COME TO LIFE / Trinidad, Walsenburg, La Veta, Cuchara HIGHWAY OF LEGENDS DAY 1 COLORADO COLORADO MYSTIC SAN LUIS VALLEY CANYONS & PLAINS Near the southern border, where the Sangre de Cristo Mountains intersect the waving grassland of the eastern high plains, lie some of Colorado’s best frontier towns, including Trinidad, Walsenburg, La Veta and Cuchara . Museum shows just how creative folks can get here, especially when inspired by the town’s annual ArtoCade (art-car parade), held each September. views of those mountains to the west as well as the monstrous volcanic walls that jut from the Spanish Peaks to the east. It also passes through the San Isabel National Forest, home to six wilderness areas and three classic Colorado towns: Cuchara has stunning Sangre views (especially from Cuchara Mountain Park’s trails) and a sleepy downtown with gift shops and several B&Bs and cabins. For summer splendor, pull off Cuchara Pass at the Far-ley Wildflower Overlook and behold a color-filled meadow. Scope out Walsenburg ’s antique shops, mining museum, water park, visitor center and Lathrop State Park . And peek into La Veta ’s art galleries and the 1862 adobe Francisco Fort Museum . And check out the blast from the past at Uptop ghost town on Old La Veta Pass — a favorite of star gazers. For an audio tour of the Highway of Legends, check out the TravelStorys app , which describes the geology and history of the locations you’ll see along the way, as well as the legends of the people who passed through in days of yore. Kick off your vacation at the Trinidad Municipal Golf Course , a nine-holer with stunning views of the Sangre de Cristos (espe-cially from the seventh hole). Trinidad Lake State Park (3) and the Worm-hole Loop network of trails (south and east of town, respectively) are both home to miles of multi-use trails that weave through the hills nearby. Or spend a lazy day on the Purgatoire River , which was recently stocked for great trout fishing and has a lovely riverwalk. DAY 2 Stroll to the Trinidad History Museum , which houses the meticulously preserved and newly remodeled Baca House , a two-story adobe built in 1870 that combines Hispanic construction techniques with British design. The Santa Fe Trail Museum exhibits evoke frontier life from the trail days to the 1920s. Among the artifacts is Kit Carson’s fringed buckskin coat. While here, you can also visit the Bloom Mansion (2) , an elaborate Victo-rian confection built in 1882, and the A.R. Mitch-ell Museum of Western Art , which houses collections of Western and Spanish colonial folk art. End your visit with a drive along the breathtaking Highway of Legends . From Trinidad, the byway con-tinues west to Cokedale , where a strip of old coke ovens (used to mix and heat coal at extremely high temperatures) lines the road, resembling something more ancient-Roman than frontier. The byway heads north alongside the Sangre de Cristo range, affording spectacular 1 Delve into history at the site of the Ludlow Massa-cre . Today a ghost town, Ludlow was the site of a vicious skirmish between the Colorado National Guard and on-strike coal miners that left 20 people dead in 1914. The site includes a miners’ tent camp, storyboards and photos that recount the chilling encounter. Return to Trinidad for dinner and a stroll through the brick-lined streets of Old Trinidad (1) and one of the largest collections of Victorian-era houses west of the Mississippi. Affordable living and beautiful landscapes re-cently resulted in an influx of artists and galleries, and the Southern Colo-rado Repertory Theatre ’s professional company fills the year with classics and original works. These factors and more led to the Corazón de Trinidad (heart of Trinidad) being named a Certified Colorado Creative District. The new Art Cartopia 2 STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Cuchara , La Veta , Trinidad (page 205), Walsenburg 3 QUICK TIP 156 / Roll the culinary dice at Alys’ Restaurant in La Veta — each night chef Alys surprises guests with a menu based on the day’s inspiration. Afterward, pop into Charlie’s Market ’s old-fashioned ice-cream fountain. 1-800-COLORADO CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM RIGHT: TRINIDAD LAKE STATE PARK, COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE; BLOOM MANSION, MILES/ANNA ZOROMSKI; CORAZÓN DE TRINIDAD, CITY OF TRINIDAD.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 156
