Aug 16 - Trinidad, Colorado

Today we drove up to Trinidad, CO not too far north of the NM border and across Raton Pass.   It was a beautiful drive despite the devastating fires that ravaged the Raton area.  As we drove north on I-25 you could see that the fires came up to & presumably jumped the highway as the burnt areas were on both sides of the road.  We had planned on camping at Sugarite Canyon State Park on this trip but discovered it was closed indefinitely due to the wildfire's destruction.  Below are a couple pics of the fire and aftermath - my photos of the fire zone are too blurry.

Courtesy of KOAT TV website

Courtesy of FOX13 TV

Photograph by Marty Mayfield/The Chronicle-News

We stopped in the town of Raton for some info and then stopped for some photos at the top of Raton Pass.  Raton Pass is located on I-25 between Raton, NM and Trinidad, CO at an elevation of 7834 ft.  The pass is part of the historic Santa Fe Trail (1822 - 1880) and is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

We descended into Trinidad, CO (Elevation 6025') mid-morning and the first stop was at the visitor's center where we loaded down with information and a walking tour brochure.  The town is beautiful, lots of Victorian architecture that has been preserved has kept the town's charm.  The walking tour leads you down the restored historic district and gives brief descriptions of buildings that were standing almost 150 years ago when the town was established.  The town was first established in 1862 and incorporated in 1876, the same year that Colorado became a state.  It is sited along the Purgatoire River (Rio de las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio - the River of Souls Lost in Purgatory).  The main industries 'back in the day' were servicing the Santa Fe Trail, ranching and coal mining.

Below are a few photos of the buildings and if I could find my tourist info, there would be descriptions too but as it stands right now... you get photos.  :-)

View from the Visitor's Center - Trinidad, CO

Cobbled streets of Trinidad, CO

This used to be a fire station it is now

a children's museum.

Detail on the Bank building

One of the old gas lights from days

gone past - has now been converted to 

electricity.