Highway of Legends
Highway of Legends Overview

Spanish Peaks along Highway of Legends (CO) [1]

Highway of Legends connects a number of southern Colorado towns as it curves across a rich recreational region steeped in frontier legends and folklore. Ute, Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa tribes once inhabited the area surrounding the byway. Later, Spanish and American settlers brought their families in search of gold. Starting in the Cuchara Valley at the Devil's Stairsteps, travel this trail teeming with legends of the people who shaped the region into what it is today and enjoy the recreation that accompanies these tall tales.

Beginning in the Cuchara Valley, note the valley's spoon-like shape. "Cuchara" means "spoon" in Spanish, and the valley’s silhouette fueled many legends. One tale claims giants once wandered the earth, forming the valley by leaving a spoon on the ground after a heavy rainstorm. Make your first stop at the Devil's Stairsteps in the valley. Here, over 400 dikes spill from the Spanish Peaks like wheel spokes, all formed from volcanic rock. Legend says that the Devil climbed the peaks to survey the Earth, but when God learned of this, He took the land and banned the Devil from coming back to the valley. The Devil's stairsteps remain today, marking his wicked walkway. From there, travel south and discover the valley's recreation at the San Isabel National Forest, home to six wilderness areas and the Cuchara River Recreation Area. Embark on an adventure and follow the road to the recreation area as it hugs the Cucharas River's curves and sends you through switchbacks past Blue Lake, aptly named for its sparkling sapphire surface. The road cuts through rows of evergreens until its end at Bear Lake, where you can enjoy the Cuchara Valley's beauty.

North Lake Signs (CO) [2]

Leaving the Cuchara River Recreation Area and the San Isabel National Forest, follow Highway 12 over Cuchara Pass. Pull over and take a short hike through clusters of wildflowers on the Farley Wildflower Trail, which leads to a final, fantastic view of the Cuchara Valley. After hiking back, hop onto Highway 12 and head south into the Purgatoire River Valley. Passing through the town of Vigil on your way to Weston, see the San Isidro Church, which dates back to the 1870s. Once you reach Weston, be sure to look west to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. During the sunrise, the sun's rays render them red, revealing the reason early Spanish explorers named them "Sangre de Cristo," meaning "Blood of Christ." The mountains' legend says an old gold prospector came down annually from the Sangres with a nugget so rich that he survived on it for the year. He said he used the reddish color of the morning on the snow to find his mine. After his death, many searched for the mine, but no one has ever found the "Gold where the Snow Turns to Blood." Travel to the foothills of these legendary mountains, and you'll find yourself in Trinidad Lake State Park. With 700-surface acres of water on Trinidad Lake, relax and go fishing. In this 2,500-acre park, you'll also find trails for hiking, mountain biking, or simply strolling through the piñon and juniper forests in the Purgatoire River Valley.

Travel the Highway of Legends through a couple of Colorado valleys for a diverse history highlighted by the region's multi-faceted landscape. Once inhabited by several different Native American tribes, followed by Spanish and American settlers, the area still carries their legacy of legends and tall tales. From the Cuchara Valley to the Purgatoire River Valley, discover a cache of culture and history set amidst mountain ranges, forest-enclosed lakes, and historic towns.