Alamosa County - 23 Attractions You Must Visit

d00068e5-1ec5-489a-80e6-71f1ee17c7aa

About Alamosa County

Alamosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. it is the commercial and tourism hub of Colorado’s San Luis Valley, nestled between mountains and deserts. Experience some of the state’s most beautiful wilderness from this bustling city.

Types of Attractions in Alamosa County

Activities Around

List of Attractions in Alamosa County

Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center

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.It is considered to be more wild and less intensely managed than the nearby Monte Vista refuge.

Blanca Vista Park

Blanca Vista Park

Outdoors- Other

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.

California Peak

California Peak

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

This is the 84th highest peak in Colorado, sits along the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains directly north of Mt. Blanca. There are two trailheads for climbing California Peak. Access from the west is through the Zapata Ranch subdivision, and access from the east is from the Zapata Trail or Lily Lake Trail in Upper Huerfano Valley.

Cole Park

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. .

Colorado Gators Reptile Park

The Colorado Gator Farm is one of Alamosa’s most unique attractions, and highly underrated. A geothermal well on the property creates ponds and wetlands for the alligators, but also provides habitat and food for many water-birds and waterfowl. The "Two Mile Creek Wildlife Habitat" lets visitors view alligators, reptiles, and birds in a natural setting, and to go fishing, boating, and picnicking. Over 125 species of birds have been sighted at the farm.

D&RGW Locomotive 169

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.

Ellingwood Point

Ellingwood Point

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

A majestic high mountain summit in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Named after the famous Colorado mountain climber, Albert Ellingwoood, Ellingwood Point is part of the Blanca massif. It is named and above 14,000 ft and is often climbed with it's more popular neighbor, Blanca Peak. Ellingwood Point is 0.5 miles northwest of Blanca and crowns the amazing northeast face above the Huerfano Valley.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an American national park that conserves an area of large sand dunes up to 750 feeton the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley. This park features North America's tallest dunes, rising over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This geologic wonderland, containing over 30 square miles of massive dunes, became a national monument in 1932. The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America.

High Dune

The high dune on the first ridge is neither the highest in elevation nor the tallest in the park, but it looks that way from the main parking lot. Discover this 4.8-km out-and-back trail near Gardner, Colorado. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 26 min to complete. This is a very popular area for birding, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring.

Lake Como

Lake Como

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Lake Como is a high mountain lake located in Alamosa County, in the U.S. state of Colorado. the road to the lake is said to be the toughest 4WD road in the country. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area and there is so many hikeing trails and also so many other leisure activities possible.

Little Bear Peak

Little Bear Peak

1 Day Treks

Mountain Peaks

Little Bear Peak is a high mountain summit in the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,043-foot fourteener is located on the Sierra Blanca Massif, 8.8 miles north by east of the Town of Blanca, Colorado.Little Bear is composed of pre-Cambrian granite estimated to be approximately 1.8 billion years old. Along with nearby Blanca Peak and Ellingwood Point Little Bear rises nearly 7,000 feet above the San Luis Valley to the west and south.

Medano Creek

Medano Creek

Lake/ River/ Ponds

Medano Creek is often referred to as Colorado’s Natural beach, as it forms at the foot of the Great Sand Dunes and creates an incredibly fun venue for visitors to splash around, picnic, and sometimes even float down in rafts. Since the river is fed by the surrounding mountain's snowpack, the best time to enjoy the river is typically spring and early summer.

Mosca Creek

Mosca Creek

Lake/ River/ Ponds

This is a popular seasonal stream enjoyed by all ages. it is one of the iconic attraction in this area and also there are so many things to see and do here.

Mosca Pass

Mosca Pass

Mountain Passes

Mosca Pass, is a mountain pass in Alamosa and Huerfano counties in the Sangre de Cristo Range in southern Colorado. The pass lies on the eastern border of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve about 40 miles west of Walsenburg, Colorado. It starts near the Great Sand Dunes National Park visitor center and is impassable to vehicles, lies on the west side of the pass, and Forest Road 580 begins and heads east from the top of the pass.

Piñon Flats Campground

Pinon Flats Campground is located in Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in southern Colorado. The huge dunes are the tallest in North America and comprise about 11 percent of an enormous sand deposit that covers more than 330 square miles. The park is perfect for kids, who love exploring the dunefield on foot or by sled. Medano Creek, at the base of the dunes, is a popular place in the summertime.

Rio Grande National Forest

The Rio Grande National Forest spans over 1.8 million acres in a forested ring around the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado. It encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of the world's largest high deserts located around mountains.

Rio Grande Scenic Railroad

Rio Grande Scenic Railroad

Man-made Structures- Other

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.

San Luis State Wildlife Area

San Luis State Wildlife Area

Outdoors- Other

1 Day Treks

San Luis State Park is a former state park located in Alamosa County, Colorado, United States. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including coyotes, kangaroo rats, rabbits, elk, various kinds of songbirds, raptors, reptiles and amphibians.This wildlife area is ideal for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-related recreation. A valid hunting or fishing license is required for everyone 18 or older accessing any State Wildlife Area.

San Luis Valley

San Luis Valley

Outdoors- Other

The San Luis Valley is a region in south-central Colorado with a small portion overlapping into New Mexico. It is a spiritual, intriguing land offering a sense of peace amid epic 100-mile views and sand dunes circled by soaring peaks, the valley is peppered with the legacy of American Indian, Hispanic and European settlers and explorers, steeped in history and ripe with folklore.

Sand Ramp Trail

Sand Ramp Trail

1 Day Treks

Explore this 10.8-km out-and-back trail near Gardner, Colorado. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 37 min to complete. This trail is great for camping, hiking, and trail running.

Map of attractions in Alamosa County

Comments

For more information about Alamosa County, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamosa_County,_Colorado