Trip Tips
Trip Tips for Experiencing the Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway.
Know Before You Go
Traveling along the Santa Fe Trail Byway is unlike other travel in Colorado. Our region is vast, with varying landscapes, including deep canyons and wide-open prairies. It can get hot in southeast Colorado and windy during certain times of the year. With that said, travel is generally safe and easy, with state highways, paved county roads, rural routes, and well-maintained dirt and gravel roads.
Like traveling throughout all of Colorado, it’s best to prepare both yourself and your vehicle. While you won’t encounter major mountain passes, you’ll still want a well-equipped vehicle, as recommended by Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Here are a few tips to get you started:
CDOT Winter Driving Preparedness (this is a link) Winter Driving Preparedness — Colorado Department of Transportation (codot.gov)
CDOT Summer Driving (this is a link) Driving Safety — Colorado Department of Transportation (codot.gov)
Gas stations are plentiful along the Santa Fe Trail Byway, but you may go dozens of miles between stations – and restrooms – so plan accordingly.
Electric Vehicle fast charging stations are available in La Junta, Lamar, and Trinidad and regular charging stations are available in other areas of the Canyons & Plains.
Eads, Lamar, La Junta, and Trinidad offer hospitals and medical centers.
Cell phone coverage can be spotty in more remote areas and throughout Comanche National Grassland.
Plan to download or carry a printed map of the area in your vehicle.
Spring and fall are wonderful times of the year to visit when temperatures are pleasant, birds are prevalent and local produce is ripe for the picking.
Summer is packed with events and activities but the weather can get quite warm, especially deep in the canyons. The many lakes and reservoirs in the Canyons & Plains offer a cool respite from the heat, just be sure to travel with plenty of water.
Water levels at reservoirs and other bodies of water can fluctuate throughout the year. It’s best to check in advance if you plan on boating or other water activities.
Winter is southeast Colorado’s best kept secret – give it a try!
Care For Colorado
How To Have A Respectful And Safe Journey Along The Santa Fe Trail Scenic & Historic Byway
Know Before You Go
- Stay back from the pack. Find your way to less-visited and off-peak destinations to minimize downtime and maximize your connection with special places.
- Bring along reusable water bottles or hot drink tumblers to limit waste and stay hydrated in our dry climate.
- Check conditions where you plan to visit. In Colorado, even late spring can bring snowstorms, so be aware of the latest news for weather and snow, as well as for road and trail closures.
Stick to Trails
- Even though shortcuts can be tempting, please don’t take them. A few extra strides on the path will protect plants and the homes of the true locals.
- Melting snow leaves trails and vegetation more open to damage. Be sure to stick to trails and walk in the middle of the trail — even if it’s wet, muddy, slushy, or icy — to avoid erosion and damage to trailside plants.
Trash the Trash
- Pack it in, pack it out. Or pick it up to leave a place better than you found it. Put litter, even crumbs, peels, and cores, in your nearest waste/recycling bin.
- Wash yourself, your dog, or whatever else needs cleaning at least 200 feet from waterways, and use biodegradable soap. A bubble bath is no treat for fish.
Leave It as You Find It
- Leave plants, rocks, and historical items as you find them so others experience the joy of discovery.
- Treat all living things with respect. Carving or hacking plants and trees may kill or disfigure them.
Be Careful with Fire
- Colorado’s low humidity has perks but can create dry, dangerous conditions. Keep campfires small and manageable to avoid sparking wildfires.
- When putting out a fire, water it until you can handle the embers. Never let a fire burn unattended.
- Use care when smoking in Colorado’s dry climate. Always put cigarettes out completely, and don’t leave your butts behind.
- Always check for local fire restrictions.
Keep Wildlife Wild
- Colorado is home to tens of thousands of furry, scaly, and feathered creatures. To keep them — and you — safe, don’t approach them.
- Do not feed wildlife no matter how hungry you think they might look.
- Keep your furry buddies leashed when enjoying dog-friendly trails, and pack out their waste. All the way to a trash can.
Share Our Parks and Trails
- Pick up dog waste and dispose properly.
- Chances are you’re not out in nature to people-watch, so try out the lesser-known paths and sites.
- Silence your cell phone before stepping into nature and speak softly without using the speaker function.
- Be considerate when passing others on the trails and yield to the uphill hiker and biker — they need the momentum.
- Listen to nature. Keep your voice and music soft so all can enjoy the peace of Colorado.
©Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org
The Santa Fe Trail Scenic & Historic Byway is a member of the Care for Colorado Coalition.
Lamar to La Junta: A Santa Fe Trail Itinerary (3 Days)
The past meets the future in this relaxed area at the northern portion of the Santa Fe Trail, where progress and preservation live side by side.
Activity
Vogel Canyon Hike
At Vogel Canyon follow the trails to a historic stage coach station near the Purgatoire River. Here you can also hike any one of the gentle 2-mile loops and find rock art.
Lunch
Mexico City Cafe
Mexico City Cafe originated over 15 years ago. It was started by Mona Munoz Chaparro. It has grown steadily from it’s inception. We now offer an outdoor patio when the weather is warm. As well as an outside bar area with tables and umbrellas.
Activity
Koshare Indian Museum
The Koshare Indian Museum is one of Colorado’s great repositories of Southwest art and Native American artifacts. Antiquities, pottery and textiles represent the great prehistoric cultures of the Southwest from Cheyenne and Comanche to Pueblo and Navajo.
Dinner
Boss Hogg’s Saloon & Restaurant
This restaurant features flavorful, freshly cut steaks and hickory-smoked barbecue.
Activity
The Railyard
You might come to The Railyard for well-crafted cocktails, great beer, fresh food, or the mellow atmosphere. No matter what, you’re in the right place.
Lodging
Hampton Inn La Junta
Stay at the Hampton Inn La Junta hotel located off Highway 50 and accessible to a variety of popular cultural attractions. Spend a day on the water at nearby John Martin Reservoir or dive into the local history of La Junta at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, where costumed guides bring Santa Fe Trail-era frontiersman to life.
Breakfast
LA Cafe
Your home-town restaurant bringing our community together with good home-town cooking.
Activity
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site features a reconstructed 1840s adobe fur trading post on the mountain branch of the Santa Fe Trail where traders, trappers, travelers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together in peaceful terms for trade. Today, living historians recreate the sights, sounds, and smells of the past with guided tours, demonstrations and special events.
Lunch
The Railyard
You might come to The Railyard for well-crafted cocktails, great beer, fresh food, or the mellow atmosphere. No matter what, you’re in the right place.
Activity
John W. Rawlings Heritage Center and Museum
Exhibits include early 1900’s storefronts of a post office, barber shop, jewelry store, candy shop, and the Bent County Bank, Kit Carson, Festus, and many more.
Activity
Boggsville Historic Site
Come visit this restored mid-19th-century settlement.
Activity
Lamar Theatre
Opened in 1946, as a single screen, 832-seat “High Art Deco” theatre with a colorfully lit facade and marquee. Colorful interior murals, recessed neon lighting, chrome details, mirrors, curved wall edges, and rounded corners are found inside.
Lodging
Hampton Inn La Junta
Stay at the Hampton Inn La Junta hotel located off Highway 50 and accessible to a variety of popular cultural attractions. Spend a day on the water at nearby John Martin Reservoir or dive into the local history of La Junta at Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, where costumed guides bring Santa Fe Trail-era frontiersman to life.
Breakfast
Hickory House Restaurant
Best ribs in Colorado, not to mention biscuits and gravy, meat-lovers omelets, BLTs and much more.
Activity
Big Timbers Museum
Building erected 1929-American Telephone & Telegraph Co housed repeater equipt for Den-Kans City long distance lines. WWI Poster Collection,10-star Confederate flag, Native American Artifacts, Sand Creek, Fleagle Gang. Transportation Museum: wagons, cars, fire equipt.
Lunch
Bjs Super Burger
Great burgers, amazing shakes, friendly service. Ask for the pureed jalapeño on your burger for zesty flavor in every bite!
Activity
Amache National Historic Site
A WWII Japanese Internment Camp, the site is now 1 square mile of foundations and signs.
Activity
Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
See where 675 U.S. volunteers led by Colonel John Chivington launched an attack on a peaceful village of Cheyenne and Arapaho who were camped under the protection of the American Flag. Around 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho were killed on Nov. 29, 1864.
Lodging
Cobblestone Inn & Suites
Welcome to the Cobblestone Inn & Suites in Holyoke, Colorado. Our beautiful hotel is conveniently located near everything that Holyoke, Colorado has to offer including The Phillips County Raceway, Melissa Memorial Hospital, Hospice of the Plains, Centennial Mental Health Center, Gerk Funeral Home, and Baucke Funeral Home. Our hotel also provides easy access for traveling to and from U.S. Highways 6 and 385.
Santa Fe Trail Byway Map
