What to Do When You Run Into Colorado Wildlife
It’s pretty cool that in Spanish Peaks Country, chances of running into wildlife are high. As amazing as these encounters can seem, we have to remember that all animal encounters, […]
Author Archive
Help Keep Plastic Bottles Out of the Landfill
When visiting Spanish Peaks Country, one of the best things you can do to protect the environment is to carry your own reusable bottle. It’s easy and more affordable than […]
Minimize Fire Impact: Leave No Trace Principle #5
Campfires are so wonderful. They’re the reason so many of us even choose to camp. However, with current drought conditions in the West, it’s imperative to be fire smart when camping. Minimize Fire Impacts is Principle #5 of Leave No Trace’s 7 Principles, but what does that even mean?
What’s Open Now That Trees Are Down in Cuchara? The Good News? LOTS!
As silly as this topic may seem, there IS a proper way to poop outdoors to minimize your impact. And with more people recreating outdoors than ever before, improper waste disposal can really pile up.
How to Poop Outside
As silly as this topic may seem, there IS a proper way to poop outdoors to minimize your impact. And with more people recreating outdoors than ever before, improper waste disposal can really pile up.
La Veta Creative District
The La Veta Creative District is a hub of arts and cultural activity located on the Highway of Legends, a National Scenic Byway nestled below the majestic Spanish Peaks.
Holiday Markets
Find unique, Colorado-made gifts in Spanish Peaks Country which offers multiple holiday markets filled with handmade finds showcasing local artists.
How to Avoid Starting a Wildfire
It can get pretty dry in Colorado, and just the smallest spark from a fire can cause a devastating wildfire. We ask that you take your campfires very seriously and [...]
Story Pitch: Explore Southern Colorado’s Scenic Byways
Breckenridge, Vail, Estes Park, Aspen… these towns seem to get all the attention. Out-of-state visitors flock to their forests, slopes, and crowded downtowns without considering some of Colorado’s other regions […]
Story Pitch: Three Days in Spanish Peaks Country
Southern Colorado’s Highway of Legends Historic and Scenic Byway Audio Tour Experience the Legends of Spanish Peaks Country with the Highway of Legends Audio Tour Travel beneath the iconic Spanish […]
Story Pitch: Outdoor Adventures Beyond Colorado’s Backcountry: A Winter in Spanish Peaks Country
As predicted, Colorado’s backcountry is more popular than ever this winter. Free from the restrictions currently imposed upon Colorado’s ski resorts, the backcountry offers acres upon acres of powder for […]
Story Pitch: Spanish Peaks Country’s Three Historic Audio Walking Tours
The Huerfano County Tourism Board, which promotes tourism in Huerfano County as Colorado’s Spanish Peaks Country, launched three new historic audio tours, covering the towns of Walsenburg, La Veta, and […]
Leave No Trace Tips for Hunting
Hunters, while you are enjoying Spanish Peaks Country's great outdoors, we kindly ask you to consider what you leave behind—preferably, footsteps only. To best do so, follow these tips to [...]
3 Scenic Byways: Best in Class
Travelers assume that all 26 of Colorado’s Scenic Highways pass through gorgeous landscapes. That is a correct assumption. In addition, visitors will find a regional cluster of three byways in [...]
Where to See Fall Colors in Spanish Peaks Country
If you’ve traveled to other parts of Colorado and come to Spanish Peaks Country for the first time, you might find yourself surprised and delighted by how diverse, rich, and [...]
Colo-Road Trips Through Spanish Peaks Country
The Colorado Tourism Office promotes a wonderful feature called “Colo-Road Trips.” This curated collection of 3 to 7-day itineraries spans the state and all interests. Discover activities, attractions, and places [...]
3 Scenic Byways: Short Walks, Long Views
Three Scenic Byways in Southern Colorado offer a 3-day road tour for travelers who like frequent stops, short walks and awe-inspiring walking trails that are good for both kids and dogs. DAY [...]
Colorado Stargazing: Experience the Night
In 2019, The Huerfano County Tourism Board partnered with The Headwaters Alliance, San Luis Valley Museum Association, and Custer County Tourism Board to create and launch Colorado Stargazing: Experience the [...]
Cuchara Mountain Park
In today’s ski industry, mega resorts are buying up the little guys so quickly, it’s easy to forget that not long ago, most ski areas were small, individual businesses dedicated [...]
Spanish Peaks Country Campground Map
Looking for a place to set up a tent? Park a camper? This handy map will show you all the places you can do just that. Please be advised that [...]
Story Pitch: The Moving Wall Visits Walsenburg, Colorado
American Legion, Post 16 in Walsenburg, Colorado is proud to host “The Moving Wall,” a half-size replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial that has been touring the country […]
Birding in Spanish Peaks Country
Birding is enjoyable and easy. It happens naturally in people curious about life in nature. Seeing the brilliant yellow warbler or orange oriole in nature's green summer garb is exciting [...]
The Geologic Features of La Veta
The Spanish Peaks are located just east of the magnificent Sangre de Cristo Mountain range and just south of the town of La Veta, Colorado. The Spanish Peaks and all [...]
Museums of the San Luis Valley and Southern Colorado
The Museums of the San Luis Valley and Southern Colorado was established in 1998 to support the valley's museums. The www.museumtrail.org website went live that same year, providing the first [...]
Finding Calm: Spanish Peaks Style
If you're seeking calm during trying times, look no further than Spanish Peaks Country where our wide landscapes and stunning views can help bring peace of mind. We know it's [...]
Turn Your Work Week into a Vacation
Requesting an employee to work remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak is a no brainer. If you’ve been asked to work from home, why not turn it into an opportunity to […]
Discover the Serenity of Space
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the CDC recommends putting distance between yourself and other people. Examples include Italy, where restaurants have blocked off tables in restaurants to create space, New York […]
The Era of the Road Trip is Back.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, The CDC has recommended most people avoid flying, especially the elderly who are more susceptible to the ill effects of COVID-19. But for those who can’t […]
It’s Time for a Colorado Staycation
While COVID-19 may have hit Colorado, it does not mean everyone needs to stay in their house with the doors shut. In fact, with Colorado’s open spaces, sparse rural populations, […]
Morel Mushrooms Grow Like Wildfire in The Spring Creek Burn Scars
Chase the burn in Spanish Peaks Country where “burn” morel mushrooms are almost guaranteed to sprout from the giant burn scars left in the wake of the 2018 Spring Creek [...]
Waterfalls of Spanish Peaks Country
Add a little extra flavor to your next hike by discovering a waterfall at the end of it. Apache Falls The Apache Falls are in the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness, northwest [...]
Stonewall
Stonewall is a small mountain village located around a large gap in the Dakota Wall at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. At an elevation of 8,000 feet, [...]
Cuchara Recreation Area
Cuchara Recreation Area gives outdoor enthusiasts a myriad of choices, such as picnicking, hiking and walking, hunting, lake fishing, and four-wheeling. The Cuchara Day Use Areas include four picnic areas. [...]
Spanish Peaks Country Scenery
Spanish Peaks Country in Southern Colorado is a magical place unlike the rest of Colorado. While you may have traveled throughout the state, over passes, around mountains, across plains, and [...]
Cameron Mine
The Cameron Mine was opened prior to the incorporation of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company under the Colorado Coal and Iron Company. It was named after James Cameron, a [...]
Spanish Peaks Country Heritage
Prior to the Europeans arrival, Spanish Peaks Country served as a crossroads for the native people of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Taos Pueblo in New Mexico was a [...]
Legendary Trails of Southern Colorado
The Pueblo and Taos Indians The Pueblo Indians of Taos in the 1300s had a well-established system of hunting and trading trails in southern Colorado. Long before Coronado’s men “discovered” [...]
Southern Colorado Astronomical Park
Just one mile west of La Veta is the Southern Colorado Astronomical Park, a crossroads of ancient and modern astronomy, including a stone calendar and two observatory structures. The land [...]
Sheep and Little Sheep Mountains
Sheep (10,635′) and Little Sheep (9,679′) Mountains are in a line heading northward from Mt. Mestas. Both of these mountains are composed of the same granitic stock materials as Mt. [...]
The Dakota Wall
The Dakota Wall, a sandstone formation nicknamed the "Backbone of the Rockies," was formed when fault lines were broken and turned upright. These great sandstone walls stretch all along the [...]
Silver Mountain
Silver Mountain rises just east of Mt. Mestas and is composed of the same granitic materials. However, Silver Mountain is also at the center of a set of granitic dikes radiating outward like spokes on [...]
The Wet Mountains
The Wet Mountains, a small sub-range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, are named for the amount of snow they receive each winter. Most of the Wet Mountains are in [...]
Trinchera Peak
Standing at 13,517 feet, Trinchera ("trench") Peak is the northernmost thirteener in the Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristos. Trinchera Peak is located near Cuchara where the Culebra Range [...]
Greenhorn Mountain
Greenhorn Mountain sits near the northern edge of Spanish Peaks Country. Although the mountain's summit is just 12,347 feet and only ranks as the 1,107 highest peak in the state, [...]
Mt. Lindsey
14,042-foot Mount Lindsey is a high mountain summit on the Sierra Blanca Massif in the Sangre de Cristo Range. The summit and most of the southern flank of the mountain [...]
The Trujillo Homesteads
The Trujillo Homesteads, settled in the 1860s and 1870s by Teofilo Trujillo and his son, Pedro, are located in Alamosa County along the western boundary of the Great Sand Dunes [...]
The Taos Mountain Trail
Part of the noted Taos or Trapper's Trail leading from Bent's Fort to Taos ascended the Huerfano River from the Arkansas River to the old community of Badito, branched southwest [...]
Mt. Mestas
Mt. Mestas is a mountain summit in the southeastern Sangre de Cristo Range. The 11,573-foot peak is located 3.2 miles southeast of North La Veta Pass. The mountain was known [...]
Tom Sharp
Tom Sharp was born in Hannibal Missouri, the same birthplace as and within a few years of Mark Twain and the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown. Tom Sharp served the Confederacy during [...]
Historical Characters of Spanish Peaks Country
Francis X. Aubry Francis X. Aubry Also known as “The Telegraph,” Francis X. Aubry pioneered the “Aubry Cutoff” on the Santa Fe Trail. From a point on the Arkansas River, [...]
Spanish Peaks Country’s Farmers and Artisans Markets
Spanish Peaks Country offers a variety of markets featuring locally grown food and hand-crafted goods. Check out any one of the following markets. La Veta Farmers Market Website Thursdays, 3 [...]
Volcanic Plugs, Buttes, and Cones in Spanish Peaks Country
Huerfano County has been described as “a broken, tilted and eroded plateau bridging the mountains and the high plains.” Most of the tilting we see today occurred during the Sangre [...]
The Great Sand Dunes’ Geology Explained
Given how unique the Great Sand Dunes are, it’s impossible not to have questions about them. The following are some of the most widely asked. Hopefully, yours is on the [...]
Spanish Peaks Country’s State Trust Lands and Wildlife Areas
State Trust Lands Blackhawk - GMU 85 Directions: From Walsenburg go south on -25 to exit 42, Rouse Road. Turn west and then immediately south. The road will turn west [...]
Lake Isabel
Lake Isabel is a favorite vacation spot in the southern Wet Mountains, offering picnic areas, a campground, and several parking areas scattered around the lake. There is also a number [...]
Cordova Pass
Cordova Pass sits on the western shoulder of the West Spanish Peak, rises to an elevation of 11,2560 feet, and lies just outside the Spanish Peaks Wilderness. Cordova Pass is [...]
Blue Lake Campground
Blue Lake Campground, located at 10,440 feet in elevation, has a beautiful little lake ideal for fishing. This rustic campground has 16 campsites, each with a table and fire ring. [...]
Bear Lake Campground
Bear Lake Campground is located in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest at an elevation of 10,480 ft. Views of the nearby Culebra Mountain Range with aspen and spruce forests [...]
Zebulon Pike and the Search for the Source of the Red River
The United States acquired the Louisiana territory in 1803, and soon afterward, Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on the famous mission to explore the northern part of the purchase. [...]
Farley Wildflower Overlook
Farley Wildflower Overlook is a pull-off on Cordova Pass Road just east of the summit of Cucharas Pass. The view of the meadow from the Overlook is simply spectacular as [...]
Pass Creek Pass
Pass Creek Pass is a hidden gem in western Huerfano County. It crosses the Sierra Blanca ridge from Costilla County in the south to the Upper Huerfano River Valley in [...]
Trails in and Around the Great Sand Dunes National Park
There are so many ways to enjoy the dunes, and if you're the type who likes to explore, these trails might be perfect for your next Great Sand Dunes adventure. [...]
The Great Dikes
The Great Dikes of Spanish Peaks Country formed during the same period of volcanic activity as the Spanish Peaks, Mt. Mestas, and Silver Mountain. These vertical granite formations were formed [...]
Kit Carson
Kit Carson grew up on the Missouri border, watching his older brothers, one-by-one, disappear up the Missouri River or over the Santa Fe Trail. After his father died in a [...]
San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest is one of eleven National Forests in Colorado. The Forest includes over one million acres of beautiful scenery with snow-capped mountain peaks, spring wildflowers, autumn colors, crystal clear mountain [...]
Blanca Peak
At 14,351 feet, Blanca Peak is Colorado’s fourth highest peak and the highest summit of the Sierra Blanca Massif, the Sangre de Cristo Range, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. [...]
The Apishapa Valley Heritage Center
If you find yourself in Aguilar, be sure to stop by the Apishapa Valley Heritage Center, open each summer season until early September. The center is open Thursday through Saturday [...]
Wahatoya Lakes State Wildlife Area
The Wahatoya Lakes State Wildlife Area—one mile east of La Veta on Bear Creek Road—offers the perfect respite for fishing, picnicking, hiking, wildlife viewing, and non-motorized boating. The main trail [...]
Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness Area
What was once an area made of homesteads and cattle ranches in now the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness Area. Designate by Congress in 1993, the wilderness area totals 23,087 acres, some [...]
California Peak
California Peak, the 84th highest peak in Colorado, sits along the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains directly north of Mt. Blanca. The 13,855-foot thirteener is more specifically located [...]
Juan Bautista de Anza & Cuerno Verde
Cuerno Verde: Spain's Don Juan de Oñate founded New Mexico on behalf of his home country in 1598. This new frontier expanded for hundreds, if not thousands of miles in [...]
The Bent, St. Vrain & Company
The Bent, St. Vrain & Company was formed in 1830 by William and Charles Bent, sons of a wealthy and influential St. Louis judge, and Ceran St. Vrain, a Taos [...]
Bishop’s Castle
Bishop’s Castle is located in neighboring Custer County along the Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway and is an excellent addition to any trip to Custer County or nearby Mission: Wolf. Bishop’s [...]
Alamosa
Head over La Veta Pass from Walsenburg and discover Alamosa and all it has to offer, from authentic local cuisine to historic train rides through the Rocky Mountains. This city [...]
Trinidad Lake State Park
Trinidad Lake State Park, just west of Trinidad and nestled in in the foothills of the Culebra Range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is an ideal hub for exploring [...]
Custer County
Custer County lies directly northwest of Huerfano County and is joined with Spanish Peaks Country via Highway 69. The towns of Westcliffe/Silver Cliff are the most populated towns in Custer [...]
Huerfano Butte
Ten miles north of Walsenburg, just off Highway 25, is Huerfano Butte, a conical-shaped circular plug that draws hundreds of visitors every year. It rises from the ground, contrasting the [...]
Top Reasons to Visit La Veta and Cuchara
The La Veta - Cuchara Chamber invites you to visit its special piece of Spanish Peaks Country. Here are its top reasons to visit La Veta and Cuchara. La Veta and [...]
Libre: Spanish Peaks Country’s Counter-Culture Artist Commune
In the mid-1960s, a group of college-aged artists purchased a six-acre plot outside of Trinidad and built livable domes out of railroad ties and discarded lumber. They, along with other [...]
La Veta Oktoberfest
If you haven’t had a chance to attend La Veta’s Oktoberfest, what are you waiting for? Held on the first Saturday of every October, this incredible day includes a car [...]
Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival
Attend the Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival and become enchanted by world-renowned Celtic artists and scholars guaranteed to keep you singing, dancing, and enjoying music day and night in [...]
Huajatolla Heritage Festival
The Huajatolla Heritage Festival is a special two-day event in Spanish Peaks Country that honors the area's Hispano and Native American cultures. This June, come and honor Hispano and Native American [...]
Gardner Chuckwagon Supper
Each summer, hundreds of old friends from throughout the nation travel to Gardner to reminisce about old times and enjoy pleasant camaraderie during the Annual Gardner Chuckwagon Supper. The smells [...]
Gardner Hippie Days
Hippie Days is a celebration of Libre, a community in Gardner established in the late 1960s as an alternative to traditional American life. Libre is filled with families or individuals [...]
Francisco Fort Day
Francisco Fort Day is a celebration of the Francisco Fort Museum and the beginnings of La Veta, Colorado. Admission is free, and visitors are treated to special presentations. This celebration [...]
Art in the Park
The Spanish Peaks Art Council (SPACe) hosts Art in the Park in La Veta every year on the weekend closest to Independence Day. During this art festival, all kinds of [...]
Sonic Bloom Festival
Gardner's Hummingbird Ranch is home to the Sonic Bloom Festival, one of the longest-running music festivals in Colorado and a mecca for electronic and jam band fans alike. Each June, [...]
Rocky Mountain Star Stare
Rocky Mountain Star Stare is an annual premiere star party sponsored by the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society. Located on 35 acres of land, RMSS's "Starry Meadows" is conveniently located just [...]
Mountain Mining Days
Each September, the Walsenburg Downtown Revitalization Committee presents Mountain Mining Days, an end of summer celebration at Miners Plaza in Walsenburg. The fun starts with a downtown parade featuring marching [...]
Stonewall Century Ride
The Stonewall Century is a challenging road bike ride along one of Colorado's most beautiful scenic highways. Join the race each August and enjoy some of the best road riding [...]
Spanish Peaks Music Festival
The Spanish Peaks Music Festival comes to La Veta for two days each July and features a solid lineup of awesome country music. People come from all over and pour into [...]
Marathon of Legends
The Marathon of Legends is a running race in beautiful Spanish Peaks Country. The race is a team relay, which means teams can be made up of 2 to 11 [...]
Dog Days of Cuchara
Bring your dog! Dress up like a dog! Wear a crazy hat! Anything goes! This street party and parade offer live music, a family parade, kids games, big dog and [...]
Holiday Parade of Lights
Come to Spanish Peaks Country for a themed light parade that ushers in the holiday season in downtown Walsenburg. Traditionally scheduled for the day after Thanksgiving, the lineup starts at [...]
Spanish Peaks Harp Retreat
Spanish Peaks Country plays host to a very special, intimate harp retreat held every year during the Celtic Music Festival. Harpists come from around the globe for classes and workshops that [...]
Cuchara
Cuchara is a charming, mountain village tucked on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the heart of the Cucharas River Valley. Surrounded by the San Isabel [...]
La Veta
La Veta sits on the eastern side of La Veta Pass through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and at the northern opening of the Cuchara River Valley. A busy trading [...]
Walsenburg
Walsenburg, Huerfano Country’s county seat, sits in the heart of Spanish Peaks Country. With I-25, Highway 160, and Highway 10 meeting in Walsenburg, this quaint, Southern Colorado gem is a [...]
Blood Pumping Fun
Kick your outdoor adventures up a notch in Spanish Peaks Country. Among our mountains and alongside our rivers and lakes, you can ride an OHV or a mountain bike on fun [...]