Saguache County Tourism

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Saguache, CO
Saguache County Tourism

Ready to adventure in the land of high desert & hidden treasures? Welcome to Saguache County! See our dark skies and experience endless wonder.
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Hike and explore our hot springs, artsy towns, quirky museums & enjoy live music.

10/15/2026

Looking for crowded ski resorts, chain restaurants, and traffic jams? Saguache County may not be for you.

Searching for dark skies, quiet trails, natural hot springs, spiritual retreats, wildlife, and wide-open spaces? You've come to the right place!

Stretching from the sagebrush-covered floor of the San Luis Valley to alpine peaks along the Continental Divide, Saguache County offers experiences that are increasingly difficult to find in today's busy world: solitude, silence, and room to breathe.

While visiting, experience some of our beloved hot springs:

🌊 Near the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa features mineral-rich pools with spectacular mountain views and some of the darkest night skies in the state.

🌊 Just south of Hooper, Sand Dunes Swimming Pool offers family-friendly soaking and
swimming pools fed by naturally heated water.

🌊 For those seeking a more secluded experience, Valley View Hot Springs combines geothermal pools, hiking trails, wildlife viewing, and access to one of the area's most unusual attractions: a colony of Brazilian free-tailed bats that emerge from nearby caves on summer evenings. Visitors should note that Valley View is clothing-optional and operated by a nonprofit land trust dedicated to conservation and recreation.

📸 Image 1 - Joyful Journey Hot Springs
📸 Image 2 - Sand Dunes Recreation - colorado.com
📸 Image 3 - Valley View Hot Springs - 5280.com

10/14/2026

Fun fact about the town of Saguache:

1. The name Saguache originates from a Ute word meaning “water at the blue earth.”

2. For centuries, the valley served as a travel corridor for Native American nations, Spanish sheepherders, early settlers, and miners journeying along the Old Spanish Trail.

3. By the mid-1800s, seasonal sheep drives brought sheepherders north and west each summer, shaping the region’s way of life.

4. As mining activity increased, Saguache developed into a vital supply hub where miners accessed food, goods, and community.

5. Saguache continues to serve as a key stop for travelers, with hunters, anglers, cyclists, and backpackers provisioning there before heading into the high country.

📸 Image 1: Colorado Central Magazine
📸 Image 2: Colorado Encyclopedia

10/13/2026

At the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and home to more than 20 spiritual centers and retreat spaces representing traditions from around the world, Crestone draws visitors seeking stillness, reflection, creativity, and connection. Buddhist temples, meditation centers, sacred gardens, and quiet mountain spaces are woven throughout the landscape, each adding to the town’s calm and contemplative atmosphere.

And you don’t have to attend a retreat to feel it.

Spend a day wandering the town, hiking nearby trails, watching the sunset over the valley, or stargazing beneath Crestone’s dark skies, and you’ll understand why so many people return here again and again.

Here are some of the spiritual centers and retreat spaces in and around Crestone:

📍 Crestone Mountain Zen Center — Zen Buddhist retreat and meditation center
📍 Dharma Ocean Retreat Center
📍 Chamma Ling
📍 Haidakhandi Universal Ashram
📍 Mangala Shri Bhuti
📍 Vajra Vidya Retreat Center
📍 Yeshe Khorlo
📍 Shumei International Institute
📍 Sri Aurobindo Learning Center
📍 Karma Thegsum Tashi Gomang
📍 Center for Contemplative Research
📍 White Jewel Mountain
📍 Crestone Baptist Church
📍 Little Shepherd in the Hills Chapel

Many of these centers offer meditation retreats, workshops, teachings, ceremonies, guest stays, and public events throughout the year. Together, they’ve helped shape Crestone into a globally recognized destination for spiritual exploration and quiet reflection.

10/09/2026

No filter needed for these epic sunsets in the San Luis Valley. 🤩

10/08/2026

The historic church in La Garita, Colorado is the Capilla de San Juan Bautista (Chapel of Saint John the Baptist), which is the centerpiece of the San Juan Catholic Spiritual Center.

⛪️ Original Church (1879–1924): The first parish church on this site was dedicated on June 24, 1879, serving Hispano settlers who migrated north from New Mexico. That original structure burned down in 1924.

⛪️ Current Building (1924–1926): Rebuilt shortly after the fire in a Territorial Adobe style with Gothic Revival influences, featuring a prominent bell tower and steep roof.

⛪️ Preservation: The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on February 8, 1980. After decades of disuse and an era spent housing a local craft cooperative, the site was restored and reclaimed as a spiritual center.

09/29/2026

Just a view of the San Juan’s from Valley View Hot Springs… 🍂✨

09/24/2026

Who is ready for the fall in Saguache County? 👀🍂

09/21/2026

Hunting season in SLV is coming soon…

With wide-open valley floors, rugged mountains, forests, and abundant wildlife, fall brings hunters from near and far to explore the San Luis Valley. Deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, and other game species can be found throughout the region, with hunting opportunities varying by species, GMU, season, and license.

For 2026, Colorado’s big-game seasons begin at different times depending on the hunt. Hunters need the appropriate license, and anyone born on or after January 1, 1949, must complete an approved hunter education course before purchasing a Colorado hunting license. A habitat stamp is also required.

Planning to hunt Saguache County? Check the current Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations for your specific GMU, season, species, and method of take before heading out.

And for everyone enjoying the outdoors this fall: know that hunting season is underway, wear bright colors where appropriate, respect public and private land, and give hunters and wildlife plenty of space.

Address

Saguache, CO

Website

https://www.mystic-colorado.com/

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