Rio Grande County: Nature, Trails, and Culture

Travel to Rio Grande County offers everything from birdwatching and outdoor activities to regional history and events. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can first decide whether nature, culture, or a specific date will shape your stay. For seasonal activities and events, it’s a good idea to check the conditions or dates for your travel days.

Wetlands, Rock Formations, and Trails

At Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, the wetlands are intensively managed as habitat for waterfowl. Wildlife viewing opportunities include a 2.5-mile Wildlife Drive, the Meadowlark Nature Trail, and several observation points. Check facilities and trail conditions before your trip, as recommended for this destination.

Lookout Mountain Park Trails offer eight miles of natural-surface singletrack for hikers, runners, cyclists, and horseback riders. The alpine Middle Frisco Trail #879 is 6.3 miles long, is intended for mountain bikers and hikers, and ends at Frisco Lake. Its seasonal opening depends on the weather. So when choosing between the two destinations, consider more than just distance: the user groups, alpine character, endpoint, and weather dependence also set them apart.

The Limekiln Area offers 9.3 miles of singletrack, 24.1 miles of motorized singletrack, and 29.2 miles of open roads accessible to vehicles. The trail types are clearly distinct. The Stone Quarry Trail System offers more than 9.5 miles of non-motorized singletrack through rugged rock canyons. Check current trail conditions and seasonal access before visiting.

Elephant Rocks is a five-mile formation of monolithic rock formations in shortgrass prairie and shrubland. Penitente Canyon has nearly 300 technical climbing routes; south-facing routes in the Recreation Area can be climbed year-round. Trout fishing is also possible in La Garita Creek at Penitente Canyon.

History and Events

The Rio Grande County Museum hosts year-round programs for adults, including tours of local rock art and talks by local historians and archaeologists. The museum also offers insights into the county’s past and the history of its early settlers. The Transportation of the West Museum focuses on early forms of transportation used in the San Luis Valley between the valley floor and mining camps in the mountains.

Built in 1912, the Monte Vista Cemetery Chapel is an unusual example of the Craftsman style in Monte Vista and Rio Grande County. Summitville Historic Mining Camp was the site of one of the earliest gold discoveries in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Penitente Canyon also has historical significance: Los Hermanos Penitente, a small Catholic group, used it as a place of worship.

Founded in 1919, the San Luis Valley Ski Hi Stampede Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned sporting event. Since sanctioning status can change, check it for the event date if needed. The SLV Ski Hi Complex in Monte Vista hosts rodeo events and trade fairs; its program can also change. Rhythms on the Rio is an annual benefit music festival held in Del Norte in early August. Since the timing can vary, it’s a good idea to check the specific festival dates for your travel year.

Water, Winter, and the Route

Del Norte Riverwalk Park offers access to the Rio Grande for swimming, wading, tubing, and stand-up paddleboarding. These activities are subject to seasonal conditions and safety requirements. In winter, the county has about 300 miles of groomed snowmobile trails, as well as ungroomed side trails, open parks, meadows, and hills at elevations from 8,200 to 12,000 feet. Grooming and access depend on conditions; check both before setting out.

The Silver Thread Scenic Byway runs along State Highways 149 and 149A. The route begins in South Fork, a town in Rio Grande County, and ends in Gunnison. Road conditions and seasonal access may change, so it’s a good idea to check before driving.

Discover more destinations: South Fork, Monte Vista, Del Norte, Jefferson, Adams, El Paso, Chaffee, Washington County.

Return to the main travel overview: Colorado.