The Highway of Legends

State Highway 12, the Scenic Highway of Legends ties Trinidad, Weston, Stonewall, Cuchara, La Veta, and Walsenburg together with a ribbon of asphalt that journeys through some of the most beautiful mountain countryside in the world. Going west out of Trinidad it passes the Trinidad Lake State Park before entering the Purgatoire River Valley.

Trinidad Lake is a man made lake completed in 1977. It was built for flood control, irrigation and recreation. When the dam was built, five small communities were moved: Sopris, Sopris Plaza, Viola, Piedmont, and St. Thomas. Two miles below the dam is the final resting place of Horace Long, the first Anglo settler west of Trinidad. Also in the area of the lake were 48 Native American archaeological sites, mostly left by the Jicarilla Apaches. While some of these sites are now under water and some are hidden in the surrounding bluffs, one area of teepee rings is open to the public at the Carpios Ridge Picnic Area.

The Highway continues on and passes by Cokedale, rated the "Best Preserved Coal Mining Camp" in Colorado. Cokedale was founded in 1907 by the American Smelting and Refining Company and reached a population of 1500 by 1909. In 1947, the mines closed. The residents of Cokedale were offered their homes for $100 per room and $50 per lot. The residents organized and incorporated Cokedale in 1948. The old coke ovens can be seen right beside the road as you go by town. Cokedale was placed on the National Historic Register in 1984.

Next are Madrid and Valdez, two almost abandoned coal camps (the old mine works are right there) before coming to Segundo, a small town full of wonderful architecture. It is said that a Mr. Chrysler was born and raised in Valdez. He lived there long enough to build his first automobile there in a little shop. Old Segundo, or Los Varros, sprung up along the Purgatoire in the 1860's. Segundo, the mining town, was built in the early 1900's. At that time, Segundo was the largest coal processing plant west of Chicago with 800 coking ovens. The Colorado and Wyoming Railroad reached Segundo in 1901 and built its operating headquarters there. Continuing west you'll come to Primero and then Weston. At the east edge of Weston you'll see the first signs for the aptly named Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area, 30,000+ acres of prime wildlife habitat. Several miles west of town there's another well marked entrance. A friend who knows the area well told me to be careful in there: there's a lot of bears.

The highway continues west to Vigil and Stonewall. Vigil was first settled by Juan Vigil and his family in the early 1860's. Juan served as the County Assessor and County Sheriff for many years. The Town of Vigil was incorporated and had a post office from 1890 to the early 1920's. Across the highway is the "House on the Bridge". The bridge was originally part of the road leading from Trinidad to Stonewall but the road was rerouted in 1918. State Senator Joseph E. Martinez was a half-brother to Charles Vigil, the property owner, and he built a small house on the bridge. Some time later Charles' brother Marcus had the house rebuilt as it is now.

You'll know when you reach Stonewall because it is named for the incredible Dakota Sandstone walls that traverse the area from south to north. South of Stonewall are Torres, Tercio and Vermejo Park Ranch, probably the largest contiguous ranch property in America. From Stonewall, Highway 12 goes through the stone wall and turns north, shortly passing Monument Lake Park (the lake is named for the Dakota formation monument that was sticking up in the middle of it. The monument fell over in the winter of 1999-2000), and then past North Lake State Wildlife Area (trophy fishing lake and Trinidad city water supply) to Cuchara Pass (elevation: 9,995 feet).

The road descends quickly from the pass, through the aspen groves to the town of Cuchara. Just before town itself is the left turn that takes you to Cuchara Mountain Resort, a 4 season family resort. Downtown Cuchara is a wonderful rendition of a turn of the century Colorado mountain town, complete with slabwood siding and full log construction. Highway 12 continues on down through the Cuchara River Valley to La Veta. Between Cuchara and La Veta the road travels along the river edge where you are continually greeted with the Great Dikes of the Spanish Peaks - more magnificent stone walls radiating outward from the Spanish Peaks. Just northeast of La Veta the highway merges with US 160 and takes you into Walsenburg. Or, in downtown La Veta you can go west on Ryus Ave. and follow the pavement about 4 miles to US 160 and head on up past Mt. Mestas and into La Veta Pass on the way to Fort Garland and the San Luis Valley.

The entire length of Highway 12, the Scenic Highway of Legends, you are presented with vistas and panoramas of the Culebra Range, Culebra Peak elevation: 14,047 feet), of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. After you make the turn north at Stonewall, the Sangres are on the left and the Spanish Peaks (West Peak elevation: 13,626 feet, East Peak elevation: 12,686 feet) on the right. At times, looking to the east, you can see Fisher's Peak (elevation: 9,665 feet) rising to the southeast of Trinidad, 50 miles away.