What are the military bases in Colorado? If you ever visit this state and want to drop by to see one of the military bases there, you are at the right place. There are seven bases in Colorado, including the Air Force, Space Force, and Army. Some of them even have sightseeing, zoos, and archeological sites open to guests.
Check out their exact locations in our list below.
Table of Contents
- List of 7 Military Bases in Colorado
- 1. U.S. Air Force Academy Base
- 2. Buckley Space Force Base (formerly called Buckley Air Force Base)
- 3. Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base (North American Air Defense Command or NORAD)
- 4. Peterson Air Force Base
- 5. Schriever Air Force Base
- 6. Fort Carson Base (U.S. Army)
- 7. Pueblo Chemical Depot Base (U.S. Army)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
List of 7 Military Bases in Colorado
You can find seven military bases in The Highest State. Three are military bases in Colorado Springs.
There are two bases under the US Army (one is for training, while the other is a chemical depot). The rest of the military bases on this list are for the U.S. Air Force.
Other old military bases, such as Fort Collins army base, no longer exist. There are also no Marine bases, Navy base, or Coast Guard bases anywhere in Colorado.
1. U.S. Air Force Academy Base
The U.S. Air Force Academy base is the most popular army base in Colorado, thanks to its wow-worthy chapel design.
The 19,000-acre site is situated in El Paso, Colorado, amidst breathtaking mountain views.
The U.S. Air Force Academy trains would-be Air Force and Space Force personnel. This facility has one of the most competitive admissions across all military branches.
The campus is also one of Colorado’s most popular tourist attractions with over a million annual visitors.
2. Buckley Space Force Base (formerly called Buckley Air Force Base)
Buckley air force base was built in 2001 as the National Guard’s eye-in-the-sky monitoring facility. Today, it now houses the 460th Space Wing.
The base still maintains its goal of defending America’s skies through missile detection, surveillance, space-based communication systems, and other similar tasks.
Note that Buckley AFB isn’t a base for training combat readiness.
3. Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base (North American Air Defense Command or NORAD)
The Cheyenne Mountain military base is the home of NORAD and considered one of the toughest and most unique military bases in the country.
As its name suggests, this base was constructed inside Cheyenne Mountain in 1956. Today, it houses around 200 military personnel from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and U.S. Army.
Soldiers working at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force work round the clock collecting data and intelligence via radars, sensors, and satellites.
Cheyenne Mountain is open to guests, but only within the zoo, archeological site, and other visitor areas.
4. Peterson Air Force Base
In 1942, Peterson Air Force Base was built to train bombers for combat in World War II.
The base was named after Edward Joseph Peterson, who died in an accident while serving in the Air Force.
Today, it is home to the Air Force Space Wing and is responsible for monitoring satellites. Peterson Air Force Base also sometimes serves as a runway for Colorado Springs Municipal Airport.
Peterson Air Force Base will likely be the base to act if and when a missile launches from any part of the world.
5. Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Space Force Base is also called Schriever SFB, Falcon Air Force Base, Falcon Air Force Station, and Shriever Air Force Base.
This military base is located in El Paso County with around 9,000 personnel working at the base at all times.
Built in the early 1980s, Schriever Air Force Base is now the home of the Missile Defense Agency, the Space Innovation and Development Center, and the 50th Space Wing. It is responsible for monitoring and controlling approximately 170 satellites.
6. Fort Carson Base (U.S. Army)
Fort Carson is one of the U.S. Army’s youngest installations. It is located in El Paso, between Highway 115 and Interstate 25, just southwest of Colorado Springs.
The 18,000-acre Fort Carson is Colorado’s only U.S. Army base. It was built in 1942 after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Since then, the base has hosted many different troops, allies from other countries included.
Today, there are around 14,000 soldiers from the Army Reserve, Colorado Army National Guard, Navy Reserve, and other U.S. Army divisions that call this base their home.
7. Pueblo Chemical Depot Base (U.S. Army)
The Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado is under the U.S. Army’s Chemical Materials Activity (CMA). This department is responsible for safely and securely storing chemical weapons stockpiles.
This area will join other closed military bases soon. It was announced in 2022 that Pueblo Chemical Depot has begun the closure of the plant and is expected to conclude in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many military bases are in Colorado?
There are six active military installations in Colorado. The seventh one (Pueblo Chemical Depot) is technically a military base, but does not train military personnel here.
Is there a military base in Colorado that is open to the public?
Except for Pueblo Chemical Depot, all other military bases in Colorado is open to the public.
Schedules vary for every Colorado base. All of them closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Is there an army base in Denver Colorado?
There is no Denver military base.
If you’re looking for the closest military base to the capital of Colorado, visit Buckley Space Force Base.
Is there a secret military base in Colorado?
The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is considered the secret military base in Colorado. It is a Space Force installation and defensive bunker built from 1961 to 1966.
What made this 5-acre military base a secret is how it is located 2,000 feet underground in Colorado Springs.
Conclusion
Anyone interested in joining the Air Force or Space Force would be thrilled to visit Colorado, thanks to the several Air Force bases open to the public here.
Whether you’re planning an educational field trip for your children, or just had been curious about what goes on inside these military bases, this post should help you decide which ones to visit first.
Now that you know what are the military bases in Colorado, you can start planning your trip to The Highest State and check off up to six bases from your bucket list.
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