Entry No. 15 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: outdoor
Bingham Hill Cemetery
Larimer County's oldest cemetery, established around 1862, sits on a hillside just west of Overland Trail near LaPorte — a small, under-two-acre plot holding upwards of 300 burials from Colorado's territorial era. Most early graves had no markers at all; wooden headstones rotted away unrecorded. The site was largely forgotten until 1987, when neighbor Rose Brinks spent years researching newspapers and conducting interviews to identify more than 150 people buried here and published her findings. Among the graves: Barbara Bingham, who died of a nosebleed at 19 the day before her wedding in 1876; three grandchildren of Eliza Robertson, ages three to six, who died of smallpox in 1911. A community guest book near the white metal gate entrance has collected over 50,000 visitor signatures.
The story
In November 1862, John Provost buried his infant son on a wind-scoured hillside west of Overland Trail. That single unmarked grave started Larimer County’s oldest cemetery—a two-acre scrap of territorial Colorado where upwards of 300 early settlers, miners, and children were laid to rest. Most families had no money for carved granite; they drove pine boards into the dirt or placed simple river rocks. Within a few decades, the wood rotted away, weeds swallowed the mounds, and Fort Collins essentially forgot the site ever existed.
It stayed lost until 1987, when neighbor Rose Brinks decided to uncover who was lying beneath the brush. She spent years digging through dusty newspaper archives, hospital ledgers, and family oral histories, eventually identifying more than 150 people resting in the soil. Her research resurfaced devastating particulars: 19-year-old Barbara Bingham, who died of an uncontrollable nosebleed the day before her 1876 wedding, and three grandchildren of Eliza Robertson—ages three, four, and six—who all died of smallpox in 1911.
What makes Bingham Hill eerie isn't theatrical ghost lore; it's how intimate and unpolished it remains. It rests on private land, maintained by local volunteers who keep the gate unlatched for quiet visitors. Near the entrance, a weather-beaten wooden box holds a guestbook that has logged over 50,000 signatures—a running tally of living strangers stepping off the paved road to read names that were almost erased.
What it's like
Pull off onto the narrow dirt shoulder along Bingham Hill Road, unlatch the simple white metal gate, and follow the short wooden boardwalk onto the hillside. You won't find paved avenues or manicured lawns here—just native grasses, sagebrush, weathered rock slabs, and modest markers installed after Brinks mapped the terrain. You didn't hear it from us, but visiting right at golden hour is unmatched when the light cuts across the foothills behind the headstones. There are no restrooms, trash cans, or water fountains on site, so pack out whatever you bring in and keep your steps strictly to the cleared paths.
The move: Walk the short boardwalk path in through the gate at golden hour, read the weathered stones aloud to each other, and talk about the lives behind the names. Follow up with a drink at the Howling Cow Cafe in nearby Bellvue, where Rose Brinks's book on the cemetery is sold.
📍 Before you go The cemetery sits on private land; respectful visitors are welcome but no formal hours are posted. Access is through a white metal gate on Bingham Hill Road — park on the road shoulder and follow the dirt path and boardwalk in. No restrooms on site. The Historic Larimer County organization offers arranged tours through Judy Jackson (historiclarimercounty.org). Bring your own water; the closest services are in LaPorte or Bellvue.
- 📍 Fort Collins
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Bingham Hill Road, LaPorte, CO 80535 (just west of N Overland Trail Rd)
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Avery House — Follow up an afternoon among raw pioneer graves with a tour of Fort Collins's grandest Victorian residence, where early town history feels considerably more polished.
- Northern Colorado Astronomical Society Dark-Sky Star Parties — Combine a dusk stroll among territorial headstones with deep-space observation at nearby foothill stargazing spots.
- The Lyric Cinema (Outdoor Lawn Screen & Cult Nights) — Transition from a solitary historic hillside to an open-air cult movie night on the lawn at North College's indie movie house.
- Speak Cheesy Lounge — Swap the windswept 1800s hillside for a drink in a hidden century-old basement lounge tucked underneath a pizza shop.
Good to know
Where do I park and how do I get in?
Park carefully on the gravel road shoulder along Bingham Hill Road near the white sign. Access is through a white metal gate; unlatch it, close it behind you, and follow the dirt path and boardwalk.
Are there set hours or admission fees?
It is free to visit and sits on private land without formal posted operating hours, though visitors are expected to enter only during daylight hours and respect the quiet nature of the grounds.
Can I get a guided tour of the cemetery?
Yes—Historic Larimer County occasionally organizes historic walks led by local experts like Judy Jackson. You can inquire through historiclarimercounty.org.
Where can I read more about the stories of the people buried here?
Rose Brinks published a full book detailing her years of research on the cemetery's residents. Copies are available just up the road at the Howling Cow Cafe at Morning Fresh Dairy in Bellvue.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: historiclarimercounty.org · northerncoloradohistory.com · morningfreshdairy.com · poudreheritage.org · coloradoan.com
last checked: 2026-06-11