Filmmakers have flocked to Colorado, capturing its dramatic scenery in some of Hollywood’s most iconic films. For movie buffs, Colorado’s cinematic history offers a unique travel experience. Here’s your guide to some of the major films shot in Colorado, along with tips on visiting some of these locations.

Across the Wide Missouri (1951)
Engineer Mountain & Molas Lake

Based on the novel of the same name, this classic Western stars Clark Gable as an 1830s fur trapper who marries a Blackfoot princess to gain access to her tribe’s land and unexpectedly falls in love with her. The movie was filmed near Engineer Mountain and Molas Lake in the San Juan Mountains.

Travel Tip: Take a scenic drive along the San Juan Skyway, a 236-mile route that passes through Molas Lake, and stop for hiking or photography around Engineer Mountain.

Denver & Rio Grande (1952)
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 

This movie is a fictional dramatization of the real-life rivalry between the Denver and Rio Grande (D&RG) and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) as they fought for control over mountain railways. Filmed on the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this line is still in operation today, taking visitors on a scenic 45-mile journey through the San Juan Mountains. 

Travel Tip: Board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a classic steam engine ride through some of Colorado’s most stunning landscapes. While in Durango, explore the town’s historic charm and see the ancient cliff dwellings in nearby Mesa Verde National Park.

The Naked Spur (1953)
San Juan Mountains & Durango

Set in Colorado during the late 1860s, this gritty Western stars James Stewart as a bounty hunter tracking a criminal across the rugged San Juan Mountains. What distinguishes this film from others of its time is its raw, gritty and often bleak tone, exploring themes of greed, betrayal and the darker side of human nature.

How the West Was Won (1962)
Montrose & Silverton

First introduced in the 1950s, Cinerama was a groundbreaking technique that used three cameras to project a film onto a curved screen. How the West Was Won utilized this technique to capture the sweeping landscapes of the American frontier. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast, including John Wayne, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck and Debbie Reynolds, the film tells the multigenerational story of an Irish immigrant family exploring and settling the West. Parts of the film—particularly scenes in covered wagons—were shot in Colorado’s Uncompahgre National Forest. 

Travel Tip: Explore the town of Montrose, known for its proximity to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Few figures in Colorado’s history have achieved worldwide fame like Margaret “Molly” Brown, a wealthy Victorian-era socialite who had booked a passage on the RMS Titanic before it tragically sank. Fortunately, she survived the disaster. Starring Debbie Reynolds, the movie dramatizes Brown’s remarkable story, with parts of the film prominently featuring Black Canyon of the Gunnison near Montrose.

Cat Ballou (1965)
Buckskin Joe Frontier Town & Wet Mountain Valley

This satirical Western comedy stars Jane Fonda as a schoolteacher who assembles a band of outlaws to save her father’s ranch. The movie was filmed at Buckskin Joe Frontier Town near Cañon City and in the Wet Mountain Valley, an hour’s drive south. 

Travel Tip: Cañon City is known for the nearby Royal Gorge, where you can walk across one of the world’s highest suspension bridges.

True Grit (1969)
Wilson Peaks & Telluride

If any actor embodied 20th-century Westerns, it was John Wayne. Shot near Wilson Peaks and in Telluride, the film follows a determined young girl who hires a grizzled gunman (Wayne) to track down the man who murdered her father. Wayne, who only had one lung, can be seen struggling to catch his breath in some of the scenes, which makes his performance even more impressive.

Travel Tip: Telluride is famous for its skiing, upscale boutiques and fine dining. Stop by the True Grit Café in Ridgway for a meal surrounded by Western memorabilia.

Every Which Way But Loose (1978)
Georgetown & Denver

Action star Clint Eastwood stars in this comedy about a truck driver and his pet orangutan as they make their way to Denver to find the woman he loves, all while being pursued by cops and a biker gang. The second half of the movie was filmed on location in Georgetown, and at Sid King’s Crazy Horse Bar in Denver, which is no longer operating.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

There’s a certain irony in films that were meant to be the final chapter of a franchise but ultimately weren’t. The opening scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed along the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which also featured Antonito as Indy’s (played by Harrison Ford) childhood home.

Travel Tip: Take a ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which operates between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. Get tickets at CumbresToltec.com or call 888-286-2737.

Thelma & Louise (1991)
Grand Junction Area

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise is the story of a girls’ road trip that takes an unexpected turn. While most of the film was shot in Utah, some of the film’s early scenes were shot in Colorado, including U.S. 50 and State Route 139 in the Grand Junction area. 

Travel Tip: Grand Junction is the gateway to the Colorado National Monument and Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world.

About Schmidt (2002)
Denver’s Ogden Theatre

Starring Jack Nicholson, this drama centers on an elderly man whose wife passes away, prompting him to take a road trip from Omaha to Denver to visit his daughter before her wedding. While Denver doesn’t appear frequently in the movie, landmarks like the Ogden Theatre on Colfax Avenue make appearances.

Travel Tip: Catch a live show at the Ogden Theatre, then explore the nearby downtown area, where you can find trendy shops, craft breweries and a variety of dining options.

Catch and Release (2007)
Boulder

Romantic comedies often take place in big cities like Los Angeles and New York City, but this one is set in Boulder and filmed on location there. Boulderites will recognize familiar sites such as the Flatirons, Chautauqua Park, the Pearl Street Mall and a popular downtown watering hole known as The Sink. The film follows a young widow (played by Jennifer Garner) whose fiancé dies just days before their wedding. As she copes with his death, she uncovers secrets he kept from her, all while navigating her grief.

Travel Tip: Less than an hour’s drive west of Denver, hop aboard the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad for a scenic journey through the mountains, enjoy excellent fishing spots and explore Georgetown’s history at a handful of museums.