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Bent County is located on the Arkansas River in Southeast Colorado. The river provides water for irrigation, recreation, and wildlife. The Santa Fe Trail traverses the north side of the Arkansas River and lies parallel to Highway 50.

 Bent's Old Fort, which is between Las Animas and La Junta, was a major stopping point on the Santa Fe Trail. Just south of the trail is Boggsville. It was the first Southeast Colorado settlement that was not fortified. In 1862 Thomas O. Boggs founded the settlement on the banks of the Purgatoire River.

 John Prowers and Kit Carson moved here in 1867. Two of the original structures (Prowers and Boggs houses) have been restored by the Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County. Boggs settled here to grow food and provide other provisions for soldiers at Fort Lyon Military Reservation. Fort Lyon is presently a VA nursing home facility and National cemetery. The Boggsville Historic Site just south of Las Animas was once the hub of the county, but by 1880 it had become just another farm and ranch. Tours anad educational programs are part of the restored area.

 The many lakes in the area provide places to swim, picnic, camp, jet boat, water ski, sail, and windsurf. John Martin Reservoir is the largest body of water in Southeast Colorado. It is located on the Arkansas River, just off Highway 50. Other bodies of water in the area are Lake Hasty and Adobe Creek Reservoir (also known as Blue Lake).

 Bent County offers excellent fishing for channel catfish, bass, wipers, bullhead, crappie, and tiger muskie. The Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks the reservoirs regularly and frequently reports catches of wiper and channel catfish of up to 15 pounds. Five out of the last six state record wipers were caught from John Martin Reservoir.

 Bent County's river valley and reservoirs offer more than 30,000 acres of public-access hunting lands. Wild game includes pronghorn antelope, mule deer, whitetail deer, pheasant, quail, wild turkey, and dove. In Bent County you can also see wintering bald eagles and golden eagles, hawks, herons, sandhill cranes, and hummingbirds.