Huge sand dunes roll like ocean waves toward the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains. Wetlands shimmer on high desert terrain, forming pockets
of lush habitat for migratory waterfowl. Acres of farms and ranches
surround small Hispanic towns. On its route through the southern
portion of the San Luis Valley, Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and
Historic Byway traverses captivating landscapes rich with history
and lore.
The 129-mile route links settlements and natural sites between
Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve to the north and
Cumbres Pass near the New Mexico border. Those who travel the byway
can view waterfowl and wildlife, hike on sand dunes, tour a
military fort, explore Colorado’s oldest city and ride on a
narrow-gauge railway.
The byway’s northern entrance is Alamosa, a former bustling hub of
the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Three miles southeast, the Rio
Grande River borders Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge, whose
protective cover and plentiful food attract countless birds. In
spring and fall, thousands of sandhill cranes and some rare
whooping cranes migrate to the San Luis Valley. The refuge’s prime
viewing spot is Bluff Overlook, the starting point for a 3 1/2-mile
auto tour.
Wildlife concentrates in wetlands of this arid region. As the
byway heads north to Mosca and then east to the Great Sand Dunes,
San Luis State Park and Wildlife Area and other oases offer
opportunities to view diverse waterfowl. Great blue herons and
other birds even brave the warm ‘gator-inhabited waters of the
Colorado Alligator Farm near Mosca.
North America’s tallest dunes rise into view. For eons, winds have
swept sand up from the San Luis Valley and deposited it at the foot
of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Some of the resultant dunes
stand 700 feet high. In Great Sand Dunes National Monument and
Preserve, visitors can scale sandy crests and slide into troughs.As
light plays on the dunes, colors shift from brown to pink, gray and
cream.
South of the national monument, Medano-Zapata Ranch occupies a
stone-age bison kill site, ancient Native American camp and
historic cattle ranch. The Nature Conservancy, which owns the
property, conducts free ranch tours and nature hikes.
Travelers can enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the San Luis Valley by
taking the turnoff to the Zapata Falls Trailhead Overlook. Below,
the valley stretches 100 miles long and 50 miles wide. Peaks of the
San Juan Range pierce the western sky. To the northeast, the Sangre
de Cristo Mountains tower above the Great Sand Dunes.
At U.S. 160, the route turns east to Fort Garland. A quaint general
store in Blanca epitomizes life in a rural town. With adobe
infantry barracks, parade ground and commandant’s quarters, the
Fort Garland Museum re-creates this outpost’s role during the time
of Kit Carson and the Buffalo Soldiers.
Turning south, the byway heads to San Luis. Established in 1851 by
Hispanic settlers, it is Colorado’s oldest city. All Saints Chapel
overlooks the town from San Pedro Mesa. On the hillside, bronze
sculptures by Huberto Maestas depict the Stations of the Cross.
From here, the route travels west across the high desert,
brightened with emerald green irrigated fields. A statue of William
Harrison “Jack” Dempsey, who became the world heavyweight boxing
champion in 1919, stands in Manassa’s town park. A one-room log
cabin houses memorabilia chronicling the life of the “Manassa
Mauler.”
Traversing ranches and farms, the byway jogs south on U.S. 285 to
Conejos, home to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, the oldest parish in
Colorado. The first bishop of Santa Fe, Jean B. Lamy, oversaw its
construction in the 1850s.
The neighboring town of Antonito boasts the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic
Railroad depot. A self-guided walking tour of the railyard roams
among steam-powered locomotives, wooden passenger cars and freight
cars. From May to October, trains transport visitors between
Antonito and Chama, N.M., through jaw-dropping scenery.
The road traverses comparably beautiful landscape as it follows
Colorado 17 west into the Conejos River Canyon. The area sustains
bald eagles in winter, Western tanagers and bighorn sheep. Leaving
a high desert valley studded with pion pines, the road climbs into
the San Juan National Forest to La Manga Pass. Aspens patchwork
subalpine forests with bright green in spring and orange and gold
in autumn.
The byway continues climbing through high mountain meadows fringed
with forests. At 10,022-foot Cumbres Pass, it reaches its
culmination with exhilarating views.
Nancy and David Muenker, who live in Denver, are the authors of two
guidebooks, the Colorado Front Range History Explorer and Colorado
Front Range Scenic and Historic Byways.
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IF YOU GO
Route: The Los Caminos Scenic and Historic Byway traverses the
southern segment of the San Luis Valley. From Alamosa, it goes
north on Colorado 17 to Mosca, east on Six Mile Lane to the Great
Sand Dunes, south on Colorado 150 to U.S. 160, east on U.S. 160 to
Fort Garland, south on Colorado 159 to San Luis, west on Colorado
142 to Romeo, south on U.S. 285 to Antonito and west on Colorado 17
to Cumbres Pass and the Colorado/New Mexico border.
Length: 129 miles
Drive time: 3 hours
Great for: Towering sand dunes, wetlands wildlife, Hispanic
heritage, desert landscapes, railroad tour
Best seasons: Summer for community activities, late spring for
wildflowers, fall for aspen color change
Accessibility: Year-round
Attractions:
Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge, 719-589-4021, http://alamosa.fws.gov. No charge.
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, 1-888-286-2737 or 505-756-
2151, www.cumbrestoltec.com. Runs every day except Fridays, May 29
through Oct. 17. Fee.
Fort Garland Museum, 29477 Colorado 159, Fort Garland, 719-
379-3512. Open year-round. Fee.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve, 719-378-
6399, www.nps.gov/grsa. Fee.
The Nature Conservancy Medano-Zapata Ranch, Mosca, 719-378-2356,
www.nature.org/colorado. Workshops available. Free tours June through October.
Area contacts: Alamosa Visitor Information Center, 800-258-7597,
www.alamosa.org.; Antonito Chamber of Commerce, 719-376-2277; San
Luis Visitor Center, 719-672-
3002, www.sanluiscolorado.org.
Byway contact: Byway Administration, 719-379-3500, www.loscaminos.com or Fort Garland Museum & Visitors Center, 719-379-3512.
