10 Great Movies Filmed in Colorado

Also known as “The Centennial State,” Colorado has it all. The snow-peaked Rocky Mountains are stunning, yet the state is also known for its arid desert, gorgeous river canyons, Native American ruins, and a vibrant cowboy and outdoor culture with skiing in Aspen and Vail. Many movies filmed in Colorado take advantage of its stunning mountain landscape. If you’re looking to film something of your own, consider Peerspace for your production locations—it’s an excellent resource for locating unique photo and film shoot locations in Colorado.

1. True Grit (1969)

This movie is a Western classic, starring John Wayne as US Marshal Rooster Cogburn and Kim Darby as his sidekick Mattie Ross. When Mattie’s father is murdered, she hires Cogburn to find his killer because she’s heard that Cogburn has “true grit.” The movie was filmed in the small town of Ouray, just south of Aspen in the Rocky Mountains, and is a classic among movies filmed in Colorado.

2. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Butch Cassidy is played by Paul Newman and the Sundance Kid is played by Robert Redford in this historical fiction drama, which also contains a lot of comedy. After a string of train robberies, Butch and Sundance are on the run from the US Marshals. When the law starts to close in, the duo head to Bolivia with Sundance’s girlfriend, played by Katharine Ross.

As far as Colorado shooting locations go, the real Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway figures in several robberies. Also, Butch and Sundance make an exciting jump into the river at the Trimble Bridge over the Animas River. This is yet another standout among movies filmed in Colorado.

3. Sleeper (1973)

This Woody Allen classic also stars Diane Keaton in a futuristic science-fiction comedy about a cryogenically preserved man (Allen) who goes to the hospital in 1973 and wakes up in 2173. Allen finds himself in Keaton’s house in 2173, where he pretends to be her butler before telling her the truth about his predicament.

The futuristic “house” of Keaton’s character is an actual location in Denver called the Church of the Risen Christ. The National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder is another “futuristic” scientific laboratory that is featured prominently.

4. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

This is a road comedy directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as Clark and Ellen Griswold, who plan a cross-country road trip for the family from Chicago to Southern California to visit Walley World, otherwise known as “America’s Favorite Family Fun Park.”

Anything that can go wrong does go wrong as the family trip proceeds across the country, but you’ll be happy to know they do indeed get to visit Walley World before they’re apprehended by the California SWAT team.

5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Steven Spielberg directed this action-adventure sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Harrison Ford returns as Dr. Indiana Jones. He is joined in this sequel by his father, played by Sean Connery, and River Phoenix as a young Indiana Jones. The film takes place primarily in 1938 and follows Jones as he searches for his scholarly father who has been kidnapped by Nazis.

The Colorado scenes are filmed on the desert train, the real-life Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito, CO. The circus train is on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Durango, CO. Other scenes were shot in Alamosa, Pagosa Springs, and Cortez.

6. Die Hard 2 (1990)

This action thriller film is the second film in the Die Hard film franchise. Of course, Bruce Willis returns as John McClane, who we first encounter on Christmas Eve as he is meeting his wife’s plane as she flies into Washington Dulles.

When terrorists take over the air traffic control system, McClane realizes he must rescue the air traffic control tower before his wife’s plane and all the other traffic that is circling over Washington, DC, run out of fuel and crash. Stapleton International Airport in Denver is a stand-in for Washington Dulles Airport, which is where most of Die Hard 2 takes place.

7. Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Jim Carrey plays Lloyd Christmas and Jeff Daniels plays Harry Dunne in this classic comedy. The two benevolent idiots from Rhode Island set off on a cross country road trip to Aspen, CO, to return a briefcase full of money to the person they think is the owner.

Unbeknownst to them, the money had been left as ransom, and the duo soon finds themselves being chased across the country by criminals. The Colorado filming locations include Breckenridge’s Main Street as a stand-in for Aspen. Harry also goes skiing at the Copper Mountain Resort.

8. Independence Day (1996)

Roland Emmerich directs this science-fiction action film with an ensemble cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Fierstein, and Mary McDonnell. When the world is attacked by an extraterrestrial race, humanity somehow converges in the Nevada desert.

The governments of the world then unite to launch a counter attack on July 4, otherwise known as Independence Day, but now with a much bigger meaning. Many of the military scenes were shot at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

9. The Prestige (2006)

This mystery thriller film stars Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier and Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, two con men in 1890s London who work for a famous magician. Angier and Borden both go on to be famous magicians in their own right, competing in the American West where they both try to make their fortunes.

The filmmakers use Colorado’s historic railways, with the train scenes coming from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. Yet another fantastic location among movies filmed in Colorado.

10. Blades of Glory (2007)

This comedy film stars Will Ferrell and Jon Heder as competing professional figure skaters who have both been banned from competition. They both discover a loophole in the rulebook that allows them to compete again if they join together as a pair.

As a result, they agree to compete as “Fire and Ice” in what turns out to be a hilarious routine. The exteriors for “Grublets on Ice” were filmed at the Moby Arena on the campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

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