Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge covers 11,169 acres of high desert uplands and riparian wetlands in the San Luis Valley.The site consists of wet meadows, river oxbows and riparian corridor primarily within the flood plain of the Rio Grande, and dry uplands vegetated with greasewood and saltbush. These areas support a small but rich biodiversity including songbirds, water birds, raptors, red fox, mule deer, black bear, beaver and coyotes.

This is a 4-6-0 "Ten Wheeler" type narrow gauge steam railway locomotive. It is one of twelve similar locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. It was built as a passenger locomotive, with 46 in drivers, the second largest drivers used on any three foot gauge D&RGW locomotive. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Locomotive No.169 in 2001.

The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad is Colorado's newest train offering steam engine rides through breathtaking mountain valleys and over legendary LaVeta pass on hundreds of miles of historic rail. This 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge route, featuring a climb over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains via Veta Pass, dates back to 1899 and is a successor to the original 3 ft narrow gauge La Veta Pass line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, completed in 1878.

This is the largest park in Alamosa. It is 14.5 acres and includes a baseball/softball field with announcer booth, three picnic shelters, a playground, skatepark, restrooms, bike pump track and dirt jumps, two walking loops and four horseshoe pits. .

A beautiful nature park, which features two covered picnic areas, trails, and several types of wildlife from deer to waterfowl, fox, and many bird species.

Smith Reservoir is located in Costilla County, Colorado, south of Blanca in the San Luis Valley.The lake and the land immediately surrounding it are also designated as the Smith Reservoir State Wildlife Area. It offers trout fishing, waterfowl hunting, and camping.