El Vado Motel is a Colorado Hidden Gem known for its Junk Art
Colorado has some famous, historic hotels and motels that are pretty well-known to not just residents, but people that live outside of state lines as well. The Stanley Hotel was featured in Stephen King's The Shining, Hotel Colorado is notoriously haunted as well, and one Denver hotel is even filled with dinosaur bones.
However, one old motel is far less-known, but there's a chance you've driven past it and if so, your eye was likely caught by a couple of big piles of junk tastefully made into art.
Keep scrolling to learn about Colorado's El Vado Motel.
Colorado's El Vado Motel + its Junk Art
Colorado's El Vado Motel once lived as a motel, then apartments, and currently sits mostly empty. However, the historic property was purchased by a man named Jim Parks back in 1992 who would transform the building and its front yard into something remarkable.
Nearly 10 years after purchasing the property at 36992 Boulder Canyon Drive, Parks became inspired by a bicycle race that was set to take place in the canyon. The man was motivated to create something eye-catching for the riders and piled a bunch of old junk upon some old tree stumps in the yard in front of the motel and when the cyclists rode by, his mission was accomplished.
One of the pieces is filled with everyday junk that carries a metaphor of the way that people often work themselves to death, and the other is filled with sporting goods directly inspired by the aforementioned race in 2012.
You can visit the wide spot in the road that is near the old motel and works of art, but trespassing is prohibited as it is still private land.
However, you can check out the hidden gem here: