60 Best Sights in South Central Colorado, Colorado

The Highway of Legends passes through the tiny, laid-back resort town of La Veta before intersecting with U.S. 160 and turning east toward Walsenburg, another settlement built on coal and the largest town between Pueblo and Trinidad.

On the other side of the Purgatoire River, this museum at Trinidad State Junior College takes viewers back millions of years to examine the true origins of the region, including early geological formations, plant and marine-animal fossils, and prehistoric artifacts.

To get a real feel for this area, take an easy driving loop from Alamosa through much of the San Luis Valley (the whole trip is about 95 miles). Head east on U.S. 160 to Fort Garland, south on Route 159 to San Luis, west on Routes 159 and 142 to Manassa, then north on U.S. 285 back to Alamosa. More than half of the route is part of the Los Caminos Antiguos Drive, one of Colorado's Scenic Byways.

Some Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings that date back nearly 1,000 years have been moved from other sites in southern Colorado and faithfully reassembled beneath a red rock cliff at this museum. While the reconstructions resemble the original dwellings, the workers used cement instead of the original adobe mud method. For that reason, the museum is much less precious and visitors can roam and climb and touch, which makes it much more kid friendly than most archaeological sites. Two rooms of artifacts in the museum offer information on the history of the dwellings. Smartphone codes provide a free audio tour through the space.

The town of Manitou grew around its springs, and there are eight mineral springs around town that you can drink from. Competitions to design the fountains that bring the mineral water to the public ensured that each fountain design is unique, so you may want to visit all of them on an easy self-guided walking tour of the town. It's a bring-your-own-cup affair; the water (frequently tested) is potable and free. The chamber of commerce publishes a free guide to the springs and the Mineral Springs Foundation offers tours.

Commissioned in 1895 as the private home of French priest Jean-Baptiste Francolon, this magnificent architectural hodgepodge and museum in Manitou Springs is still decorated, in part, as if a family lived here. More than 30 rooms in this 14,000-square-foot space offer a wide variety of displays and furnishings primarily from the Victorian era, while the building itself includes a Gothic front door, medieval battlements, and nine styles of architecture. You can also have lunch or high tea in the Queen's Parlour Tea Room (reservations required).

Descending vertically 100 stories into the earth, the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour explores a mine that operated continuously from 1891 to 1961. The tours are fascinating, sometimes led by a former miner, and definitely not for the claustrophobic. Tours depart about every 30 minutes.

Just west of the Alamosa wildlife refuge is its sister sanctuary, the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, a 15,000-acre park that's a stopping point for more than 20,000 migrating cranes in the spring and fall. It hosts an annual Crane Festival, held one weekend in mid-March in the nearby town of Monte Vista, and a children's Crane Festival in mid-October at the park with kid-friendly activities. You can see the sanctuary by foot, bike, or car via the 4-mile Wildlife Drive.

To relax sore muscles after your outdoor adventure, visit Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort, 8 miles from Buena Vista. The resort has four pools open year-round and a fifth in the summer, plus several "hot spots in the creek"—the water temperature ranges between 97°F and 108°F. The restaurant features mostly fish and steak entrées with creative seasonal specials and has a large stone fireplace and a dramatic view of the Chalk Cliffs. If you're too relaxed to drive home, stay in one of the resort's hotel rooms or log cabins beginning at $320 per night during the summer.

Introduce yourself to life behind bars at the Museum of Colorado Prisons, which formerly housed the Women's State Correctional Facility and where many of the exhibits are housed in cells. The museum exhaustively documents prison life in Colorado through old photos, including images of prison gang tattoos and women wardens through the years, newspaper accounts, and inmates' confiscated weapons and contraband. The gas chamber sits in the courtyard, where visitors can sometimes hear the voices of inmates in the working men's prison next door. While an important window into prison life, past and present, the museum can be disturbing for young kids and those with loved ones in the prison system.

The 1,600 acres of this city park, which is open year-round, manifest nature and natural history without a hint of commercialism—or charge. The canyon's moderate hikes include the Lower Columbine and Mt. Cutler trails, each less than a 3-mile round-trip. Both afford a view of the city and a sense of accomplishment.

The world's highest cog train departs from Manitou Springs and follows a frolicking stream up a steep canyon, through stands of quaking aspen and towering lodgepole pines, before reaching the timberline, where you can see far into the plains until arriving at the summit. Advance reservations are recommended in summer and on weekends, as this three-hour trip sells out regularly. Reserve a spot next to the engineer, the Engineer's Seat ($78.50), for front-row views for the uphill direction of the journey.

Once the Old El Paso County Courthouse, this repository has artifacts relating to the entire Pikes Peak area, including a Native American collection, bound newspapers and city directories dating from the 1870s, the personal papers of city founder and railroad builder General William Jackson Palmer, and early images of the Colorado Springs. The historic courtroom is absolutely elegant, and so perfectly appointed that it looks as if a judge will walk in any minute to start a trial.

In City Park, this biopark is home to African penguins, ringtail lemurs, and boa constrictors—housed separately of course. Favorites here include African painted dogs, lions, river otters, and the annual holiday feature ElectriCritters, an evening light display that involves more than 250,000 lights, which runs from late November through the end of the year.

At the city's airport, the Pueblo-Weisbrod Aircraft Museum traces the development of American military aviation with nearly 35 aircraft in mint condition, ranging from a Lockheed F-80 fighter plane to a MiG-15. Curator Shawn Kirscht restored a Boeing B-29 Super Fortress of atomic-bomb fame on-site, which is now on display in Hangar One.

Leaving the Rockies far behind, U.S. 50 takes you toward the eastern plains, where rolling prairies give way to hardier desert blooms and the land is stubbled with sage and stunted pinyon pines. One fertile spot—50 miles along the highway—is the town of Rocky Ford, dubbed the "Sweet Melon Capital" for its famously succulent cantaloupes.

Exquisite maple, oak, and mahogany woodwork gleams throughout this splendid 37-room mansion, with ivory glaze and gold-leaf trim. Marble fireplaces, Tiffany-glass fixtures, and frescoed ceilings complete the opulent look. The top floor—originally servants' quarters—features the odd Andrew McClelland Collection: objects of curiosity this eccentric philanthropist garnered on his worldwide travels, including an Egyptian mummy.

Carved by the Arkansas River more than 3 million years ago, the Royal Gorge canyon walls tower up to 1,200 feet high. The site is known for the 1877 Royal Gorge War between the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and the Santa Fe Railroad over the right-of-way through the canyon. Rival crews laid tracks during the day and would dynamite each other's work at night until the Denver & Rio Grande eventually prevailed. Today, a private company runs the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, featuring the highest suspension bridge in the country, constructed in 1929 as a tourist attraction. The 956-foot-high bridge sways on gusty afternoons and the river can be seen clearly between gaps in the boards, adding to the thrill of a crossing. Climb the canyon walls on the Via Ferrata cable system or ride the astonishing aerial tram (2,400 feet long and more than 1,000 feet above the canyon floor) or experience the Cloudscraper, America's highest zip line. Renovations to the park following a devastating wildfire in 2013 brought a Children's Playland with a playground, carousel, maze, and splash pad to the site. A ride on the Royal Rush Skycoaster ensures an adrenaline rush—you'll swing from a free-fall tower and momentarily hang over the gorge. Also on hand are outdoor musical entertainment in summer, and the usual assortment of food and gift shops.

A ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad takes you under the bridge and through one of the most dramatic parts of the canyon. From the Santa Fe depot in Cañon City, the train departs up to four times a day for 1½-to-3-hour rides. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner rides are pleasant, and the food is good, although not exactly "gourmet" as advertised. Ticket options include Coach, Deluxe, and Vista Dome. Coach class does not have tables, and ticket fares do not include the cost of food and beverages available for purchase during the ride. Seasonal rides like the Oktoberfest train and Santa Express offer additional entertainment. Railfans may want to pay an extra fee to ride in the cab with the engineer.

As you approach Cuchara Pass, several switchbacks snake through rolling grasslands and dance in and out of spruce stands whose clearings afford views of Monument Lake. You can camp, fish, and hike throughout this tranquil part of the San Isabel National Forest, which in spring and summer is emblazoned with a color wheel of wildflowers. Four corkscrewing miles later you'll reach a dirt road that leads to Bear Lake and Blue Lake. The resort town of Cuchara is about 4 miles from the Route 12 turnoff to the lakes.

Founded in 1851, San Luis is the oldest incorporated town in Colorado. Murals depicting famous stories and legends of the area adorn several buildings in the town. A latter-day masterpiece is the Stations of the Cross Shrine, created by renowned local sculptor Huberto Maestas. The shrine is formally known as La Mesa de la Piedad y de la Misericordia (Hill of Piety and Mercy), and its 15 stations with bronze statues illustrate the last hours of Christ's life. The trail leads up to a chapel called La Capilla de Todos Los Santos.

Surrounded by towering red-rock canyon walls, these seven steep waterfalls plummet 181 feet into a tiny emerald pool that shimmers below. Hiking the steep 224 steps to the top of the falls is worth it for the view but you can also take an elevator to the Eagle's Nest look-out. Parking is free at the Penrose Equestrian Center, where a shuttle will take passengers to and from the site. Guides at Soaring Adventures sail patrons across the nearby canyon on 10 zip lines and lead those daring enough to make the trip across rope bridges and on rappelling adventures that feature views of the falls. Restaurant 1858 serves Southern comfort food with a Rocky Mountain twist (try the mixed grill with quail, bison, and venison or Colorado trout served one of seven ways) that is best enjoyed out on the patio overlooking the falls.

In the Cuchara Valley you'll see fantastic rock formations with equally fanciful names, such as Profile Rock, Devil's Staircase, and Giant's Spoon. With a little imagination you can devise your own legends about the names' origins. There are more than 400 of these upthrusts, which radiate like the spokes of a wheel from the valley's dominating landmark, the Spanish Peaks. In Spanish they are known as Dos Hermanos, or "Two Brothers." In Ute, their name Huajatolla means "breasts of the world." The haunting formations are considered to be a unique geologic phenomenon for their sheer abundance and variety of rock types.

If you want to see an authentic ghost town, head 15 miles west on County Road 162. Once the supply center for the Mary Murphy Mine and dozens of smaller mines, St. Elmo is the best-preserved ghost town in Colorado. It doesn't take long to walk along the main street and peer into some of the rickety old buildings. There is a B&B, as well as a general store that's open in the summer. Be aware that this area is very busy with ATVs in summer.

After a long day of hiking the dunes, take a dip in the soothing soaking tubs inside the 10,000-square-foot greenhouse at the Sand Dunes Pool. Just 30 minutes northwest of the park is a sanctuary that offers 70ºF comfort year-round. Visitors 21 and older can soak in four hot tubs ranging from 98ºF to 111ºF, or take a dip in the large, 98ºF swimming pool surrounded by lush gardens. A bar offers cocktails and sweet and savory small plates. For families, a giant outdoor pool with views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains is a popular amenity.

In a landmark Kaiser-Frazer building on the north fringe of town, the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts hosts rotating exhibits, live music, and theater. Classes and workshops are offered, and several resident artists work from studios on-site.

This complex with two historic houses (only accessible through tours at an additional charge), a museum, and a garden is a place to learn about the town's history. The first is Baca House, the 1870s residence of Felipe Baca, a prominent Hispanic farmer and businessman. Displays convey a mix of Anglo (clothes, furniture) and Hispanic (santos, textiles) influences. Next door, the 1882 Bloom Mansion was built by Frank Bloom, who made his money through ranching and banking. He filled his ornate Second Empire–style Victorian with fine furnishings and fabrics brought from the East Coast and abroad. The adjacent Santa Fe Trail Museum is dedicated to the effects of the trail and railroad on the community. Inside are exhibits covering Trinidad's heyday as a commercial and cultural center. The Historic Gardens are filled with native plants and grapevines similar to those tended by the pioneers.

The century-old stores and warehouses of Union Avenue Historic District make for a commercial district filled with a mix of stores ranging from kitschy to good. Among the landmarks are the glorious 1889 sandstone-and-brick Union Depot. Pitkin Place, lined with fabulous gabled and turreted mansions, attests to the town's more prosperous times. Walking-tour brochures are available at the chamber of commerce.

In a joint effort with neighboring Silver Cliff, this remote and picturesque town at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains became the state's first International Dark Sky Community in 2015. Nestled in quiet Custer County, mountains shade the town from light pollution to the east, preserving the dark nights that provide a perfect backdrop for stargazing year-round. Once a mining town, Westcliffe's 600 residents now thrive mostly on agriculture and ranching, but spring and summer festivals attract tourists from around the world to the charming Main Street, as does the access to outdoor activities. Westcliffe offers over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails in the summer and alpine cross-country ski routes in the winter. Rock climbing and fishing are also easily accessed from here.

The Benedictine monks once cloistered at Holy Cross Abbey came to Cañon City for spiritual repose. But for the faithful who frequent the winery on the eastern edge of the property, redemption is more easily found in a nice bottle of Revelation, a Bordeaux-style blend. For a truly divine experience, reserve a wine and cheese tasting ($40 per person) on the terrace that includes a private hostess, a sampling of all wines, and an artisanal cheese, bread, fruit, and chocolate plate.