8 Outdoors- Other to Explore in Conejos County

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.

Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971. The garden's red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people visited Garden of the Gods about 1330 BC.The outstanding geologic features of the park, including Steamboat Rock, the Three Graces, and Balanced Rock.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an American national park that conserves an area of large sand dunes up to 750 feet. Its sandbox of epic proportions, the entire dune field encompasses 30 square miles and the tallest dune towers 750 feet high. Aside from the dunes, you'll find picnicking, hiking and camping opportunities, the challenging four-wheel scenic drive on Medano Pass, horseback-riding trails, the mysteriously appearing and disappearing Medano Creek.

Keystone Gulch is an easy 4WD trail that offers picturesque views ranging from a babbling creek to high alpine vistas.This trail follows a gulch along the west side of Keystone Ski Area, turns east across ski slopes, then climbs to a photogenic mine above the ski area. Lower section of trail follows a stream with classically built beaver ponds. The most interesting part of drive begins after Waypoint 04. If you’ve skied at Keystone, you’ll recognize the “Outback Express” lift.

An American national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado. It protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States. The park occupies 52,485 acres near the Four Corners region of the American Southwest. With more than 5,000 sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. it is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States and is best known for structures such as Cliff Palace.

Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is located in the San Luis Valley, a high mountain basin located in south-central Colorado. The site was historically an agricultural area and thus water is intensively managed on the refuge, especially in comparison to the nearby Alamosa refuge. Irrigation includes numerous dikes and other water control structures that provide water to a patchwork of diverse wetland habitats ranging from shallow wet meadows to open water.

This is a beautiful hike with spectacular scenery as the payoff. After a brief uphill the trail levels off. Wear shoes that are waterproof. The snow melt off runs through June and sometimes into early July.This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and fishing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are May through October. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

Rio Grande National Forest comprises 1.86 million acres in south-central Colorado. It’s one of the more secluded national forests in the state and is located near Pagosa Springs and the town of Creede.The forest 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 mountainsThere are numerous treasures to uncover in this often overlooked and under-visited part of the Rockies.