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Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic Byway. Translated, the name means "the ancient roads" - aptly named for its tour through 16th century Spanish territorial expansion at its northernmost boundary. Colorado's cradle of Hispanic culture lies in the San Luis Valley, a mystical basin where sandhill cranes feed in the marshes, farmers till the soil, and North America's tallest sand dunes press up against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The route winds along the Upper Rio Grande region through some of Colorado's oldest towns, surrounded by panoramic views in all directions.
This byway allows visitors to experience the culture that is still alive today with hospitality, authentic cuisine, adobe missions, museums, galleries, special festivals and events, and awe-inspiring natural wonders. Historic adobe structures pepper the landscape as a testament to the state's first settlements.
Begin your journey in Alamosa and follow the Los Caminos through three of our country's most intriguing counties.
Also nearby is the Silver Thread Scenic Byway, along the San Luis Valley's western edge, this route twists and winds its way through the high country along the lake fork of the Gunnison and Rio Grande Rivers. This byway was once used as a stage for miners and takes drivers past historic mung camps and the quaint but authentic towns of South Fork and Creede. This highway connects the valley, by way of Lake City, to Gunnison County to the northwest.
