COME TO LIFE | Alamosa, San Luis, Monte Vista, Saguache, Crestone San Luis Valley Golden Hours in the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Day 1 The Rio Grande snakes through a valley ringed by mountains and peppered with hidden lakes, waterfalls and picture-perfect landscapes. Explore intriguing, tucked-away towns like Alamosa, San Luis, Monte Vista, Saguache and Crestone. Leap into the valley’s deep roots in the state’s oldest town: San Luis, which dates back to 1540. La Vega, a plot of land on the edge of town, is where settlers first established a communal way of life in the late 1800s before Colorado was even a state. Visit the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross for a taste of the area’s vibrant arts scene. Gripping bronze sculptures depict Christ’s judgment, crucifixion and resurrection along a path that leads to an adobe chapel. Continue north to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve’s visitor center to learn how North America’s tallest dunes came to nestle against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Then, play on Colorado’s most unique “beach” — Medano Creek; and check out Zapata Falls, a cool respite in summer and a giant ice sculpture in winter. Book a flightseeing trip with Rugged Air Tours to see the park’s dunes from the heavens. Detour to Hwy. 17 and check out two unusual spots: the Colorado Gators Reptile Park in Mosca, where you can see and handle alligators and other scaly critters; and the UFO Watchtower in Hooper, a quirky roadside attraction, to learn of the valley’s surprising number of UFO sightings. Book a glamping tent at Rustic Rook Resort to roast s’mores while you scan the skies for clues. Day 2 To the south, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is an 1880s train that travels from historic depots in Antonito, Colorado, to Chama, New Mexico. From Antonito, hop on the Los Caminos Antiguos scenic byway to discover 16th-century Spanish influences through adobe missions, museums, galleries and authentic cuisine. Back in Alamosa, stop by the Colorado Welcome Center for directions to hiking/biking trails within the city and along the Rio Grande. 166 1-800-COLORADO C2 PHOTOGRAPHY.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2023: Page 166
