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Where People Other Than Native Americans First Settled Colorado
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San Luis Valley Southern Colorado
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The San Luis Valley is the location of:
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Colorado's Oldest Town |
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Colorado's Oldest Military Forts |
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Colorado's Oldest Churches |
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Colorado's First Water Rights |
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Colorado's Oldest Store more |
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Known for it deep roots and history, the San Luis Valley is nestled between the majestic San Juan, La Garita, and Sangre de Cristo Mountain Ranges. With an average elevation of 7,500 feet above sea level, the San Luis Valley is one of the largest mountain valleys in the world. At approximately 125 miles long and over 65 miles wide, the valley is the size of Connecticut and is larger than some states and countries.
Endless year-round recreational activities await you in the more than 3 million acres of National Forest, BLM, State, and other public lands that intertwine and surround the San Luis Valley. The historic Rio Grande River is born in the mountains to the west and meanders through the Valley on its way to Mexico. |
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Wolf Creek Ski Area |
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Hundreds of miles of hiking trails |
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Hundreds of miles of mountain roads and trails maps |
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Miles of rivers and numerous lakes map |
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Snowshoe - cross-country ski - snowmobile |
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3 Golf Courses more |
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From snow skiing at the resort that receives the most snow in Colorado, to a leisurely round of golf at any one of the three courses in the Valley, to a ride down the country roads surrounded by farms and ranches, or a ride on one of the historic trains, life in the San Luis Valley is an invigorating blend of simple pleasures, extraordinary surroundings, and a great quality of life. |
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Blanca Peak
(4th highest in Colorado)
is one of many towering peaks
in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range
that borders the east side of the San Luis Valley.
With elevations ranging from 7,000 in the valley floor
to 14,345 feet, the summit of Blanca Peak (above),
the San Luis Valley has an astounding range of terrain.
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Outdoor Enthusiasts
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There Are 3 Million Acres Of Public Land Waiting For You To Explore
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The principal towns in the San Luis Valley are:
Alamosa, Monte Vista, Del Norte, South Fork, Creede, Saguache, Center, Fort Garland, San Luis, Antonito, La Jara, Capulin, Manassa, Sanford, Crestone, Villa Grove, Hooper, Mosca, San Acacio, and a number of smaller small country towns -- (one about every 20 miles).
Maps |
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San Luis Valley Colorado Maps
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The Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range forms the eastern border of the valley. Blanca Peak is the prominent towering mountain -- Colorado's 4th highest peak -- with numerous other mountain pinnacles peaking out between 13,000 to above 14,000 feet above sea level.
The San Juan Mountain Range and the La Garita Mountain Range form the western boundary for the San Luis Valley.
San Luis Valley 3-D Map
There are several passes through the mountains providing access to the San Luis Valley, with elevations between 9,000 and 10,000 feet. La Veta pass, through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the eastern side of the Valley, is used by US Highway 160 and by the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad tracks. The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad continues to make use of the tracks.
Other passes used historically were Medano, Mosca, Sangre de Cristo, and Poncha Pass (at the north end of the valley).
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Summer in the country's highest alpine valley is filled with vibrant color against a backdrop of blue sky, fields, and mountains.
Gaze over the deep green farm fields of alfalfa, potatoes, and barley with towering mountains rising from the valley floor to kiss the deep blue skies.
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Although it snows in the mountains during the wintertime, down in the San Luis Valley it does not snow very much. On average less than 35 inches each year.
Just sit back, have another sip of hot chocolate, and enjoy the snowcapped mountain views as you plan your daily Colorado adventure.
To the left, Blanca Peak the morning after an overnight winter snow.
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Current Conditions
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Forecast
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The summers in the San Luis Valley are cool with low humidity. The hottest summer days average less than 83 degrees. The nights cool down into the upper 40’s and lower 50’s with low humidity.
The winter days are mild with cold nighttimes. The average annual snowfall is less than 35 inches.
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Monthly Climate Averages for San Luis Valley
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San Luis Museum
and Cultural Center
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What is now known as Costilla County in the southeastern part of the San Luis Valley, this area was inhabited by the ancestors of today's families well before Colorado became a state. Those first Hispano settlers brought with them a language and culture that still exists today, four hundred years after the Spanish first arrived in the Americas. Except for the Native Americans who were here first, this is the oldest community in Colorado.
First settled in 1851, the town of San Luis, oldest town in Colorado, is located in Costilla County in the southeastern part of the San Luis Valley. The oldest church, Our Lady of Guadalupe est. 1858, is located in the town of Conejos in the southwestern part of the San Luis Valley.
Today, you will still find farms and ranches just like when the area was first settled. You will be able to meet ancestors of the original settlers.
There are 3 million acres of public land in this area, a ski area that receives the most snowfall in Colorado, the Rio Grande River is born in the mountains to the west, along with many lakes and other recreational areas and activities.
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The church in San Acacio Viejo (Old San Acacio) was erected sometime between 1856 and 1880. Thomas A Drain, Author of A Sense of Mission: Historic Churches of the Southwest, places it's construction in the 1860's and notes that it is the oldest standing church in Colorado.
The church, legend says, was built to fulfill a promise made when the community was in danger of being attacked by a Ute war party that was seen in the alto or hill, presumably on the southern elevation where the Sanchez Canal runs today. During this early time, the men capable of working were out in the fields clearing the land for crops. The people in the settlement were mostly women, children and the elderly who could no longer work. The story goes that when the Ute appeared on the horizon, the people in the settlement drew together knelt and prayer to St. Acacias, a Roman Centurion martyred for his faith in the early history of Christianity. The legend continues that as the Ute braves galloped toward the village, they suddenly stopped midway, looked toward the white clouds in the sky, and pointed their spears and arrows upwards, then the braves turned on their horses and quickly retreated.
Later, settlers in Garcia found and befriended an old Indian woman who recalled the raid and recounted how the Ute braves were prepared to destroy the small settlement. As the war party descended at full gallop, she said, there appeared in the clouds a vision of a great warrior on a white charger coming to defend the small settlement. The image startled them, and caused their retreat. As an act of faith and appreciation for deliverance, the settlers named the village, and church, San Acacio. This story has been passed from generation to generation since the 1880s.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe church, founded in 1856 in Conejos, is the oldest church in Colorado.
The first settlers into the area were from New Mexico, primarily from Abiquiu, San Juan de los Caballeros, and Santa Cruz.
Our Lady of Guadalupe experienced what must have been its greatest tragedy on Ash Wednesday, 1926. The historic church caught fire due to electrical problems and was destroyed except for a few walls and the towers.
The above photo of the new church was taken December 12, 1927.
Click here for more history, photographs and information about this historic church.
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The San Luis Valley Never Feels Crowded

With a population density of about six people per square mile,
there is plenty of open space.
However, living in the Valley doesn’t require one to give up all the amenities of city life.
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Cost of Living is 21.90 Percent
LOWER than the U.S. Average
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Oldest Fort |
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Oldest Town |
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Oldest Store |
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First Water Rights (date back to 1880s) |
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City Website
The town of Alamosa (Spanish for cottonwood and named for the trees that grow along the Rio Grande River that runs through town) is the largest city in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado.
Alamosa has a population of approximately 14,000 people and serves as the San Luis Valley’s regional hub.
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Main Street in Alamosa
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This country town may not be huge, but it has much to offer.
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City of Alamosa Amenities
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City Website
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The small country town of Blanca, has a population of approximately 400 folks.
You will find many services in this small, country town.
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Town of Blanca
at the foot of Blanca Peak
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Lu's Main Street Cafe -- a very good country cafe restaurant featuring homemade food. Be sure to try their homemade green chili sauce and homemade pies. |
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Additional Restaurant Options |
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General and Grocery Stores |
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RV Park with a convenience store and gas pumps |
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Public Laundry |
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Post Office |
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Where The Colorado Story Began |
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Historic Town of
San Luis
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Oldest Town in Colorado |
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Oldest Business |
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Town of San Luis
at the foot of Sangre de Cristo Mountains
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San Luis Museum
and Cultural Center
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First settled in 1851, San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado, is located in the southeastern part of the San Luis Valley.
The oldest business in the state of Colorado, the R&R Market in San Luis, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007.
San Luis, the county seat of Costilla County, is located on Colorado Highway 159 in the southeastern part of the San Luis Valley.
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Coloradoans talk a lot about the state’s deep commitment to community. One place that demonstrates this well is Colorado’s oldest town, San Luis. Here, families measure their connection to the area not in years, but generations. San Luis has always been at a crossroads of cultures. As a result, it is rich with timeless customs and historic sites.
The small country town of San Luis has a population of approximately 800 people. San Luis is the county seat for Costilla County. Here you will find the Costilla County government offices. |
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City of San Luis Amenities
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Motels |
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Restaurants |
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Post Office |
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Shopping |
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Gasoline |
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Stations Of The Cross Shrine |

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County Offices |
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Historic Town of
Fort Garland
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Oldest Existing Colorado Fort |
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Town of Fort Garland
at the foot of Blanca Peak
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The town of Fort Garland rests along U.S. Highway160 at foot of 14,345-foot Blanca Peak (4th highest mountain in Colorado).
Established in 1858, Fort Garland, with a garrison of over 100 men, served to protect the earliest settlers in the San Luis Valley. Fort Garland was one of a dozen forts built by the U.S. Army in the 1850s in the New Mexico Territory and was acquired in 1848 as a result of the Mexican-American War. The fort played an important role in the country’s quest for Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion by establishing a U.S. military presence on the frontier and providing security for settlers in the region - mostly Hispanic - from native tribes, particularly the Ute tribes. This small historic town has a present day population of around 430.
This historic town about 25 miles east of Alamosa and 12 miles east of Blanca. The town is home to a mission-style Catholic Church and a couple of restaurants. Fort Garland was abandoned in 1883, but survives now as the Fort Garland Museum, a prominent example of Colorado's living history. Here visitors wander the fort's parade grounds and adobe buildings while taking in the some of the region's Hispanic folk art. |
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City of Fort Garland Amenities
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Veterans’ Memorial Park Dedicated
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T-33
“Shooting Star”
Air Force Jet
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August 9, 2008
FORT GARLAND, COLORADO -- Costilla County hosted hundreds of military veterans, their families and supporters as it dedicated its newly enhanced Veterans’ Memorial Park, just east of Fort Garland.
The T-33 “Shooting Star” Air Force jet is now on permanent display at the Veterans’ Park along with a stone tablet listing the names of Costilla County military veterans.
A special moment took place when the Costilla County VFW presented a memorial plaque to the family of deceased VFW member Sgt. Joe Martinez. He and fellow Costilla County soldier Reggie Pacheco, of San Pedro, were forced to take part in what become the World War II action known as the Bataan Death March. In April, of 1942 76,000 U.S. prisoners of war were forced-marched by the Japanese army 65 miles from Mariveles to San Fernando, Philippines. Only 56,000 survived the brutal ordeal. At the time Major General Edward P. King, commander of the Luzon Forces, Philippines, said, “Courage is a quality God has seen fit to dispense with utmost care. The men of Bataan were His chosen favorites.”
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Smith Reservoir
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San Luis Lakes
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The Great Sand Dunes National Park is a famous feature of the valley. The dunes are located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The dunes reach 750 feet high. The Great Sands Dunes National Park and Preserve protects both the dunes and the numerous archeological sites found in the area.
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Located 5 miles east of the town of Monte Vista, Homelake is the former location of the Colorado Soldiers' and Sailors' Home and is the location of the Homelake Civil War Cemetery. Set amidst landscaped grounds, beautiful scenery, and a homelike campus atmosphere, the Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake has been caring for our Colorado’s veterans and their families for over 115 years. Located in Colorado’s beautiful San Luis Valley, the Center exhibits a great sense of history and tradition. The Center includes a modern 60-bed skilled nursing facility and a 46-bed Domiciliary. The Domiciliary provides an "independent/ assisted-living" type environment with individual housing cottages.
Established in the San Luis Valley in 1889, the Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake, also referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Home, provided a peaceful place for aging and displaced Civil War veterans. This continuously operated complex is the oldest veterans’ center in the state and contains more than eighty structures. A cemetery with headstones in concentric circles surrounds a 1912 monument dedicated to veterans of the Civil and Spanish-American Wars. Veterans of every major conflict from the Civil War to the current war in Iraq are buried there. Fifty-two structures on site are considered contributing to the State Register Historic District -- five buildings are listed individually.
In 2002, the Colorado General Assembly passed a statute to establish the center as a repository for all unclaimed military memorabilia. This, in addition to a considerable archive of military artifacts already collected, has supporters envisioning a significant public display.
With its rich and colorful history, beautiful grounds, and many historic buildings, the Homelake was recently designated as a "Colorado State Historical Site." Several of Homelake’s original buildings were constructed in the 1890’s when a group of local citizens together with the State Legislature established Homelake as a place for Colorado’s deserving Civil War veterans to live.
In September of 2008 a host of dignitaries and center residents dedicated an A7-D Corsair fighter jet in honor of Maj. Gen. Mason Whitney, who retired from his command in the Colorado Air National Guard last year. Whitney spent 17 years of his career flying Corsair jets including a stint during the Vietnam War.
Also in September 2008 the Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake got a shot in the arm last week from a $5.1 million grant to upgrade its domiciliary cottages and historic chapel. The chapel was built in 1905, but has been closed to residents since 2004. The 12 cottages on the campus, which contain 24 units, were built between 1914 and 1942.
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Housing built between
1914 and 1942
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Soldiers and Sailors Home
and Hospital
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A7-D Corsair
Fighter Jet
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HOMELAKE, Colorado
www.cdhs.state.co.us/svnh/Homelake.htm
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The oldest business in the state of Colorado, the R&R Market celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007. R&R Market is located in the oldest town in Colorado, San Luis.
The top photo at the right shows the present-day front of the R&R Market on Main Street in San Luis.
In 1876, Dario Gallegos ran his mercantile store in the adobe building shown in the bottom right photo.
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Coloradoans talk a lot about the state’s deep commitment to community. One place that demonstrates this is Colorado’s oldest town, San Luis. Here, families measure their connection to the area not in years, but generations.
Situated in a broad valley riddled with farms and surrounded by peaks, San Luis has always been at a crossroads of cultures. As a result, it is rich with timeless customs and historic sites. One proud resident is the 7th generation of her family to live in the San Luis Valley.
What makes the San Luis area such a historically rich place? This was where people other than Native Americans first settled Colorado beginning in the 1800's.
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Between 25 to 35 million years ago, it is estimated that two-thirds of the state of Colorado was covered with volcanic rock, from the edge of the San Luis Valley all the way to Ouray and Silverton. For about 5 million years, there were caldera eruptions, like there are in Yellowstone, huge outflows of ash that make the ground sink in a circular pattern. We have 20 calderas that we know about, including the world's largest caldera, the La Garita Caldera, near Creede, Colorado. Creede itself is a small caldera, and one of the most well preserved on Earth.
State Geologist and director of the Colorado Geological Survey Vince Matthews takes a special interest in the lava dikes and calderas that spread from Walsenburg to the San Juan Mountains. The dramatic formations chronicle particularly splenetic periods of Colorado's geological history, as he notes in his book "Messages in Stone: Colorado's Colorful Geology."
Why are the Spanish Peaks lava dikes so interesting to geologists? Well, usually you find three or four dikes in an area. More than 500 dikes have been mapped in this area. That's more than anywhere else - that we know of - in the world. The other thing is that the dikes aren't all the same chemical composition. Different chemistry composition, different orientation, different ages and all beautifully exposed.
Why is the different chemical composition significant? Some are very dark, and others are lighter. Some are more susceptible to erosion. That means there were different sources for the molten material that came up. There are places where the dike itself is deeply weathered - eroded out, like an indentation - and the rock around it stands out rather than the dike itself.
How does that happen? The reason is because the molten material actually bakes the rock it comes into. The heat of the material - those particular chemicals - makes the surrounding rocks very strong, harder than the dike. There's a beautiful exposure as you drive into Walsenburg from the north, right as you crest the hill. You can see that the dike is intruded into the shale, and that the shale right next to the dike is very resistant. And that particular dike goes on for a number of miles. It's on the back of Lathrop State Park, called the Hogback.
What about the dikes surrounding the Spanish Peaks? Yes, the radiating dikes. That's not so unusual in itself, but on the west side of the peaks, the dikes don't radiate as much. They radiate on the other three sides, but the pattern is different on the west side. Some people think the stress field that allowed the radial dikes was formed by the uplift of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Perhaps the dikes were created during the uplift. It's not really clear.
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Historic
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Prior to 1868, the Capote (Kapota) band of Ute Indians lived in the San Luis Valley. The Utes made a treaty of peace with the United States in 1849 shortly after the Mexican-American War. Shortly thereafter, settlers from New Mexico established several small settlements in what is now Colorado. In 1868, the Utes were removed to a reservation in western Colorado.
The area was administered as part of the Spanish, later Mexican, province of Nuevo Mexico until the area was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican-American war in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Extensive settlement began in the San Luis Valley primarily by Hispanic farmers and ranchers from New Mexico in the 1850s after the construction of Fort Massachusetts by the U.S. Army for protection against the Utes.
The history of the post-war U.S. military presence in the Valley is preserved at Fort Garland and other sites in the Valley, which became part of the Territory of Colorado in 1861.
Today, many families in the San Luis Valley are descendants from the original settlers.
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San Luis Valley
The Largest Alpine Valley in North America
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With a land area of close to 8,200 square miles, the San Luis Valley is larger than the land mass of Rhode Island, Delaware, and Connecticut combined. In spite of its size, the Valley never feels crowded. With a population density of about six people per square mile, there is plenty of open space. However, living in the Valley doesn’t require one to give up all the amenities of big city life. Alamosa, the Valley’s largest city, serves as the Valley’s regional hub. There you will find the area’s largest hospital, a regional airport, Adams State College, shopping opportunities and more.
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The above map shows the mountain ranges that surround the San Luis Valley. Within the mountain ranges is the Rio Grande National Forest.
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The town of Alamosa is the largest town in the San Luis Valley area and is centrally located.
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Map of counties that make up the
San Luis Valley
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If someone described seeing two bald eagles, a hawk, herds of elk and deer, and thousands sandhill cranes all within one morning, you might think this is some sort of North American safari. Believe it or not, this may be just a drive to work one morning here in the San Luis Valley. The opportunities for bird and wildlife watching here are nothing short of amazing.
The San Luis Valley is situated between the 14,000 foot peaks of the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains, including the 4th highest peak in Colorado - Blanca Peak. The Valley has the second largest aquifer on the continent. This 8000 square mile, five county alpine valley is one of the most unique areas in the world.
Welcome to the San Luis Valley where the sun shines an average of 320 days a year. This gives you plenty of great days to enjoy one of the 3 golf courses in the Valley. Summer evenings are cool and the temperature seldom reaches 90 degrees during the day.
Elevation of the San Luis Valley varies from 7,500 to 8,200 feet above sea level. It stretches roughly 75 miles from east to west, and 150 miles north to south.
High in the San Juan Mountains on the west side of the Valley, snow melt and rain give birth to the mighty Rio Grande River, second longest river in our nation. The river winds through the Valley on its way to New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is nestled at the base of Sangre de Cristo mountain range on the east side of the Valley. This unique feature of nature is the newest National Park in the United States.
There are two national scenic byways, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway, more than 3 million acres of public lands in and around the valley, two national wildlife refuges, and hot springs. Wolf Creek Ski Area generally can boast the greatest snowfall amount each year. In fact, the most snowfall ever recorded in Colorado fell at Wolf Creek - 850 inches in one year.
Hiking, biking, fishing, world-class hunting and four wheel exploration of the Sangre de Cristo, La Garita and the San Juan mountains all await your next visit.
You will find the famous Stations of the Cross in San Luis, oldest town in Colorado. In the small town of Conejos is one of the oldest churches in the state. This is the first area in Colorado to be settled. You will find a lot of history in this mountain valley.
Education, art, culture, theater or a national repository library? Adams State and Trinidad State Junior Colleges offer all this and much more.
The San Luis Valley is an unspoiled and largely undiscovered gem in south central Colorado. Whether it’s art, history or outdoor adventure, the San Luis Valley offers endless variations to explore.
The pure, crisp, dry mountain air and weather are most conducive to healthy living. Summers are warm, never hot -- rarely reaching 90 degrees -- with sunny days and cool nights. The winters are pleasant and the low humidity makes even cold temperatures comfortable. (Climate Averages) During autumn, the aspen and cottonwood trees turn to gold and the oak brush glows with a bright orange/red. A brilliant, colorful display before Colorado becomes the winter recreation center of the nation.
This area is rich in history by evidence from old wagon trails. You can still see the deep ruts in the ground left by the wagons that traveled along the trails.
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A local resident has a fresh start to a salad with a carrot just picked from one of the community gardens.
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Please Drive Carefully and Friendly
Motorists in the San Luis Valley need to be watchful for the growing number of Amish and Mennonite populations who travel the roads and highways by horse drawn carriages. Due to the religious lifestyle that calls for avoiding what many consider ‘modern conveniences’ many of the carriages, wagons, and buggies do not have lights, reflectors, or slow moving vehicle signs and may be especially difficult to see in bad weather or during hours of early morning, dusk, or twilight.
It is the responsibility of the motor vehicle operator to be especially careful while driving in the Valley.
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In 2003, The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization, purchased approximately 92,500 acres of private land in the San Luis Valley and established the Baca National Wildlife Refuge. The $33 million project was designed to “restore, enhance, and maintain wetland, upland, riparian, and other habitats for wildlife, plants, and fish species that are native to the San Luis Valley.” The refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), contains the largest and most diverse assemblage of wetlands in all of Colorado. The refuge is next door to the town of Crestone and Colorado College’s Baca campus.
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