Alamosa, means “cottonwood” in Spanish, The city and county are the center of the scenic San Luis Valley. It is also an agricultural, business, and cultural event center with a four-year university. The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located here.

Pagosa Springs known for its “healing” hot springs is located on the San Juan River and near Wolf Creek Ski Area. The Town and County have miles of public lands with unparalleled recreation opportunities.

Known for its stunning beauty, many fourteener mountain peaks. and the recreation intensive gold medal waters of the Upper Arkansas River. The Arkansas flows through the remote Browns Canyon National Monument. More than 80% of the county is designated as public lands. The town of Buena Vista is a northern gateway to the Collegiate Peaks wilderness. Salida, has become an art and special events city with excellent mountain biking and a nearby ski resort.

66 percent of the county is public, providing for incredible, very remote outdoor recreation, hunting, and fishing opportunities. The Conejos River is a designated gold medal trout fishing water. The year round population is quite low.

San Luis and the county have strong ties to historic Spain’s religious, cultural, and artistic traditions. Much of the surrounding area are used for traditional agriculture activities. San Luis is the oldest town in Colorado, established in 1851.

Bounded to the west by the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and to the east by the Wet Mountains, one of the oldest ranges in Colorado. This area is an unspoiled high-mountain valley, offers incredible dark skies, amazing outdoor recreation, and local ranching operations.

The county consists of high mesas with narrow, steep valleys to the west and high rugged mountains to the east. The 1,100 foot Dolores River Canyon offers incredible views, geologic wonders, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Farming is a major activity.

The Arkansas River flows through rugged Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Royal Gorge from the west. Upon reaching the Great Plains, the river slows, providing irrigation water to farms and orchards.The area has rugged mountains and steep foothills, dinosaur beds, rock climbing, and a mineral rich history. Outdoor activities abound, though close to the front range cities of Pueblo and Colorado Springs.

High-elevation recreation-rich mountains lie to its north, east, and south. Much of these areas were mined for gold, silver, and other minerals. To the west the Gunnison River flows through Curecanti National Recreation Area and the incredible Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.The center of the county consists of hilly ranch lands with numerous large reservoirs having excellent fishing. The area has a four year public university.

One of the nation’s most remote counties with a very low year round population. The county is made up of over 96% public lands. It has five 14,000 and over twenty 13,000 foot high peaks. It is considered one of the most roadless areas in the country.

Primarily a plains grassland.The county is named for the Spanish word for “orphan,” and lies east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and south of the Wet Mountain Valley. The southern part of the county historically produced large quantities of coal. Outdoor recreation abounds in the mountainous west and vacation homes are found near the western county lakes at Lathrop State Park.

Situated in the rugged San Juan Mountains, offering miles of outdoor adventures. Purgatory Ski Resort is located nearby, and the historic Durango to Silverton narrow gauge train is a tourist favorite. The city has a public four year college.

Located at over 10,000 feet in elevation. The county and town have a rich mining history and exciting old historic town feel. The town lies in a sub-alpine basin surrounded by numerous mountain ranges. It is also headwaters of the Arkansas River. Tourism and some ranching predominate and it has a two-year community college.The recently authorized Camp Hale National Monument is located near Leadville.

With the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range to the west and the Great Plains to the east. Trinidad and the county represent an historic national crossroads. Native Americans, Spanish Conquistadors, western migrating settlers, and ethnically diverse mining families greatly impacted and helped develop this city on the Animas River. Trinidad has a two-year college.

Located in the San Juan Mountains, the county and Creede have a rich silver mining history. Tourism predominates, with 95% of the county in public lands. Creede has developed a vibrant arts and theater scene. The special and quite unique Wheeler Geologic Area is located near Creede.

The county is host to Mesa Verde National Park and Canyon of the Ancients National Monument. The Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is located on the southern part of the county. 33 percent of the county is in public lands. Ranching and agriculture are a primary activity and outdoor activities are economic drivers. Cortez is a key commercial center for this remote region.

Located in the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. Ouray is known as the Switzerland of America. Numerous mountains above 13,000 feet surround the town and the city is famous for its natural hot springs with excellent public arts and antiques scene.

The county and town lie on the upland high-elevation basin of South Park that extends for over 1,000 square miles. The basin is surrounded by numerous mountains ranges, many rising to over 14,000 feet. The region has a rich historic and current mining history. Summer and winter mountain adventure activities abound. Headwaters to the South Platte River, the county has two major reservoirs, Antero and Eleven Mile, which claim world class fishing opportunities.

The county and city are one of the premier and most expensive resort destinations in Colorado.Famous and wealthy people flock to its ski resorts and the city resembles a European alpine resort. Outdoor activities abound across the county and the surrounding mountains offer outstanding recreation and tourist activities.

The county and city lie at the intersection of the Arkansas and Fountain Rivers.Situated on an upland prairie at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The city remains an important industrial center and is one of the largest cities in Colorado. Pueblo Reservoir, to the west offers excellent recreation activities and the nearby community of Pueblo West has become an important residential area. The city completed a downtown riverwalk that has become popular with locals and visitors. Green chile cultivation to the east of the county is famous for its superb quality and is an important cash crop.The city has a four-year public university and two-year junior college.

The county is reliant on agriculture, with potatoes, wheat, and barley being the main cash crops. Despite low precipitation—five to seven inches per year—and a modest growing season of 100 days. Tourism is also important and the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge attracts thousands of visitors, when nearly 20,000 sandhill cranes pass through during migration. The Rio Grande is an important economic driver for agriculture and tourism.

Located at the northern edge of the San Luis Valley with the San Juan Mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east. Historic gold and silver mining were once important, while today tourism, farming, and ranching predominate. climbers find world class opportunities and the Sangre De Cristo mountain town of Crestone has developed a reputation as a new age spiritual center.

A major historic mining center of Colorado. The region is located in The San Juan Mountains. The town has become an important tourist center as the northern terminus of the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. With stunning natural beauty and ample recreation opportunities, Silverton continue to draw tourists and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy four-wheeling, cycling, hiking, kayaking, and skiing.

A former major mining area. Telluride is located in a remote high-mountain box canyon of southwest Colorado. The town reinvented itself, when the Telluride Ski Resort opened in 1972. The community has also sponsored many cultural events, festivals, music, and performing arts shows making it a world class year-round tourist destination. Nearby Mountain Village, one of the newest incorporated towns in Colorado, has developed into a major European style ski resort and vacation-home community.