Experiences
Wheelchair Accessible Adventures in Spanish Peaks Country
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.
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.
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.
Why I Love Spanish Peaks Country, by Fido
Woof! Like all of my canine relatives around the world, this last year has been special because our humans have been home and doting on us all day, every day! [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
OHVing in Spanish Peaks Country
Relieve stress, enjoy Southern Colorado's great weather, spend time with family and friends, and have loads of fun on a four-wheeling adventure. Spanish Peaks Country offers miles of trails for [...]
Biking in Spanish Peaks Country
Spanish Peaks Country is gorgeous, and what better way to soak it all in than on a bike? Whether you’re into a mellow ride or something more intense, the towns [...]
Frontier Pathways Scenic & Historic Byway
The wishbone-shaped Frontier Pathways Scenic & Historic Byway starts in Pueblo, travels west into Westcliffe/Silver Cliff, and then south into Colorado City. The two-lane highway is 103 miles long and [...]
Francisco Center for the Performing Arts
The Spoon River Players performed its first play, The Silver Whistle, on July 31, 1976 in an old, 1892 Presbyterian church on Francisco Street. William H. Adamson built the white, [...]
Spanish Peaks Birding Trail
Colorado Parks and Wildlife began building the statewide Colorado Birding Trail in 2000, connecting points rich in birds and wildlife. The trail now consists of three regions—Western Colorado, Rocky Mountains, [...]
La Veta Pass
La Veta Pass (more properly known as North La Veta Pass) bridges the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between the eastern plains and the San Luis Valley at an elevation of [...]
Walsenburg and La Veta Parks
Spanish Peaks Country’s public parks serve a vital role for locals and visitors alike. From baseball fields and playgrounds to skate parks and basketball courts, there’s something for everyone. Whether [...]
Walsenburg Wild Waters
Beat the heat at Walsenburg Wild Waters, Spanish Peaks Country’s family-friendly water park. With three different pools, a lazy river, two giant water slides, and interactive water features including fountains, [...]
La Veta Art Galleries
La Veta may be small and laid-back, but it’s also the art hub of the Spanish Peaks Region. Galleries featuring local, national, and international artists dot La Veta’s quaint Main [...]
Cuchara Trails
Cuchara, with its lush, pine forests, is made for hiking. Plan your next weekend getaway to Cuchara and spend your days lost in nature on any one of the following [...]
Walsenburg Trails
From Walsenburg, take a quick hike in Lathrop State Park or head north for the more arduous, yet adventurous, Lily Lake Trail. #1 - Hogback Nature Trail 2 miles | [...]
Highway of Legends National Scenic Byway
State Highway 12, the Scenic Highway of Legends, ties Walsenburg, La Veta, Cuchara, Stonewall, Trinidad, and Aguilar together with a ribbon of asphalt that journeys through some of the nation’s [...]
Fishing in Spanish Peaks Country
With a wide range of waters from high mountain lakes and streams to rivers, reservoirs, and lakes, you’ll find a variety of cold and warm water fish in and around Spanish [...]
Lathrop State Park
Colorado’s first state park, Lathrop State Park features two lakes and nearly 1,600 acres of recreational land nestled among the pinyons and junipers of the Spanish Peaks' foothills. Martin Lake [...]
Walsenburg Mining Museum
Walsenburg was called the “City Built on Coal” during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and nowhere else in Spanish Peaks Country will give you as much opportunity to [...]
Museum of Friends
The Museum of Friends (MoF’s) home is the historic “Roof and Dick” building in the heart of downtown Walsenburg. MoF is a Contemporary Art Museum incorporated in 2007 by artists [...]
Uptop Historic District
In 1877, The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad crossed the Rocky Mountains for the first time over La Veta Pass in Huerfano County. Aptly named “Railroad Above the Clouds,” this [...]
Pueblo
Take a quick and easy drive north of Walsenburg and discover Pueblo, a culturally and historically-rich Colorado city made famous by being one of the largest steel-producing cities in the [...]
Twelve Must-Dos in Spanish Peaks Country
There’s so much to do in Spanish Peaks Country, where does one start? Good thing we compiled a list of some of our favorite activities. Take our challenge and try [...]
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Nestled in Southern Colorado, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve features North America's tallest dunes, which rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. [...]
La Veta School of the Arts
Treat yourself to a creative experience you won't soon forget at La Veta School of the Arts. With well-known, respected instructors, La Veta School of the Arts has established a [...]
La Veta Trails
La Veta is a pocket of pristine beauty in the heart of Spanish Peaks Country. While a variety of recreational opportunities are available to all visitors, it’s the city’s trails [...]
Trinidad
Drive half an hour south of Walsenburg and check out Trinidad, a place where no one is a stranger, art thrives, and history runs deep. Just 12 miles north of [...]
Mission: Wolf
Mission: Wolf is a peaceful sanctuary for captive wolves and wolf-dog crosses in the mountains of Huerfano County. The more than 30 wolves and wolf-dog crosses living at Mission: Wolf [...]
Fox Theatre
The Fox Theatre, a Walsenburg historic landmark, dates back to 1917 when it was named the Star Theatre. Upon its opening, the Walsenburg World reported, “Besides being a high-class picture [...]
Francisco Fort Museum
Colonel John M. Francisco founded a trading post at the foot of the Spanish Peaks in Colorado Territory in 1862, around which the small town of La Veta grew. Legend [...]