Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GREAT SAND DUNES & THE SAN LUIS
VALLEY
The strange and mysterious San Luis Valley is the driest part of Colorado, hemmed in by
the San Juan Mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristos to the east. Despite the seem-
ingly barren landscape, however, the valley holds many surprises - the most famous of
which is the rippling sea of sand at the Great Sand Dunes.
The valley was also the first part of Colorado to be permanently settled, when Hispanic
pioneers set out from Taos in the mid-19th century to find new homesteads, and their influ-
ence still defines valley culture today.
But the most important thing of all to know is that this is one of the top areas in the
world for alien sightings and abductions. Don't say we didn't warn you!
TOP OF CHAPTER
Fort Garland
POP 433 / ELEV 7936FT
Fort Garland (1858-83) was established to protect Hispanic and white settlers in the San
Luis Valley from Ute raids, and Union troops stationed here marched in a campaign against
Confederates in Texas during the Civil War. For a short time the outpost was under the dir-
ection of famed frontier scout Kit Carson. Though Carson successfully negotiated a period
of peace with Utes, all hell broke loose following the Meeker Massacre in 1879. After that,
the fort became a major base of operations in the forcible removal of Utes from the area.
Today Fort Garland - all five square blocks of it - is the first town encountered by west-
bound travelers in the San Luis Valley. The
fort
(
www.historycolorado.org
;
Hwy 159, off Hwy 160; adult/
child $5/3.50;
)
contains five of the original
9am-5pm daily Apr-Oct, 10am-4pm Thu-Mon Nov-Mar;
22 buildings and is a good spot to cool the engine.
Sleeping & Eating
Fort Garland Motor Inn
MOTEL
$
