The legendary  Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado has been named a National Historic Landmark.  The 460-acre park is a natural wonder that also happens to host amazing music.   For those unfamiliar with the park, it is the setting for U2’s video for Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Red Rocks  is an amphitheater that has been carved from the red sandstone by nature.  It is the only naturally  acoustically perfect amphitheater that exists in the world.  The construction project to turn it into the venue it is today took 12 years to complete. Since the official dedication in 1941, Red Rocks Park has played host to sunrise services, operas, The Beatles, and The Grateful Dead.  The National Historic Landmark designation also applies to the  surrounding area which includes a Civilian Conservation Corp Camp that housed workers while the amphitheater was under construction.

The amphitheater itself is part of a larger park area that is a natural transition zone between the mountains and the prairie.  More than just a place to catch a show, the venue offers shopping and dining opportunities and the chance to go hiking and mountain biking.  It is also home to lots of local flora and fauna.  Because of the new National Historic Landmark designation, the amphitheater may now be protected from certain types of development and may be eligible to receive federal grants to assist with preservation.

If your travels take you to Colorado, Red Rocks still has plenty of great shows and events left, so check out the schedule and rock on at 6,400 feet!