 -12; 5 and under are free.  National Park passes are also accepted for touring the fort.  The park is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm.