11/02/2026
View the Great American Road Trips Itinerary for Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic & Historic Byway (4 of 26 Colorado Byways)
There is something enchanting about the world’s largest alpine valley. The San Luis Valley will ground a person in a peace that isn’t often found in this busy, hectic world. Those words—busy and hectic—do not apply to this valley or the captivating small towns along the Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic & Historic Byway.
This byway reflects the words “scenic” and “historic” in an intrinsic way. Surrounded by soaring peaks, the valley sits at a breathtaking 7,664 feet above sea level. The sky and mountains blend together, making the viewer feel both small and yet connected to everything from the rocks on the ground to the clouds in the sky. There’s a reason this valley has been called mysterious.
From the college town of Alamosa, to Fort Garland and its enormous historical significance, to San Luis, Colorado’s oldest town, to Antonito, the town time has forgotten, this valley is a keeper of the state’s earliest narrative. That story is both ancient and continues today, with influences of the past increasingly evident in this windswept land. More at: HeidiTown.com and sangreheritage.org/loscaminos
https://www.americanroadmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/26-CO150_Los-Caminos-Antiguos-v2.pdf
