Trinidad,Colorado

Excursions

The Many Ways to Explore Trinidad

Trinidad is the proud home of a number of opportunities for adventure and exploration; whether you enjoy road trips, museums, art galleries, or outdoor recreation, there is something for everyone.

A FREE Trinidad Trolley Tour might be just the thing to introduce you to our city. The trolley departs the Colorado Welcome Center at the top of the hour beginning at 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday – Saturday, and Sunday 10 a.m. through 2 p.m., from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For more info, call 719-846-9512.

Below, you’ll find some of these explorations already lined out for you; pick a suggested itinerary and go enjoy! If you’d rather choose your own adventure, check out our Outdoor page for outdoor recreation activities, our Dining page for tasty eats, our Shop page for our listing of local shops, or our Arts and Culture page for our cultural and creative happenings! We hope you enjoy and please contact us with any questions about your visit!

Regional Adventure

SCENIC HIGHWAY OF LEGENDS

Trinidad is the starting point for the Scenic Highway of Legends, an 82-mile, two-hour scenic drive. The Scenic Highway of Legends will take you over passes and through local towns and villages, each with its own history, tall tales, and scenery.

These sights include the Sangre de Cristos, the Spanish Peaks, the red rock abutments of the Dakota Wall, and Devil’s Stairsteps; Cokedale, where you will notice original coke ovens that look more like Roman ruins than a western frontier; and a 35-mile extension that was recently added from the town of Aguilar on I-25 west over the 11,248-foot Cordova Pass, which reconnects to Colorado Highway 12 at Cuchara Pass.

For an even richer experience as you travel the Highway of Legends, download the free Travelstorys app for a self-guided audio tour of its features and points of interest!

Clear mountainous view of the Spanish Peaks

low mountainous picture with deciduous tree in foreground and evergreen trees covering hill in background

CAPULIN VOLCANO NATIONAL MONUMENT

50 Miles from Trinidad | nps.gov/cavo | 575.278.2201

Capulin is an extinct cinder cone volcano. According to the National Park Service it last erupted between 58,000 to 62,000 years ago.

COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLAND

Dinosaur Tracks & Rock Art

81 Miles from Trinidad | 719.384.2181

Just to the south of La Junta and home to the Picket Wire Canyonlands, you will find the largest known dinosaur track site in North America. Go back in time, and walk alongside more than 1,500 brontosaurus and allosaurus footprints that date back 150 million years. Tour guides help you learn the whole story of the track site, sharing stories and information about what scientists have learned from these tracks. Rock art images and dwelling remains shed light on the lives of the prehistoric people who once inhabited these lands.

Image of comanche national grassland horizon

tour the area

AVE MARIA SHRINE

The Ave Maria Shrine is on the hillside of the Mt. San Rafael Hospital and is one of the most beautiful and mysterious landmarks in Trinidad. It is said that in 1908 a physician caught in a storm was led by a flickering light to a statue of the Virgin Mary that mysteriously appeared on this hillside. This Shrine is now a sanctuary of peace.

TrinidadCatholic.org

The shrine is not open to the public.

To visit the shrine call: 719.846.3369

Ludlow Monument memorial by Hugh Sullivan erected by the United mine Workers

LUDLOW HISTORIC MONUMENT

Fifteen miles north of Trinidad is the Ludlow Historic Monument, the site of the Ludlow Massacre. The Ludlow Massacre Memorial is the most sacred place of the working class.

The restoration undertaken by the United Mine Workers of America includes a miner’s tent camp, storyboards and photos that recount the encounter between the Colorado National Guard and striking coal miners that left 20 people dead.

SIMPSON’S REST & TRINIDAD SIGN

Standing high above Trinidad on a historic sandstone bluff is Simpson’s Rest. With the Trinidad sign perched on top and lit at night it is easy to spot.

The bluff that overlooks the city from the north can be reached using the road at the western end of North Avenue. Once there, you will have spectacular views.

Buried at the top of the Rest is George S. Simpson (1818-1885) a famous scout, trader, explorer, and trailblazer. This spot is also noted for its fossilized remains of pre-historic life forms that have been preserved within the strata.