Alamosa
Hub of the San Luis Valley
General Information
Other Name: -, District: Colorado, State: West, United States of America
Area: 4 sq mi
Languages Spoken: English
Long Distance Code: -
Importance: -
Best Time to Visit: - to - and -
International Access: -Description
The City of Alamosa is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Alamosa County, Colorado, United States.The city is the commercial center of the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado.Alamosa was established in May 1878 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and quickly became an important rail center. The railroad had an extensive construction, repair and shipping facility in Alamosa for many years and headquarted its remaining narrow gauge service here with trackage reaching many points throughout southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico.Alamosa is now a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions including the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The town hosts a Sunshine Summerfest on the Rio Festival which occurs the first weekend in June. The city takes its name from the Alamosa River.Location
Alamosa is located in the San Luis Valley.Climate
Dry Climate.
Native American pottery and artifacts are exhibited at this museum that also displays the remains of an old time school house and a general store. The museum is open from May through October.
This 11,168 acre refuge borders the Rio Grande River and provides a habitat for numerous bird species including Canadian Geese and the near extinct Whooping Crane. A hiking trail along the Rio Grande River is also on site.
Enjoy this 6,900 yard, 18 hole championship golf course on the Rio Grande River that features outstanding mountain range views and large Cottonwood trees plus includes a restaurant, a pro shop, and a driving range. Golf carts and club rentals are available.
37mi/60km west of Colorado Springs on U.S. 24 are the very interesting Florissant Fossil Beds (stumps of fossil trees, etc.).The 6,000-acre area has hiking trails, an old 1878 homestead and an information center.
Pikes Peak (14,110ft/4,301m), 3mi/5km northwest of Manitou Springs, can also be climbed on a difficult toll road (car rally annually at beginning of July). From the summit there are breathtaking views, extending on clear days as far as Denver and into New Mexico, which attract large numbers of visitors throughout the year. Katherine Lee Bates was inspired by Pikes Peak to write the words of the song "America the Beautiful". The whole of the mountain is now protected as Pike National Forest.
Between the town of Mosca and Great Sand Dunes National Monument is San Luis Lakes State Park, with nine miles of hiking and biking trails and a great deal of wildlife.
In southern Colorado is the impressive Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Over a period of 15,000 years the wind has carried great masses of sand from the semi-arid San Luis Valley to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Some of the dunes are over 650ft/200m high.