The Great Sand Dunes – A National Park filled with wildlife and a LOT of sand – it takes us about 45 minutes to hike to the top. We’ve seen bear, deer, hawks and many wildflowers on our regular visits there. Go early in the day if you’re visiting in the summer. (Requires a National Park pass – either a day pass or annual)
Fort Garland – Founded to protect the settlers of the San Luis valley, it’s the first town you come to after you go across La Veta pass, coming from the East on Highway 160. Blanca/Fort Garland Community Center welcomes locals and visitors all year round. Find more local information at the Entrada Visitor Center. You can get gas, a snack and other items here at this town of about 500.
Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center – This museum features 5 adobe buildings including a recreation of the commandant’s quarters from the 1860s. Full time exhibits highlight the Civil War in the West, Kit Carson, Saving the Fort, and Buffalo Soldiers. Kit Carson was a commander of this post and negotiated a treaty with the Ute people in 1867.
Colorado Gator & Reptile Park – This unique menagerie, located off Hwy 17, is a working tilapia farm that started housing gators to eat the fish remains. Now, you can see some of the biggest gators outside of Florida. They also feature other reptiles, turtles, fish, emus, and more. There is a gift shop to grab a snack, drink or t-shirt too. Oh yeah – adults can “wrangle” a gator, for a price!
UFO Watchtower – Located in Center, Colorado, about 27 miles to Alamosa, this unique landmark is a trip, seriously. The caretaker will tell you psychics have told her there are 2 vortexes there, spinning in different directions, causing energy anomalies. The attraction features an observation platform, campground and gift shop. Visitors are allowed to leave a small trinket to help increase the energy and help their karma.
Rio Grande River – this Colorado stretch of a very long river offers Gold Medal waters for anglers.
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge – At over 11,000 acres at 7,800 ft in elevation. The Sangre de Cristo lies the east, to the west are the San Juan Mountains and the Sawatch sit north. The refuge is home to more than 200 species of birds and other wildlife and don’t miss the Sandhill Crane migration which happens mid-March and mid-October when tens of thousands of these majestic bird travel through the valley.
Hot Springs – The San Luis Valley features several locations where you can enjoy hot springs:
Cano’s Castle – one of the strangest, most unique features is a castle made completely of scraps and dare I say, garbage.
- Ski areas within roughly 90 minutes from the area:
- Wolf Creek Ski Area in Pagosa Springs – 35+ feet of snow annually with 9 lifts.
- Red River Ski and Summer Area – just north of Taos, NM – 200+ inches of snow annually with 7 lifts.
- Angel Fire Resort Angel Fire, NM – 200+ inches of snow annually with 7 lifts.
- Fishing
- The Rio Grande River – means Big River in Spanish and holds the longest stretch of Gold Medal Water in Colorado. Riverside access along US 160 is relatively easy in search of large Brown Trout that the river is most noted for. For the adventurous angler, there are dozens of small creeks that feed the river. This is a varied piece of water and almost any angler can find what they are looking for.
- Eastdale Reservoir – Cold water Trout
- Sanchez Reservoir – warm water reservoir with Northern Pike, Perch, Walleye and Catfish.
- Smith Reservoir – Coldwater and stocked with Trout.
- Mountain Home Reservoir – coldwater lake containing Northern Pike and Rainbow Trout.
- Fishing Licenses – https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/FishingSeasonDatesFees.aspx
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