The old Huerfano County Courthouse on Main Street in Walsenburg

Walsenburg is the county seat of Huerfano County, Colorado, USA. Once called "La Plaza de los Leones," Walsenburg sits at an altitude of 6,171 feet (1,881 m) above sea level on the geological border between Colorado's Eastern Plains to the east and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the west. A major freight rail line goes right through downtown, with the trains blowing their horns and briefly halting traffic at five at-grade crossings all hours of the day and night.

Understand

Although it's an incorporated city with just over 3,000 residents (2019), Walsenburg has a rural, small-town atmosphere. It's surrounded by cattle ranches and housing subdivisions with large lots, in homes often occupied by the many retirees that live in the county. Walsenburg is often called a "crossroads town," because anyone traveling from Interstate 25 to the San Luis Valley or beyond turns west here, traveling on U.S. Highway 160 through downtown.

The Spanish Peaks, two adjacent, prominent mountains, lie just southwest of Walsenburg and are an important part of its identity. Huerfano County is home to numerous geological dikes, including one that marks much of Walsenburg's northern border, called "The Hogback."

Once an important coal-mining center, Walsenburg's economy now relies on real estate, retail, restaurants, tourism, government, and health care. Some residents commute to Pueblo for work.

Get in

By car

  • I-25 (north and south) is the major interstate leading in and out of the city.
  • U.S. Highway 160 connects Walsenburg to Alamosa and Durango to the west.
  • Colorado State Highway 10 connects Walsenburg to La Junta.

By bus

See also: Long-distance bus travel in the United States

Greyhound has one bus in each direction (north, south) each day.

  • 🌍 Greyhound, 111 W. 4th St (look for the bus stop sign at the red brick building.). Service north to Denver and south to Trinidad and beyond. 
  • 🌍 Bustang, 400 Main St (in Heritage Park at the old train depot), ☏ +1 719-845-1127, toll-free: 800-900-3011, . Runs Monday through Friday. Two times a day. Service south to Aguilar and Trinidad and north to Colorado City and Pueblo. 

See

The Walsenburg Mining Museum is housed in the former county jail

Museum

  • 🌍 Walsenburg Mining Museum, 112 W. 5th Street (behind the old courthouse in the old jail building), ☏ +1 719-738-1992. "The Walsenburg Mining Museum, housed in an 1896 jail, exhibits not only the stories of Huerfano County's mining camps, but memorabilia from such notable characters as Bob Ford (famous for killing Jesse James) and labor leader Mary 'Mother' Jones." Open from April to November. (updated Jun 2020)

Movie theater

Parks

Do

Festivals & events

  • September Mountain Mining Days includes a parade, displays of antique and special cars, vendor booths, and other events.
  • November The Parade of Lights on the Friday after Thanksgiving, on Main Street.

Golfing

🌍 Walsenburg Municipal Golf Course, 1399 County Road 502 (enter through Lathrop State Park; no park fee required if going directly to the golf course), ☏ +1 719-738-7230. 7AM to 6:30PM. Nine holes. See the "Eat" section below for detail on the golf course's restaurant. (updated Jun 2020)

Buy

There are several shops, including several antique stores, on and near Main Street.

Eat

Waiting for the train on West 7th Street

The restaurants listed below are in addition to the Subway, Carls Jr., KFC, and Taco Bell locations in downtown Walsenburg and its Northlands neighborhood. There is also a second Subway and a Godfather's Pizza at the new Love's Travel Stop at Interstate 25's Exit 49. Love's Travel Stop's address is 99800 Interstate 25, Walsenburg, Colorado.

Downtown

  • 🌍 Alpine Rose Cafe, 522 Main Street, ☏ +1 719-738-1157. American and Mexican food (updated Jun 2020)
  • 🌍 Corine's Mexican Food, 822 South Main Street (between 8th and 9th on Main), ☏ +1 719-738-1231. Sunday-Thursday 9AM to 9PM, Friday Saturday 9AM to 10PM. Traditional Mexican food, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner (updated Jun 2020)
  • 🌍 RegalBurg Delicatessan, 408 Russell Avenue (inside the Walsenburg Mercantile), ☏ +1 719-890-1240. everyday 7AM to 10PM. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, cheeses and meats by the pound, pastries, etc. (updated Dec 2022)
  • 🌍 Tina's Family Cafe, 501 Walsen Ave. (at the corner of Walsen Ave. and West Elm Street), ☏ +1 719-738-2030. Call for hours. (updated Jun 2020)

Northlands

Walsenburg's Northlands neighborhood is 2.5 miles north of downtown on Walsen Avenue at Interstate 25 exit 52.

  • 🌍 A & W, 455 US Highway 85-87 (inside the convenience store at the truck stop). Daily 10:30AM to 9PM. (updated Jun 2020)
  • 🌍 George's Drive Inn, 564 Hwy 85-87 (in Walsenburg's Northlands section, 2.5 miles north of downtown at Interstate 25 exit 52), ☏ +1 719-738-3030. Daily 6AM to 3PM. Breakfast and lunch only. (updated Jun 2020)

East side

  • 🌍 TC's Diner, 284 Highway 10 (just east of Interstate 25 on Highway 10 (East 5th St.)), ☏ +1 719-989-7141. Monday-Friday 11AM to 7PM. Closed weekends. Tasty American and Mexican food in a friendly atmosphere (updated Jun 2020)

At the golf course

Drink

Lake Martin at Lathrop State Park just west of Walsenburg, with the Spanish Peaks

Coffee

Bars

Sleep

Lodging

RV Camping

  • 🌍 Walsenburg Golf Course RV Campground, 1399 County Road 502 (Access via Lathrop State Park (no pass required) or through Walsenburg via West 2nd Street then County Road 599.), ☏ +1 719-738-2730. Opened in June 2023: 10 RV sites with 50-, 30-, and 20-amp electric hookups and free high-speed Wi-Fi. Located next to the golf course restaurant and the golf course itself. It's adjacent to Lathrop State Park but not a part of the park, so no park pass is required, unless you also use the park. $36 / night. (updated Jun 2023)

Camping

Go next

  • 16 miles west of Walsenburg is the sleepy hamlet of La Veta. An artsy town, you can visit the galleries along Main Street.
  • Further up the canyon from La Veta lies Cuchara, an unincorporated town in a forested valley surrounded by the San Isabel National Forest and the Culebra Range, a sub-range of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Huerfano County's first county park, Cuchara Mountain Park, is here. A former ski resort, the alpine park now offers hiking and other activities. Cuchara has a one-block long 'downtown' section with some shops and restaurants. There are several trailheads along Highway 12 in Cuchara as well.
  • Colorado State Highway 12 connects with U.S. Highway 160 north of La Veta and then goes south and then west to Trinidad. It passes through La Veta and Cuchara and then crosses Cucharas Pass (10,000 feet) before entering Las Animas County, eventually reaching its terminus in Trinidad.
Routes through Walsenburg
Durango ← Alamosa ←  W  E  → Trinidad → Springfield
Colorado Springs ← Pueblo ←  N  S  → Trinidad → Santa Fe


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