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Speckled with sand dunes, 14,000-foot peaks and a variety of historic sites, the Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic Byway spans one of Colorado's most impressive landscapes.

4 Days to Explore the Historic San Luis Valley

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There are special places and unique vistas around nearly every Colorado corner. You can help ensure these places exist for generations to come by staying on roads and trails, keeping speeds in check, leaving campsites and picnic spots just as you found them, and following instructional signs while you’re out and about in our state.

How to Give Back to These Special Places

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In the heart of the arid San Luis Valley is a birdwatchers paradise. Lush wetlands provide year-round habitat for various birds, coyotes, deer and other wildlife. In March and September, twenty thousand migrating Sandhill Cranes use the refuge as a stopping point.

Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge

Get your taco fix at El Super Taco!! They have every kind of taco you can imagine, beef, pork, chicken, and they're all made fresh to order! Make them your way with fresh made guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce &amp; cheese, and an assortment of salsas! Their store

El Super Taco

Experience the hometown feel of this historic downtown on a self-guided walking tour.  Art Deco tile and influences are visible along Main Street, and early 20th-century buildings are a nod to the towns railroad heritage.  Brochures available at the Chamber of Commerce.

Historic Downtown Alamosa Walking Tour

The Purple Pig Pub was the oldest bar in Alamosa and in 2019, the location was remodeled and The Purple Pig Pizzeria and Pub was born. In addition to still offering a full bar, the new Pizzeria and Pub offers brick oven pizzas, sandwiches, salads, calzones, pasta and m

Purple Pig Pizzeria and Pub

Tilled, planted, grown, malted, milled, brewed, bottled and consumed in Alamosa.

The Colorado Farm Brewery

The newly renovated Dunes Inn offers personal, small-town hospitality with budget-friendly rates. It's within walking distance of Alamosa restaurants, pubs, museums and more.

Dunes Inn

Campus Cafe is the local favorite. American food, amazing breakfasts, you have to try the cinnnamon roll! Great lunch menu too.

Campus Cafe

Because the dunes and surrounding mountains are designated wilderness, this is a great place to enjoy unspoiled natural beauty in a variety of ways. Whether you play in Medano Creek, build a sand castle, slide down the dunes, go birdwatching in wetlands or ascend a 13,000-foot peak, you will discover plenty of kinds of outdoor recreation for all ages.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

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Plan ahead by choosing lunch goodies at an Alamosa supermarket or cafe before heading to Zapata Falls. Dine outdoors in the sunshine before heading out for a hike.

Enjoy a Picnic

Cut from the rock face by glaciers and scoured by millennia of rushing water, cold water crashes through a 30 ft. cleft in the rock walls. The falls are a half-mile hike from the parking area, where mountain bike and wilderness hiking trails can also be accessed.

Zapata Falls Recreation Area

Located on the campus of Sand Dunes Recreation near Hooper off Hwy 17. This grill is known for their burgers and salads. After dinner, swing into the Greenhouse for a beverage in this adult-only area. New Small Plates Menu offered in The Greenhouse.

Mile Deep Grille at Sand Dunes Recreation

The watchtower is a 10-foot-tall viewing platform that takes advantage of the remote area’s high elevation. Pass the time with your eyes on the sky, checking out the Healing Garden or even camping on site.

UFO Watchtower

Come and enjoy the peace and serenity of the Great Sand Dunes National Park at the Great Sand Dunes Lodge. Relax at the foot of the majestic Sangre De Cristo mountain range during your stay at our Colorado lodge at the entrance of the National Park.

Great Sand Dunes Lodge

Drink Coffee....Love Others!  Milagros Coffeehouse not only serves a full line of delicious espresso and coffee drinks, teas, and baked goods, we also support the efforts of La Puente Home in combating homelessness and poverty in the San Luis Valley.

Milagros Coffee House

In the heart of the arid San Luis Valley lies a birdwatchers paradise. Lush wetlands provide year-round habitat for songbirds, water birds, coyotes, deer and other wildlife. In March and September, twenty thousand Sandhill Cranes migrate through the valley.

Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge

Located in the heart of historic Fort Garland, our family-owned restaurant is known for fine dining, delicious home-style cooking, and comfy rustic hospitality.

All-Gon Pizza

<a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/location/fort-garland"></a> 
Named a finalist for the 2023 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, Fort Garland Museum &amp; Cultural Center allows visitors to explore life in a 19th century military fort by walking the parade grounds and touring original adobe buildings. The museum’s creative exhibitions include the newly opened <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/buffalo-soldiers-revision">buffalo soldiers: reVision</a>, which disrupts the common narratives of manifest destiny and settlement of the American West through a more visual interpretation of the history and impact of the all Black Army regiments that were established in 1866 following the Civil War. The exhibition was created in collaboration with eight independent artists from around the country, whose creations range from prints layering historical photos and documents with contemporary drawings, to poetry which evokes the emotional toil of this part of our shared history.
Fort Garland is located near the Great Sand Dunes National Park, a natural wonder unlike any other in the United States, and makes for a great road trip from other History Colorado sites including <a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/pikes-stockade">Pike’s Stockade</a>.

Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center

If you're after amazing Thai food in southern Colorado, look no further than Mrs. Rios Restaurant &amp; Thai kitchen. You'll also find an array of other entrees - including all-American hamburgers and Southwestern fare - so there's something for every palate.

Mrs. Rios Restaurant & Thai Kitchen

Walk along the Plaza de San Luis de la Culebra Historic District for architecture from another time in Colorado's oldest town.

Take a Walk

A former convent, this small inn is run by the the Sangre de Cristo Parish in historic San Luis, Colo. Enjoy a Southwestern motif along with kiva fireplaces in each room.

El Convento Inn

As Colorado's oldest business, the R&amp;R Market has operated for more than 150 years. It serves as remote San Luis' grocery store.

San Luis Peoples Market

See the shrine before catching a full- or half-day trip along the Cumbres &amp; Toltec Scenic Railroad. Lunch is served on the train for both trip lengths.

Get Going Early

Built as an act of faith and love for the parishioners of the Sangre de Cristo Parish. Visitors can climb the half-mile trail to view fifteen bronze sculptures of Christ's passion and resurrection and experience the magnificent adobe Capilla at the top of the mesa.

Shrine of the Stations of the Cross

All Aboard the Cumbres &amp; Toltec Scenic Railroad for a Train Ride of a Lifetime! 
<a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/4-reasons-cumbres-toltec-scenic-railroad-must-visit">Read 4 Reasons the Cumbres &amp; Toltec Scenic Railroad is a Must-Visit</a><a href="https://www.colorado.com/articles/4-reasons-cumbres-toltec-scenic-railroad-must-visit"> </a>

The Cumbres &amp; Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&amp;TSRR) is the highest, longest, and most authentic steam-operated railroad in America. The railroad was awarded National Historic Landmark Designation in 2012 and is owned jointly by the states of Colorado and New Mexico.
Climb aboard the historic narrow-gauge railroad which operates in the scenic landscapes of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. Renowned for its breathtaking mountain vistas, and vintage steam locomotives, the railroad offers an immersive journey back in time to the late 19th century, when railroading played a crucial role in connecting remote regions. Stretching 64 miles of rugged terrain, the Cumbres &amp; Toltec Scenic Railroad provides guests with a unique opportunity to experience the Old West while traversing through deep canyons, across high trestles, and alongside rivers.

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Here at Calvillos, we believe Mexican food should be fresh, tasty, and authentic. We are dedicated to serving the best Mexican food in Colorado. Located in Alamosa in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado, we offer a rich culture and cuisine of the different states o

Calvillo's

Offers the finest in craft brews and fine food in an inviting atmosphere.

San Luis Valley Brewing

Here at the Hampton Inn Alamosa, we're passionate about taking good care of you. That's why we offer a broad range of services and amenities to make your stay exceptional. We pamper our guests with well-appointed rooms featuring luxurious beds and a free hot breakfast.