Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Visitor Center
( 719-783-9163;
www.custercountytourism.com
; Main St; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri Jun-Sep)
The
visitor center is located in an old Rio Grande caboose near the west end of Main St.
Getting There & Away
Westcliffe lies at the junctions of Hwys 69 and 96. It's 77 miles southwest of Colorado
Springs, 50 miles southwest of Cañon City and 48 miles southeast of Salida.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Crestone
POP 130 / ELEV 7923FT
Despite a population that barely exceeds 100 souls, Crestone is world famous in spiritual
circles. A former mining town in the heart of the Sangre de Christo mountains, it has since
become an international center of retreat and meditation.
Look around the small grid of streets and you can choose from a buffet of spirituality -
there's a Hindu temple and a pair of ashrams, a clutch of Buddhist Zen retreats, a crunchy
Carmelite hermitage, a Baptist church, several Tibetan meditation centers and seekers of
every stripe.
There are several theories explaining Crestone's status as a powerful spiritual magnet -
that it has to do with the energy flow that follows waters off the Continental Divide, or
that the mountains themselves call spiritual travelers - but some of the draw likely has to
do with Maurice Strong, a former UN undersecretary-general and entrepreneur. Strong
planned a large housing development here in the late 1970s, but when it didn't take off he
donated plots to various spiritual organizations. Regardless, there's no question about Cre-
stone's setting: the soaring backdrop of 14,000ft peaks is truly stunning.
Activities
Hiking & Backpacking
Two outstanding trails into the high Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area begin in Crestone's
backyard, also providing access to two 14ers (Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point).
For information about hiking on the west side of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area
contact the
Saguache Ranger District
(
8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri)
across
719-655-2547; 46525 Hwy 114;
the valley in Saguache (pronounced 'sah-watch').
