had no idea such things were legal anywhere here in the states
I didn't either, there is a lot that isn't legal most anywhere else but is done out in this part of Colorado. I drove up there one day to see the funeral pyre. It just sits out there in the open desert and you can walk right in and look around. The town cemetery is interesting as well, being a "green" cemetery. It only costs $750 for a plot that will hold four bodies. They don't allow tombstones but you can build sculptures out of rocks and tree branches. Our research determined it would be simplest if you die in Colorado because transporting bodies across state lines when they have not been embalmed could be an issue. If you own 40 acres you can bury yourself on your property out there. You just have to notify the County Sheriff's office so they can take GPS coordinates of the location and document it on the County parcel maps.