Recreation Opportunities in Fowler, Colorado

MUNICIPAL SWIMMING POOL
PHONE: (719) 680-0753

Swimming Pool Hours:
Open 7 days a week from 12:30 P.M to 5:00 P.M (Whistle blows at 4:45)

Lap Swim: Monday - Friday from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Night Swim: Sunday and Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m

NOTE: All pool hours are contingent upon the weather. Evening swim sessions may close early due to a lack of attendance.

(If the pool closes due to weather before 3:00 pm a one day pass will be provided if the pool closes after 3:00 pm no refunds will be provided)

Check out our facebook page @ fowler public swimming pool

POOL FEES

Age 2 & UNDER...FREE

Age 3-18…………...$4.00

Adults…………….....$4.00

SWIM PASSES

Age 3-18…………...$86.00

Adults………………..$86.00

PASSES GOOD FOR 24 VISITS

LAP SWIM

$7.00 PER VISIT

11:30 am to 12:30 pm M-F

POOL RENTAL- MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS

$150.00 PER 3 HOUR SESSION, 100 PATRONS OR LESS

$200.00 PER 3 HOUR SESSION, MORE THAN 100 PATRONS

(REQUIRES A REFUNDABLE $50.00 DEPOSIT FOR DAMAGE, CLEANUP AND CANCELLATIONS ON ALL POOL RENTALS)

(Cancellation notice of 7 days prior to reservation is required for refund)

Cottonwood Links Golf Course

1 Cottonwood Lane
Phone: (719) 263-4500
https://www.cottonwoodlinks.com/

2023 Green Fees

9 Holes ……………………….$20.00
18 Holes …………………….$30.00
Youth under 15…………..$10.00 all day

2023 Cart Rental Fees

$20.00 per person for 18 holes
$15.00 per person for 9 holes
Pull carts $5.00

Hours

Monday thru Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday, Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Things To Do in the Fowler Area

Fowler Historical Museum

The History of our hometown and surrounding area is represented at the Fowler Historical Museum. History memorabilia is collected from the files of the Fowler Historical Society and Museum.

The Museum is located at 114 Main Street in Fowler, Colorado. Visit the website for more information: Fowler Historical Museum.

Outdoor Activities

Southeast Colorado is one of the best-kept secrets of the state. Around the Fowler area, outdoor enthusiasts will find miles of trails and rural roads just right for hiking, biking, or plain exploring — all within minutes of Fowler.

The area abounds with natural beauty. From the red-hued cliffs and steep bluffs of the Purgatory River to the open high plains of Comanche National Grassland, you can get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and slow down a bit. Bird-watching expeditions, wildflower excursions, or historic journeys back in time are yours — all within a short distance from Fowler.

Boating and Fishing

There are many boating and fishing opportunities in the area.

Popular boating and fishing locations within a short drive of Fowler include Lake Henry and Meredith, the Arkansas River, and several small ponds.

John Martin and Lake Hasty are located off Hwy 50 near Hasty. John Martin Reservoir State Park is about 60 miles east of Fowler. This massive lake was created by the damning of the Arkansas River in the 1930s. The length of the dam is 2.6 miles, with a height of 118 feet. Its discharge capacity is 639,200 feet, with a drainage area of 18,913 square miles. Today, the lake is open for boating and skiing, as well as fishing for bass, crappie, and trout.

John Martin State Park
Contact: Army Corp. of Engineers
Phone: (719) 336-3476

Premier Bird Watching

Over 300 species of birds inhabit the area around Fowler. Quails, pheasants, doves, bald eagles, golden eagles, ducks, geese, hawks, lesser prairie chickens, and longbill curlew are just a few of the species to be found by astute bird watchers. From the short grass prairies and rugged canyons south of town to the Arkansas River basin on the north edge of town, popular bird-watching spots are just minutes away.

Comanche National Grasslands

The primary purpose of the Grasslands is the responsible management of 419,495 acres of range lands and the wildlife management of approximately 275 different species of birds that use or live here. In addition, there are about 40 different species of reptiles, 9 amphibians, and 11 fish in the grasslands. Lions, bears, antelope, foxes, and bobcats are among the mammals that inhabit the more remote regions.

Picketwire Canyon

Located just a few miles from Fowler, Picketwire Canyon is great for a more strenuous adventure. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the canyon except for guided tours led by Comanche National Grassland rangers. The canyon is open to the public, though trailheads on the mesa above the canyon offer access to Picketwire Canyon for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Picketwire Canyon contains one of the largest dinosaur track beds in the world, ruins of an old Mexican mission and settlement, Native American Rock Art, and an early 19th-century ranch, now preserved by the Comanche National Grassland.

Dinosaur Tracks – Along the Purgatory River, tracks from dinosaurs, such as Apatosaurus (brontosaurus), Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus, are found. The area has come under serious scientific investigation in recent years. But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, the dinosaur tracks were a well-guarded secret until letters in Life Magazine and Scientific American in 1935 reported the existence of dinosaur trackways in the Purgatory Valley, called Rio De Las Animas Pedidas or River of Lost Souls. The track site is considered to be the largest continuously mapped site in North America, with over 1,300 footprints in 4 different layers of rock.

Vogel Canyon

Just a short drive from La Junta, beautiful Vogel Canyon is always a popular destination because it has something for everybody — from a short hike to a quiet picnic. The canyon is a tributary of the Purgatory River and offers a varied habit from short grass prairies to the pinion-juniper ecosystem. Two permanent springs located at the bottom of the canyon support a variety of wildlife.

Native Americans lived in the canyon 300-800 years ago and left rock art visible on the canyon walls. There are historic ruins of an old stage station and numerous homesteads to be found in the canyon. Walls constructed of native stone from the heavy 19th-century ranching days can be found throughout the canyon.

Four hiking trails take you to the canyon bottom and mesa top. The park provides picnic grounds and hiking trails with a variety of difficulty and length. Hikers must beware of rattlesnakes and scorpions, as well as pack the appropriate dress for late afternoon showers.

Comanche National Grasslands
Picketwire & Vogel Canyons and Dinosaur Tracks
Contact: Colleen Oquist, U.S. Forest Service
Phone: (719) 384-2181

The Santa Fe Trail

Fowler is located in the heart of the Old Santa Fe Trail country. U.S. Highway 50 from the Kansas border through La Junta and U.S. Highway 350 from La Junta to Trinidad follows the "Mountain Route" of the Santa Fe Trail. Here on Highway 350, on your way to Trinidad, you can easily travel and explore the old trail by car. Faint traces of the old wagon ruts can still be seen just outside of La Junta and along Highway 350 at various locations.

West U.S. Highway 50, from La Junta through Fowler and on into Pueblo along the Arkansas River, follows a spur of the old Santa Fe Trail. Long a favorite route for Native Americans, fur trappers, gold seekers, and later settlers. This was the route that led to the fabled "Shinning Mountains" — today known as the Rocky Mountains.

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is located just 35 miles from Fowler and over 150 years back in time. This reconstructed trading post located on the Santa Fe Trail was the last United States outpost before crossing the Arkansas River and entering Mexico. It became the most important frontier hub during the era of “Manifest Destiny” for a growing young country. American trade and influence radiated from here south into Mexico, west into the Great Basin, and north to southern Wyoming.

The Fort was originally built in 1833-34 by brothers Charles and William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain for the Native American fur trade but soon became an important stop along the Santa Fe Trail. In its heyday, it was known as the only civilization between Independence, Missouri, and Santa Fe, Mexico. This early 19th-century fort is filled with period furnishings and hosts historic re-enactors throughout the year during several special events.

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Contact: Park Manager
Phone: (719) 384-2596

Boggsville Historic Site

Boggsville stands apart in the history of this region as the only non-military settlement along the Santa Fe Trail. The small settlement is located on the Purgatory River, two miles south of present-day Las Animas.

Boggsville was founded in 1862 by Thomas O. Boggs, his wife Rumalda Luna Bent (stepdaughter of Charles Bent), L.A. Allen, and Charles Ritc. In 1867, the noted frontiersman, Kit Carson, moved to Boggsville. This was his last home before his death in 1868 at Ft. Lyon.

During its short lifespan from 1867 through 1873, when the railroad arrived, Boggsville was important as a center for agriculture, government, commerce, and culture.

In 1985, the site was acquired by the Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County. The site is currently being restored to its former glory. The restored and reconstructed buildings already completed offer a personal experience of life on the frontier for the visitor.

Santa Fe National Historic Trail