The South Platte River Trail begins at the Colorado Welcome Center. Information signs mark the original townsite of Julesburg; near Julesburg, the trail passes the site of Colorado’s only Pony Express home station. This connects several specific points of interest in the history of the South Platte River.
Trading Posts, Museums, and Architectural History
Jules Beni established a trading post at the Upper Crossing of the South Platte River in the late 1850s. The small post later grew to include a stagecoach station, a stable, a store, and a blacksmith shop. Together, these sites show how the trading post developed: alongside trade, later additions included accommodations for draft animals, a workshop, and a store.
The area’s architectural history offers different perspectives, too. The Sedgwick County Courthouse is an example of WPA Art Deco architecture. Built in 1919, the Hippodrome Theatre was Julesburg’s first theater building designed specifically for film screenings. The Julesburg Public Library building dates to 1937; its project combined local funds with a Works Progress Administration grant from the Great Depression era. These three examples represent different topics: architectural style, a purpose-built movie theater, and the development of a library project.
The Fort Sedgwick Museum and Depot Museum displays artifacts and memorabilia related to the Union Pacific Railroad, the Pony Express, Indigenous peoples, and early pioneers. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is accessible in accordance with ADA standards. Visitors interested in the region’s history will find both its listing and its collection areas useful for planning a visit.
Nature, Fishing, and Seasonal Highlights
At the Sedgwick Bar State Wildlife Area, you can hike and observe wildlife. Visitors aged 16 and older need a valid hunting or fishing license or an SWA pass to access the area. Since access rules may change, check the requirements again before your visit.
Jumbo Reservoir is noted as a popular birdwatching spot in Sedgwick County. The bird groups listed there include resident and migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, hawks, golden eagles, bald eagles, and owls. This variety includes waterfowl as well as several kinds of birds of prey and owls. In autumn, orange, red, and yellow foliage appears along the South Platte River Trail.
There are several fishing options, too: access to the South Platte River near Julesburg offers fishing opportunities, and Julesburg also offers fishing in the river’s backwaters. DePoorter Lake has a covered picnic area and a restroom facility. These details can help you plan wildlife watching, fishing, and a break around their respective points of interest, without combining the activities into a single route.
The Sedgwick County Fair takes place in August. Its program includes arts and crafts, livestock, rodeo, 4-H livestock shows, food, a parade, dancing, and barbecue; offerings may change. The August fair and the fall colors along the South Platte River Trail are separate seasonal highlights to consider if you want to plan your visit around an event or changing scenery.
Discover more destinations: Julesburg, Gilpin County, Broomfield, Teller County, Otero, Douglas, Las Animas, Adams
View the main travel overview: Colorado.
