TRIVIA QUESTION ❓
What remote San Juan Mountains landmark near Creede was once Colorado's second-most visited tourist attraction — trailing only Pikes Peak — before losing its National Monument designation in 1950?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

RioFest Launches a New Summer Tradition in Alamosa

Something new took shape along the banks of the Rio Grande this past weekend — and if the energy of opening day was any indication, it won't be forgotten anytime soon.

RioFest, a brand-new event that brings together two of Alamosa's most beloved summer traditions under one roof, made its debut on June 6th and 7th at Cole Park. The festival is the result of a merger between the longtime Summerfest on the Rio and the Rio Trio Triathlon, combining live music, an arts and crafts fair, and athletic competition on the Rio Grande into a single weekend celebration.

Free admission welcomed locals and visitors of all ages to the scenic Cole Park grounds, where a Battle of the Bands kicked off Saturday afternoon and live music continued throughout both days. Dozens of regional vendors lined the grounds with handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and Colorado-made goods, while athletes competed in the Rio Trio Triathlon — a multi-sport challenge that puts the Rio Grande itself at the center of the action.

For those who have attended Summerfest over the years, RioFest feels like a natural evolution — bigger in scope but rooted in the same spirit of community that has made Cole Park one of the Valley's favorite summer gathering places. And for first-time visitors, it's a compelling introduction to what Alamosa does best: bring people together outdoors, beside the river, with good music and good company.

RioFest is designed to return annually on the first full weekend of June. If this year is any indication, it is well on its way to becoming the Valley's unofficial kickoff to summer.

This newsletter sponsored by Ms. Kais Academy

Where Dreams Take Flight in the San Luis Valley

 Preserving the stories of places time forgot.

High in the mountains southeast of Creede, where the forests thin and the landscape takes on a quality that feels more like another planet than southern Colorado, there is a place that most Valley residents have heard of but surprisingly few have ever visited. Wheeler Geologic Area goes by many names — the Ghost City of the San Juans, the City of Gnomes — and every one of them fits.

What visitors encounter is an otherworldly collection of volcanic spires, minarets, and eroded formations rising above the surrounding forest like the ruins of a civilization that never existed. Columns of pale volcanic ash, sculpted over millions of years by wind and water, create the impression of towers and turrets floating above the trees. It is the kind of place that stops you cold and makes you forget what you were thinking about.

The geology begins with one of the most violent volcanic events in the history of the American West. The eruption of the La Garita Caldera roughly 25 to 30 million years ago deposited layers of volcanic ash thousands of feet thick across much of the San Juan Mountains. Over millions of years, erosion carved those layers into the formations that stand today. The result is a landscape that looks sculpted by hand, delicate and strange and entirely real.

The first recorded visit by non-Indigenous travelers came in 1907, when Forest Service supervisor Frank Spencer and a local resort owner followed up on rumors and located the formations. Their report was so enthusiastic that President Theodore Roosevelt signed a proclamation designating Wheeler National Monument in December 1908. For a time, it was the second-most visited tourist attraction in all of Colorado, drawing curious travelers from across the country to a spot that took real effort to reach.

But that remoteness eventually worked against it. With no road access that most vehicles could manage, visitation declined through the following decades. In 1950, Wheeler lost its national monument designation — one of the only places in the country to have the status removed — essentially because too few people were going. It was reassigned to Rio Grande National Forest management and has remained there since, largely off the radar.

Today, reaching Wheeler requires either a strenuous seven-mile hike or a white-knuckle fourteen-mile four-wheel-drive road — both of which are part of the experience. The difficulty is, in a real sense, what has kept the place intact. There are no crowds, no entrance lines, and no gift shops. There is only the silence of the mountains, the staggering formations rising out of the forest, and the quiet satisfaction of having made the effort to get there.

For Valley residents looking for a place that rewards the extra mile — literally — Wheeler Geologic Area is one of the San Juans' best-kept secrets, sitting right in our own backyard.

Wheeler was built on volcanic fire and carved by time. It was Colorado's forgotten wonder before it became Colorado's best-kept secret.

Learn more about Wheeler Geologic Area.

Behind many of the nonprofit programs, local initiatives, and community organizations that help keep the San Luis Valley moving forward, there is often a quiet but essential partner working in the background: the Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley.

Based in Alamosa and serving all six counties of the Valley, the Community Foundation connects donors who care about this region with the organizations, schools, and grassroots groups doing meaningful work here. Through grantmaking, fiscal sponsorships, donor services, and collaborative funding efforts, the foundation supports work in education, health, economic opportunity, cultural preservation, and community development.

In recent years, the Community Foundation has played an important role in helping resources reach local organizations and residents across the Valley. That kind of coordination — matching generosity with real community needs — is exactly what a regional foundation is built to do.

If you live and work in the San Luis Valley, have roots here, or simply want to support the people and organizations making a difference across the region, the Community Foundation offers a direct way to give back locally.

Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley
610 State Ave.
Alamosa, CO 81101
Website: www.cfslv.org

Learn more, support their work, or connect with the foundation to see how you can help strengthen the San Luis Valley.

Discover Monte Vista

Tucked in the heart of Rio Grande County, Monte Vista is one of those San Luis Valley towns where the past and present sit comfortably side by side — where historic brick storefronts share a block with new businesses, and where the surrounding farmland stretches out toward mountains in every direction.

The town's origins trace to 1881, when the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad placed a siding at what was then called Lariat — a switch point and water tank serving the growing population of the Valley floor. The settlement that grew up around it was first incorporated in 1884 under the name Henry, after a promoter instrumental in the town's early development.

By 1886, the town had been re-platted and given a name better suited to its setting: Monte Vista, Spanish for “mountain view,” a nod to the dramatic panorama of peaks visible from virtually every corner of town.

From the beginning, Monte Vista was a community that took its civic life seriously. The town built a reputation for its schools, its churches, its businesses, and its public institutions. One of its most lasting contributions came in 1892, when Monte Vista secured the State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home — now the Colorado State Veterans Center at Homelake — which has served Colorado veterans for well over a century and continues to do so today.

The agricultural economy that shaped Monte Vista's early character remains central to its identity. The town sits at the edge of some of the most productive farmland in the Valley, and the rhythms of planting and harvest still influence daily life in ways both visible and felt.

The Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, famous for drawing tens of thousands of sandhill cranes each spring during the Monte Vista Crane Festival, brings visitors from across the country each year and remains one of the area’s best-known natural treasures.

Today, Monte Vista is a town in motion. The Monte Vista Historical Society has worked to preserve fifteen of the town's buildings on the National and State Register of Historic Places. A new generation of community projects — including The Church Project community art center, whose grand opening comes July 5th — suggests a town that takes its history seriously while building something new at the same time.

With a welcoming downtown, a strong agricultural heritage, and more than a century of community character behind it, Monte Vista remains one of the San Luis Valley's most essential towns.

Did You Know?

Monte Vista was named “Henry” for its first two years of incorporation before being renamed in 1886. The new name — Monte Vista — honored the spectacular mountain vistas that have defined the town's identity ever since.

UPCOMING EVENTS — JUNE 9–16, 2026

Wednesday, June 10

🎯 Lucha's Trivia Night
7:00 PM · Lucha's Cantina, 531 Edison Avenue, Alamosa

Test your knowledge at Alamosa's popular bi-weekly trivia series, held every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Sponsored by Spare Kegs Construction — grab your crew and see who takes home the bragging rights!

Thursday, June 11

🎵 Del Norte Music in the Park
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · North Park / Riverwalk Park, North end of Spruce Street, Del Norte

Del Norte's beloved Thursday evening concert series returns for the summer season. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, and bug repellent. Food truck La Pache Pache on-site. Free admission. Fur babies welcome on leash.

Friday, June 12

🌽 Creede Farmers Market
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Downtown Creede

Open-air street market in the heart of Creede, featuring local produce, handcrafted goods, and specialty items serving mountain locals and summer visitors.

Friday, June 12 & Saturday, June 13

🛍️ The Market at South Fork
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM · South Fork Visitor Center, 28 Silver Thread Lane, South Fork

Regional produce, crafts, and specialty goods at the base of the mountains. Open Fridays and Saturdays through early September.

Saturday, June 13

🎲 SLV RPG Con — Tabletop Gaming Convention
All Day · Quality Inn, Alamosa

Six sessions over the weekend featuring D&D, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer, interactive workshops, and local vendors. Badges: $28 online / $40 at the door.

Register at tabletop.events/conventions/slvrpg-con-2026

🎸 Walt Wilkins, Josh Grider & Marc Douglas Berardo at Society Hall
Society Hall, Alamosa

Three acclaimed singer-songwriters bring their soulful acoustic sound back to Alamosa's beloved Society Hall. A great evening of original roots music.

🧺 Antonito Farmers & Community Market
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM · 1911 Steam Train Hotel parking lot, Antonito

Fresh Valley produce, local Amish baked goods, eggs, mushrooms, and a community flea market. Running mid-May through October.

🌿 Crestone Saturday Market
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Crestone Town Park, West Galena Avenue, Crestone

High-valley market emphasizing organic produce, grass-fed meats, artisan crafts, and community vibes. Running late April through mid-October.

Sunday, June 14

🏜️ FREE Admission — Great Sand Dunes National Park
All Day · Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

The National Park Service offers fee-free entrance on select days each year — and June 14th is one of them. No entrance fee to visit the tallest sand dunes in North America. A perfect opportunity to experience one of Colorado's most spectacular natural wonders without the usual admission cost.

This newsletter sponsored by Jacales Gallery and Coffee,

art, culture, and coffee in Colorado's oldest town

Located at 318 Main Street in the heart of San Luis — Colorado's oldest incorporated town, founded in 1851 — Jacales opened in the fall of 2024 as a celebration of the Valley's deep artistic heritage. The gallery features the work of a remarkable roster of San Luis Valley artists, including sculptor Huberto Maestas, whose breathtaking Stations of the Cross installation draws pilgrims and visitors to San Luis from across the country each year.

Alongside Maestas, the gallery showcases paintings, sculpture, and fine art from Carlos Sandoval, Bianca Maestas, Coni Grant, Charles Ewing, Carl Jaquez, Randy Pijoan, and more — an authentic cross-section of the talent rooted in Costilla County and the surrounding Valley.

The addition of a coffee component makes Jacales something rarer still in a small rural town: a place where you can genuinely linger. Whether you're stopping in before a walk up to the Stations of the Cross, browsing original artwork, or simply taking a break from the road, the combination of gallery and café makes it an easy place to spend an afternoon.

For anyone who hasn't made the drive down to San Luis recently, Jacales is a compelling reason to go. Jacales keeps a low profile — no website, no social media — and that feels entirely appropriate for a gallery in a town that has never needed to shout to be special. Just show up, walk in, and see what's on the walls.

Jacales Gallery and Coffee
318 Main Street
San Luis, Colorado 81152
Phone: (719) 588-6831

Hours:
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Tell them The San Luis Valley Beat sent you!

TIP OF THE DAY 💡 Sunday, June 14th is a National Park Service Fee-Free Day at Great Sand Dunes National Park. No entrance fee — just 750-foot dunes, Medano Creek, and the full San Luis Valley sky. Go early to beat the afternoon winds.

THE CHURCH PROJECT IS BRINGING A GRAND OPENING TO MONTE VISTA ON JULY 5TH

There is a one-hundred-year-old church in downtown Monte Vista that has been quietly transforming into something the San Luis Valley has never quite had before — and on July 5th, it opens its doors in a big way.

The Church Project, housed in the historic First Baptist Church building at 256 S. Broadway St., 81144 Monte Vista, is a community art center built around a simple but powerful idea: creativity belongs to everyone.

The project was founded by multidisciplinary artist Madeleine Ahlborn, who bought the building in early 2024 and began converting it into a space where Valley residents and visitors could explore visual arts, music, dance, theatre, journalism, and whatever else they felt moved to create.

Since opening, The Church Project has become a genuine hub of creative activity in Monte Vista. The building hosts open studio time, meditation sessions, music gatherings, Dance Church on Sunday mornings, and workshops across a range of mediums.

Earlier this year, it partnered with local history organizations as part of an initiative to document and preserve the stories of the Valley's underrepresented communities — finding new uses for an old space while honoring the history around it.

The grand opening celebration on July 5th marks the next chapter for The Church Project and invites the entire Valley to come see what has been quietly taking shape in the heart of Monte Vista.

For a region that has always had a deep creative streak — in its festivals, its food traditions, its ranching culture, and its long artistic heritage — The Church Project feels less like something new and more like something that was always supposed to be here.

Keep an eye on their website and social channels for grand opening event details as July 5th approaches.

Learn more about The Church Project

San Luis Valley Green Chile

Potato Soup

There is no combination more deeply rooted in the San Luis Valley than potatoes and green chile. This soup brings them together in the most satisfying way possible — creamy, hearty, and full of the flavors that define comfort food in southern Colorado. Perfect for a cool summer evening when the Valley air drops after sunset.

Ingredients

For the Soup Base

• 2 lbs San Luis Valley Russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
• 1 cup roasted green chile, diced (fresh-roasted or frozen — the Valley's own if you can get it)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper

Toppings

• Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• Sour cream or crema
• Sliced scallions
• Crispy bacon bits (optional)
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Warm flour tortillas for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.

2. Add potatoes and season.
Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Sprinkle in cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat everything in the seasoned butter.

3. Simmer.
Pour in the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are completely fork-tender.

4. Add green chile.
Stir in the roasted green chile. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

5. Create the creamy base.
Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash roughly a third of the potatoes directly in the pot — this thickens the soup naturally while keeping plenty of chunky texture. Pour in the milk or cream and stir to combine. Heat through over low for another 5 minutes without boiling.

6. Serve.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, a spoonful of crema or sour cream, sliced scallions, and any other toppings you like. Serve immediately with warm flour tortillas on the side.

This newsletter sponsored by The Creede Hotel & Restaurant

Mineral County's most historic dining room  open since 1892

Located along Main Street in the center of downtown Creede, the historic hotel has been welcoming travelers since 1892. Originally known as Zang's Hotel during Creede's silver boom years, the building has witnessed more than a century of San Juan Mountain history and remains one of the most recognizable landmarks in Mineral County today.

Over the years, the hotel hosted a remarkable collection of Old West figures, including Soapy Smith, Poker Alice, Calamity Jane, and Bob Ford — the outlaw best known for killing Jesse James. The stories tied to Creede's mining days still linger throughout the building, giving the restaurant an atmosphere that feels uniquely tied to Colorado's frontier past.

Today, The Creede Hotel & Restaurant blends that history with a dining experience that has become a favorite among both locals and summer visitors. The restaurant serves creative made-from-scratch cuisine in a cozy historic dining room, along with outdoor seating beneath the popular Big Tent courtyard during the warmer months.

After spending time in Creede over Memorial Day weekend, it became clear why so many visitors make the restaurant part of their mountain tradition. There is something refreshing about slowing down for a good meal after a day exploring the San Juans, fishing the Rio Grande, shopping downtown, or attending one of Creede's many summer events.

With another busy summer season underway — including the Creede Farmers Market, live music, theater productions, and the Headwaters Music Festival — The Creede Hotel & Restaurant continues to offer exactly the kind of experience people hope to find in a historic mountain town: welcoming, relaxed, and full of character.

The Creede Hotel & Restaurant

Address:
120 N. Main Street
Creede, Colorado 81130

Phone:
(719) 658-2608

Hours:
Seasonal hours vary throughout the year.
Please call ahead or visit their website for the most current dining schedule.

Tell them The San Luis Valley Beat sent you! 💛

💡 ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION:

Wheeler Geologic Area. Once the second-most visited tourist attraction in Colorado — trailing only Pikes Peak — Wheeler lost its National Monument designation in 1950 due to its remote, difficult-to-access location. Today it remains one of the Valley's best-kept secrets, accessible only by a 7-mile hike or a 14-mile four-wheel-drive road.