by Michele Kadison

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are one of my favorite Colorado Rockies destinations. Not only is the scenery awe-inspiring, but among them you can find some of the most charming, quaint, and quintessential towns that beg to be explored. I recently discovered the town of La Veta and am convinced that this is somewhere where I could hang my hat if I was looking for another place to settle down.

With a strong pioneering history, La Veta is also home to many artists and aesthetes who appreciate living in a locale that provides spectacular views from every vantage point. With the Spanish Peaks rising 13,625 feet in the air to the west and 12,638 feet to the east, you can understand why the Aztecs had such a profound reverence for these summits. A magnet for the Native Americans, trappers, gold prospectors, and settlers, the mountains were used as a familiar guidepost for navigating the terrain. I took a long hike around the base of the westward peaks, finding some amazing trails that lead to the summit.

Take your car like I did up the canyon on Scenic Byway Colorado 12 through La Veta pass to take photos of the mountains from a variety of perspectives. I found myself hiking around Cuchara Mountain, getting ecstatically lost in the scenery. For you anglers, stop at Bear and Blue Lakes to fish the waters under the sunny day time skies.

Just off Colorado 12 you can learn more about the area’s history with a visit to the Fort Francisco Museum. This was once Col. John Francisco’s ranch back in 1892, serving as a commercial center and defense post that is an ideal representation of what it was like to live in the early frontier days.

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