Just a few miles or more down the road from Yellow Pine Guest Ranch you can travel the scenic Highway of Legends or take a ride on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad which affords splendid views of the dramatic West Spanish Peak. Uncover a ghost town or two or play a round of golf on a scenic golf course. Day trips can be taken to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument, The Garden of the Gods, or The Royal Gorge, to name only a few of the area’s attractions. From the Yellow Pine Guest Ranch, Southern Colorado is yours to explore!
Lathrop State Park
Colorado’s first state park, Lathrop State Park features two lakes and nearly 1,600 acres of recreational land nestled among the pinyons and junipers of the Spanish Peaks’ foothills. The Park’s two lakes offer a variety of recreational activities including boating, fishing, water skiing, sailing boating, swimming, hiking, biking and wildlife viewing.
Drive The Scenic Highway of Legends
The Scenic Highway of Legends ties Walsenburg, La Veta, Cuchara, Stonewall, Trinidad, and Aguilar together with a ribbon of asphalt that journeys through some of the nation’s most beautiful national forests, state parks, wildlife areas, and mountain ranges. The 82 mile drive along the byway offers many opportunities to view elk and bighorn sheep, to hike and fish around several nearby lakes and explore the surrounding mountains.
La Veta
This small, laid-back town at the base of the majestic Spanish Peaks is located along the Scenic Highway of Legends. La Veta, “the vein”, served as a vital lifeline a century ago; the town was originally a busy trading center, supplying the nearby area with goods. It is now home to a diverse population of artists and ranchers. The small town of La Veta offers many recreational and cultural opportunities for families, golfers and art lovers of all ages and is located a short drive – just 10 miles north of the Ranch.
Spanish Peaks Arts Gallery
The Gallery displays the works of regional artists in a variety of changing exhibits throughout the year, while the Gift Shop provides members a year-round outlet for their arts and crafts. Most of the exhibits shown in the Gallery are open to all artists.
La Veta Fine Art Gallery
Located in the heart of La Veta, the La Veta Fine Art Gallery offers a diverse range of fine artworks in a vibrant and inviting space. Open to the public daily during the summer season from 10:30 to 5pm.
Francisco Center for the Performing Arts
The Francisco Center for the Performing Arts and the resident theatrical troupe, the Spanish Peaks Players present several shows throughout the year, many of which are written by local playwrights and of course, performed by all local talent. Tickets are available prior to each event and sell out quickly.
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad offers excursion trains and special event trips leaving La Veta and Alamosa throughout the summer season. Their Summer Concert Series begins in Mid June and takes passengers to a natural amphitheater high atop Fir Pass, for a full afternoon of music and fun. Other events are scheduled throughout the year. Come join the fun riding the Rio Grande!
Uptop Ghost Town
The 42-acre property contains buildings preserved from the 19th-century’s Gold Rush days. There’s a church, a schoolhouse, a saloon, a dance hall and railroad depot that was converted into a museum. From 1877 to 1899, the town had the world’s highest train tracks with the Denver & Rio Grand Railroad’s Veta Pass. In the early 1900s, the tracks were removed, and Uptop became popular with coal miners and loggers who produced the wood needed for mine infrastructure. Automotive tourism took over once the miners left in the 1940s. Then, in 1962, the state of Colorado created a safer highway through the mountains, leaving Uptop to the ghosts of its industry past.
Francisco Fort Museum
Francisco Fort Museum is nestled at the base of the Spanish Peaks, in central southern Colorado. The original adobe fort built in 1862, displays artifacts and collections from the Historic Huerfano County region. Come explore the fort and other historic buildings on the property including an 1890 saloon, an 1876 log school house, working blacksmith forge, mining building, and more! Special events, educational programs, guided and self-guided tours run from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
