Things to Do in South Central Colorado

South Central Colorado offers a wide variety of things to see and do. The area includes everything from some of the state’s most majestic mountain scenery, to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, to the fertile agricultural lands of the historic San Luis Valley. Some of the cities and towns in the region include Alamosa, Antonito, Buena Vista, Cañon City, Colorado Springs, Cotopaxi, Creede, Cripple Creek, Fairplay, Leadville, Manitou Springs, Palmer Lake, Saguache, Salida, San Luis, Victor, Westcliffe, Woodland Park, and more. South Central Colorado is also home to Colorado’s largest army base, Fort Carson, as well as the United States Air Force Academy.

In South Central Colorado you can visit Pikes Peak; cross the Royal Gorge via the world’s highest suspension bridge or go underground at Cave of the Winds; ride the famous Cumbres and Toltec Railroad; visit historic mining towns; experience the outdoors – and much, much more. The area includes several beautiful State Parks. Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile are great places to go fishing, Mueller offers 55 miles of trails, Cheyenne Mountain and San Luis offer great wildlife viewing, and Arkansas Headwaters is one of the state’s premier spots for whitewater rafting. For other things to see and do in the South Central region, be sure to visit the regional attractions page on the state’s official tourism website, colorado.com. This page offers an amazing list of attractions with something for everyone – in fact, you can filter the list by what kinds of things you’d like to see and do. And while you’re visiting the region, be sure to travel along the region’s six amazing byways for some unforgettable scenery.

If you’re interested in more about the area, be sure and check out some of our library’s collection of publications covering many topics of interest regarding the South Central region. A sampling of these include:

• Colorado: The San Luis Valley (historical publication from 1926)
• Your Guide to Colorado Trails: South Front Range
• Valley of Lost Souls: A History of the Pinon Canyon Region of Colorado
• Rare Plant Surveys on Fort Carson, 2006-2007
• Fort Garland Museum: A Capsule History and Guide
• Arkansas River Recreation Management Plan
• History of Leadville and Lake County, Colorado
• The San Luis Valley: Land of the Six-Armed Cross
• Watching Wildlife in the Colorado San Luis Valley

Also be sure to search our web catalog for more publications. We have a large collection of Geological Survey maps and documents pertaining to this area as well.