Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is located in the San Luis Valley, a high mountain basin located in south-central Colorado. It’s one of three national wildlife refuges in the Valley that provides crucial feeding, resting, and breeding habitat for over 200 bird species and other wildlife.
Read More >Standing tall as the fourth highest peak in Colorado, Blanca Peak is the signature summit of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and can be easily spotted towering against the Great Sand Dunes National Park from almost anywhere in the valley.
Read More >The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. This area contains a number of 14'ers, alpine lakes, and ample recreation trails.
Read More >The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area is a breathtakingly rugged and beautifully preserved area located immediately to the Northwest of Alamosa. Standing tall behind the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the region's convenient location makes it a top destination for climbers, backpackers, and other outdoor enthusiasts looking for a remote and challenging experience in the mountains.
Read More >Baca National Wildlife Refuge is managed as part of the San Luis Valley Refuge Complex and is within the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area.
Read More >Humans aren't the only ones that find the valley a heavenly sanctuary. Every year tens of thousands of migratory birds and other wildlife make their home in and around the valley, and our area's three wildlife refuge centers are a terrific spot for viewing.
Read More >The views of the valley and the Sand Dunes are fantastic from Zapata Falls, and there are four miles of well-marked hiking and mountain biking trails below the parking area. Access into the mountain peaks and wilderness area is also available on Forest Service Trail #852 beginning in the parking area. This trail follows South Zapata Creek to South Zapata Lake. There are several ruins of cabins along the trail to view. The falls are particularly impressive in winter when it freezes into a sculpture of ice.
Read More >Against the backdrop of rugged 14,000' peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountains—the 30 square mile sand dune field, with no designated trails—invites you on an adventure. The natural system of the Park ranges from great sand dunes to forests, from cottonwood groves to majestic mountain peaks and tundra.
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