Lookout Mountain
Visit Lookout Mountain to experience history, views, dining, shopping, picnicking and hiking. Lookout Mountain Park is a favorite destination for families, visitors to the area, and locals to bring their out-of-town guests to experience a little bit of the mountains close to home. The park is open year-round and opens one hour before sunrise and closes one hour after sunset.
A Grave with a View
William F. “Buffalo Bill” and Louisa Cody’s final resting place is a short walk from the museum and parking lot. The gravesite is approximately 200 yards from the museum along a paved trail with a 20 feet elevation in gain.
Observation Deck
The museum’s observation deck offers unparalleled views of the Rocky Mountain Front Range and the Great Plains. This area is open to the public free of charge and maintains the same hours as the park.
Pahaska Tepee Gift Shop and Café
The Pahaska Tepee, located next to the current museum, was constructed in 1921 as a museum, café, and gift shop following Buffalo Bill’s burial on Lookout Mountain. The museum moved next door into its current building in 1979.
The historic building is owned by the City and County of Denver and the gift shop and café are managed by a concession operator. The gift shop and café are currently open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Days).
At the end of 2024, the gift shop and café will temporarily close. This closure will facilitate operational changes, reduce lodes impacting the building’s mechanical systems, and will provide access for historic preservation efforts. To learn more visit https://denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Parks-Recreation/Urban-Parks/Mountain-Parks/Lookout-Mountain-Park-Pahaska-Tepee.
To reach the Pahaska Tepee Gift Shop and Café call (303) 526-9367 or email [email protected]. The gift shop and café’s address is 987 Lookout Mountain Road, Golden, Colorado 80401.
Picnicking
There are picnic tables on the museum observation deck and at the Pahaska Tepee Gift Shop and Café. They are available year-round on a first come, first served basis.
The historic stone Lookout Mountain Park Picnic Shelter is located right outside the gate to the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. The picnic site can be reserved May 1 through September 3 and is available on a first come, first served basis in the winter season. Please visit the Denver Parks and Recreation Rentals and Permits page for more information.
Bison Viewing
One of the City and County of Denver’s bison herds is located only 15 minutes by car from the Buffalo Bill Museum.
The Genesee Park herd has delighted travelers for over 100 years and represents Denver’s early involvement in bison conservation. The bison are free to roam but can usually be seen from three overlook points or by hiking on the trails around the bison pastures. Click here for a map to the bison.
Hiking
A one-mile mountain trail from the Buffalo Bill Museum parking lot leads to the Lookout Mountain Preserve and Nature Center and connects to the regional Windy Saddle and Beaver Brook Trail.
Auto Touring
The Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave is located on the Lariat Loop, a National Scenic Byway. A variety of full and half-day itineraries are available on the Lariat Loop’s website.
Parking
The museum offers free parking, accommodating cars, campers, trailers, buses, and bicycles. Overnight parking is not permitted.
