VALLEY — The La Vereda del Norte Chapter of the Old Spanish Trail Association is hosting a Special Trail Event. There is no charge except for campsites.  

Here are some highlights of the weekend jaunt on Cochetopa Pass.

Visit the highest point of the Old Spanish Trail (10,000 feet), the highest point of this National Historic Trail that goes through six states, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California.

Come up to where the Ute people enjoyed their summers for centuries. Some of them still visit here—nice people!

This pass is a fall and spring flight path of Sand-Hill Cranes. This used to be a big trail for bison; it still is for elk. Count the birds.

Help inventory trees, flowers to go into a guide book.

Fish at the height of the season.

Take some easy hikes.

Locate one of the southernmost lodgepole pine stands (no wonder the Utes came here). There are four more species of pines in the area.

Hear some trail stories (or make up some) such as when citizens escaped the New Mexico governor and changed California or about one of the richest Hispanics from New Mexico who went to Washington to persuade Congress to put a railroad here. His relatives live near Saguache.

Believe it or not, this was once one of the easiest, safest ways to get to Southern California.

Believe it or not, dozens of people from New Mexico came this way west and changed the politics, farming, ranching, and science of southern California and Oregon. And most Americans know little about this National Historic Trail.

The Old Spanish Trail Association folks will meet people at the Luder's Creek Campground (Rabbit Canyon NN 14 Road). This is on a good dirt road that branches off State Hwy114 west of Saguache. The campground is about a mile+ from the summit of Cochetopa Pass.

The Southern Colorado Chapter welcomes folks to living history and one of the nation's longest National Historic Trails.

Doug Knudson, Ph.D. forester, and others will go up to Cochetopa Pass in early morning on Friday, July 21 and will stay for tours each day until Sunday afternoon.

For more information call  719-873-5239  or email [email protected]