Four white Indian lodges on a grassy plain.
Cheyenne and Arapaho Lodges erected in commemoration of the 150th Year of the Sand Creek Massacre NPS Photo/Shawn G. Gillette

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

National Historic Site · Colorado · National Park Service

On November 29th, 1864, Chiefs Black Kettle, White Antelope, Left Hand and others were encamped with around 750 Arapaho and Cheyenne people in a valley by the Big Sandy Creek. A hope for peace, brought forth by Black Kettle was in the balance. It was a tragic day where the blood of the Cheyenne and Arapaho was shed, and a painful memory for generations of Native Americans was made.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking

Know before you go

Phone
7194385916
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Military · US Army · Indigenous and Native Warrior · Native American Heritage · Social Movements · Tragic Events · Massacres · Wars and Conflicts · Indian and Frontier Wars · Civil War · Westward Expansion · The Gold Rush · Grasslands · Prairies

Activities & features: Guided Tours · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • A lone tipi frame and two wayside signs stand in a snow-covered landscape
    NPS Photo/Shawn G. Gillette
  • The uppermost branches of leafless trees in a grassy plain are lit by the setting sun.
    NPS Photo/Jeff Campbell
  • An expanse of winter prairie with brown grasses, leafless trees, and low clouds above.
    NPS Photo/Jeff Campbell
  • A wayside in the snow-covered foreground with a winter plain stretching behind.
    NPS Photo/Shawn G. Gillette
  • A lone tipi stands on a prairie landscape in predawn light.
    NPS Photo
  • The cloud mass of a summer thunderstorm looms in the distance beyond the park entrance sign
    NPS/T. Jobe
  • A park ranger points in the distance as two visitors stand before an outdoor exhibit panel.
    NPS Photo

Nearby parks

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54 parks mapped in Colorado

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Guides for the trip

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Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12