Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways - 2024/2025

Colorado’s cradle of Hispanic culture lies in the San Luis Valley, a mystical basin where sandhill cranes feed in the marshes, and North America’s tallest sand dunes press up against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Beginning in Alamosa, the byway heads north and east to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, where sand dunes reach heights of 750 feet and harbor seven species of insect not found anywhere else. Proceeding south, the byway arrives in the town of Fort Garland where a tour through History Colorado’s Fort Garland Museum chronicles the past of a former military garrison. Farther along, the byway passes Colorado’s oldest town — San Luis. Hispanic culture and Catholic traditions run deep in this community. Visitors can see the exceptional tourist attraction, the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross, which includes a panoramic view of the San Luis Valley from the San Pedro Mesa Overlook. The byway then crosses the valley to the west and reaches Antonito, the whistle stop for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Here, visitors can ride the highest and longest narrow gauge rails in the United States all the way to Chama, New Mexico.

Distance: 129 miles • Allow 3 hours
Total elevation gain: 7,500-10,230 feet