You have entered the land of the Río Bravo del Norte, the northernmost outpost of sixteenth century Spain. To the Spanish people, the San Luis Valley was a wild and unexplored place known only to the Native people. Amidst the beauty and towering . . . — — Map (db m71878) HM
Travel the route of these explorers and read Lt. Pike’s own words from his journal.
U.S. Army Expedition to explore the United States new southwest boundary with New Spain.
The men:
Lt. Zebulon M. Pike Dr. John H. Robinson Sgt. . . . — — Map (db m71882) HM
The Utes called this valley “Tavi-we-a-gat” or Big Valley. They came here following in the footsteps of their ancestors along this Camino; their dogs pulled their belongings along the now paved byway. This fertile valley provided . . . — — Map (db m71876) HM
Isolated from the rest of Colorado, the San Luis Valley is often a forgotten place. For Native American tribes including the Utes, Apache, Navajos, and others, this Valley is a source of life - a place where humans and spirit enter and leave . . . — — Map (db m71875) HM
Rail transportation reached the San Luis Valley in the form of the narrow gauge Denver & Rio Grande Railway, completed to Alamosa in 1878. The track was standard-gauged in 1899. Meanwhile, efforts to cultivate the Valley demonstrated the soil's . . . — — Map (db m281433) HM
The D500 is a chain-drive diesel-mechanical locomotive built in Mesita, CO, 25 miles south of Blanca, at the workshops of the Colorado Aggregate Co. during 1954-56. It was designed and built by Channel Wilcox of Denver, CO and George Oringdulph of . . . — — Map (db m281439) HM
Trails throughout the San Luis Valley tell many stories of those who have lived and visited here. They speak of prehistoric animals, bands of native hunters and gatherers, Spanish explorers, Mexican traders, American soldiers, and many others. . . . — — Map (db m295403) HM
¡Bienvenidos! Caminantes!
Come! Take a walk with us. We know an old song, El Caminante, which tells of taking a long walk along the ancient roads. Like the first prehistoric inhabitants, you too are a ‘caminante’, or one who walks upon . . . — — Map (db m71877) HM
