6 Movies Filmed in Colorado You Need to Watch

When you think about states to visit that are full of beautiful scenery, Colorado might crop up. It’s the place to go to see breathtaking mountains and go on adventurous hikes. But traveling is expensive, so why not explore everything the state has to offer at home by watching the best movies filmed in Colorado? We’ve selected some of the most iconic movies that feature the beautiful state and all its glory, from action romances to Westerns.

6. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Hulu (2005)

Mrs and Mrs Smith 20th Century Fox — Credit: 20th Century Fox

First, on the list of best movies filmed in Colorado, we have Mr. and Mrs. Smith, an action romantic comedy film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a bored upper-middle-class married couple, who are surprised to learn that they are assassins belong to competing agencies and that they have been assigned to kill each other. One of the starring roles in the location is Colorado’s Glenwood Springs.

5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tubi (1969)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 20th Century Fox — Credit: 20th Century Fox

Want to see the beauty of Colorado from the comfort of your home? One of the best movies filmed in Colorado is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a Western buddy film starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and is loosely based on the story of Wild West outlaws who are on the run from a US posse after train robberies. One of the thrilling train chase scenes features the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which interestingly enough still operates today.

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4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Paramount (1989)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Paramount Pictures — Credit: Paramount Pictures

Another action-adventure movie filmed in Colorado is the third installment of the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, released in 1898. The movie by Steven Spielberg stars Harrison Ford once again as the titular character and this time Indiana Jones searches for his father, a Holy Grail scholar, who has been kidnapped and held hostage by the Nazis. While filmed in Europe, there are memorable shots in Colorado’s rugged terrain, like the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad which is a backdrop for several thrilling train chase scenes.

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3. The Hateful Eight, Netflix (2015)

The Hateful Eight, The Weinstein Company — Credit: The Weinstein Company

There are several westerns filmed in the state, and one of the best movies filmed in Colorado has to be The Hateful Eight, the 2015 movie by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, and more, the story follows eight dubious strangers who seek refuge from a blizzard in a stagecoach stopover sometime after the American Civil War. Several scenes were filmed in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, especially around the town of Telluride.

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2. True Grit, Prime Video (1969)

True Grit Paramount Pictures — Credit: Paramount Pictures

If you want a classic western that is also one of the best movies filmed in Colorado, then watch True Grit. The 1969 movie stars John Wayne as U.S. Marchal Rooster Cogburn, Glen Campbell as La Boeuf, and Kim Darby as Mattie Ross. The movie follows a drunken Marshal and a Texas Ranger who help a stubborn teenager track down her father’s murderer in Indian Territory. Primarily filming took place in Colorado’s Ouray, Monstrose, and Ridgewood.

1. The Shining, Prime Video (1980)

The Shining Warner Bros — Credit: Warner Bros

The Shining is one of the most iconic horror movies. The 1980 psychological horror film by Stanley Kubrick is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Scatman Crothers. The movie follows a family in an isolated hotel for the winter when a sinister presence influences the father into violence. It’s also one of the best movies filmed in Colorado, as the hotel features the Stanley Hotel in Colorado.