We had a fantastic holiday weekend in the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado! The San Luis Valley is a high-altitude, 100-mile-long wind-swept area in south-central Colorado. It is a huge flat valley, surrounded by TEN 14,000 foot snow-capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The town of Alamosa sits almost in the center of the valley and was the anchor for our adventures.
Our favorite adventures for our 4-day weekend were: The Great Sand Dunes National Park, Zapata Falls and two different hot springs pools. We soon realized that we could easily spend a week here because there is so much more to do.
“It wouldn’t be a Thomas trip if we didn’t swim somewhere.”
-our kids
Tips:
- Rent a sand board.
- Hike the sand dunes at night. Do some stargazing and enjoy cooler temperatures.
- Pack a hat, towel, water, sunglasses, picnic lunch, camera, headlamps, socks, shoes & flip flops.
- Visit Zapata Falls early in the day before the crowds arrive and bring an extra pair of shoes because you will get wet walking through the creek.
- Some of the best views of the San Luis valley are from the Zapata Falls trailhead.
- Enjoy all the different hot springs pools.
- Visit some of the quirky, mystical sights in the area.
- Enjoy glorious sunsets.
Colorado and Beyond 
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