Alamosa

Alamosa is a small town in south central Colorado, USA. It is noteworthy as the nearest significant town to Great Sand Dunes National Park, a similarly near neighbor of the eastern hub of a superb scenic railroad, and also because during the winter, it frequently records the lowest temperature of the day of any place in the contiguous United States.

Get in

By car

Alamosa is at the intersection of US highways 160 and 285, about 230 road miles from Denver. (The straight-line distance is considerably less, but the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains deter traffic.)

By plane

• 🌍 San Luis Valley Regional Airport (ALS  ^IATA). Served by Great Lakes Airlines. Limited commuter air service exists between Denver and Alamosa, with about three flights daily each way.  

Get around

See

• Adams State University. In Alamosa, with a nice campus. 

Do

• The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, 610 State Ave. Located in Alamosa and runs parallel with Main Street. They have excursion train rides that depart on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from The Depot building that is located at During the summer months, the Rio Grande hosts live concerts up at the Summit of Fir Station. These concerts are part of their "Mountain Rails Live" concert series. 
• Cattails, 6615 River Dr. Cattail's is an 18 hole, par 71 golf course that winds through woods and wetlands, with panoramic views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. This course is noted for its 12th hole, a challenging par 4 featuring a water hazard off the tee, a dogleg, and then another water hazard. 
• The Colorado Gator Farm, 9162 County Rd 9 North, Mosca CO, 81146 (25 miles outside of Alamosa). They are an alligator farm & reptile park with more than 400 alligators and dozens of exotic reptile species. The Gator Farm is also a rescue facility that takes in reptiles that have outgrown their homes. They have recently constructed a biodome on their property that now acts as a home to various tropical plant species. 
• Zapata Falls. A waterfall found 40 minutes outside of Alamosa off of Highway 150 in Mosca. The sign for the falls is small and green, and takes you on a winding dirt road that goes up the mountainside and brings you to the parking lot. Here they have a hiking trail, a scenic outlook for pictures, and a restroom. There are also campground sites for those who wish to spend the night. The trail up to the waterfall is a half mile long with benches placed along the route for those who need to take breaks. The Zapata Falls are free to visit and are open year round to the public. 
• Splashland, 5895 HWY 17, ☎ [phone]. A geothermal, outdoor swimming pool that was built in 1955 and has been recently renovated, and has added a concession stand for its patrons. This pool is only open seasonally. For hours 

Buy

• Accent on Flowers, 1114 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Calucci's Shoes and Apparel, 630 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Casa Musical, 516 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Cranes and Crows, 701 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Colorado Sports, 630 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Firedworks Gallery, 608 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Gemfire Diamonds, 3320 Clark St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hearstrings & Heirlooms, 616 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Green Spot Garden Center & Antiques, 711 State Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hunt Ave. Boutique/ Rainbow's Ends, 509 Hunt Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• Lightshine Music, 514 La Veta Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• Mountain Munchkins, 614 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Narrow Gauge Newsstand, 602 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Navajo Trail Antiques, 13589 East HWY 160, ☎ [phone]. 
• Papers of Distinction, 510 State Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• Skiball's Running World, 622 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Stuff Antiques and Collectibles, 702 State Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• The Flower Shop, 1407 State Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• The Turquoise Shop, 613 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Treasure Alley, 713 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Wild Roses, 511 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Eat

• Arby's, 1705 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Bistro Rialto, 716 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Italian restaurant. Daily specials, children's menu, alcohol served, known mostly for their lasagna and pizza. Only open for lunch & dinner. 
• Burger King, 2501 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Calvillo's, 400 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Family-owned Mexican restaurant known for their lunch and dinner buffet and their margaritas, can accommodate large groups and are also available for catering. $5-14. 
• Campus Cafe, 435 Poncha Ave, ☎ [phone]. American diner with soups, salads, and sandwiches. They are only open for breakfast and lunch. $4-10. 
• Clancy's, 333 Santa Fe Ave (inside the Ramada Inn), ☎ [phone]. American, Mexican, and Italian dishes. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They serve alcohol, children's menu and take-out available. 
• Chili's Bar & Grill, 3231 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Corporately-owned franchise known for their ribs, fajitas, and burgers. Bar. Open for lunch and dinner with take-out available. 
• City Market Delicatessen, 131 Market St, ☎ [phone]. Deli located inside the City Market grocery store. Assorted sides and sandwiches, catering. 
• Domino's Pizza, 1109 6th St, ☎ [phone]. Pizza franchise restaurant with chicken wings, pasta bowls, and subs. Open for lunch & dinner, carry-out or delivery. 
• East-West Grill, 408 4th St, ☎ [phone]. Open for breakfast, lunch & dinner. Burger/sandwich & fry combos, Thai food, Chinese food, various pasta dishes and appetizers. Take-out available. 
• Ef's, 823 8th St, ☎ [phone]. Open for breakfast and lunch only, known for their breakfast skillets and their Mexican dishes. Take-out is available. 
• El Charro Café, 421 6th St, ☎ [phone]. Known for their Mexican dishes. Very limited seating, with only 10 tables inside the restaurant. Only open for lunch and dinner. 
• Grove Street Coffee & Ice Cream, 1423 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A coffee shop and ice cream parlor that offers a variety of baked goods and coffee/expresso combinations. They have 8 or so ice cream flavors as well. under $10. 
• Hideaway Steakhouse, 1210 8th St, ☎ [phone]. This restaurant is attached to the Bank Shot Bar. They are known for their steaks, but also serve seafood and classic Americana-style food. They are open for lunch and dinner. 
• Hunan Chinese Restaurant, 419 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Classic Chinese cuisine, sushi and alcohol, open for lunch and dinner, take-out available. under $14. 
• Hungry Farmer, 916 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. $10/person breakfast buffet every Sunday, wide variety menu with take-out options, serves alcohol. 
• Juanito's, 1019 6th St, ☎ [phone]. Mexican cuisine, specials on tacos every Tuesday, serves alcohol. Outdoor seating available seasonally. Take-out is always available. 
• Kentucky Fried Chicken, 2007 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Long John Silvers/ Taco Bell, 2435 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• May-Wa Chinese Restaurant, 620 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, inexpensive weekday lunch specials (0-$7), take-out options. 
• McDonalds, 100 Craft Dr, ☎ [phone]. 
• Milagros Coffeehouse, 529 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Coffee house with variety of fresh baked goods, muffins, quiches and breads. Sandwiches and wraps, several varieties of ice cream. under $7. 
• Monterrey Café, 1406 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Diner-style restaurant open for lunch and dinner, daily $5 breakfast specials, classic Americana food. Take-out is available, but parking is limited. 
• Mi Taquito, 400 Main St (behind Calvillo's), ☎ [phone]. Authentic Mexican dishes and a fresh salsa bar. 
• Nino's Mexican Restaurant, 617 6th St, ☎ [phone]. Mexican restaurant that serves alcohol, does take-out orders, outdoor seating seasonally. Open for lunch and dinner. 
• Oscars Restaurant, 520 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Mexican restaurant open for lunch and dinner, take-out options available, serves alcohol. 
• Pizza Hut, 814 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Pizza franchise with pizza, wings, pasta and sandwiches. Take-out, dine-in and delivery. 
• Rocky's, 425 Main St (inside the Alamosa Lamplighter Motel), ☎ [phone]. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Offers discounts to patrons of the motel. 
• Safeway Delicatessen, 1301 Main St (inside Safeway), ☎ [phone]. Deli inside Safeway Grocery store, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Daily lunch and breakfast specials. They can make anything from breakfast burritos to panini to corndogs. 
• San Luis Valley Brewing Company, 631 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Restaurant and brewery of craft beer. Classic Americana style food with a Tex-Mex twist. Open for lunch and dinner, they début different seasonal brews throughout the year. 
• San Luis Valley Pizza Company, 2069 West 1st St, ☎ [phone]. Makes their own specialty pizzas and desserts. Weekday lunch buffet. Subs, wings, pasta and salads. They offer delivery and take-out, and serve alcohol. 
• St. Ives Pub & Eatery, 719 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Bar & grill with daily specials from $1 tacos to $.50 wings. Several TV's for sports enthusiasts and a full bar. 
• Sonic Restaurant, 1300 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Subway of Alamosa, 2207 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• True Grits Steakhouse, 100 Santa Fe Ave, ☎ [phone]. Known for their generous steak dinners, but they serve seafood as well. 
• Vista's, ASU Campus inside Rex Stadium, ☎ [phone]. Inside the stadium at the ASU campus football field, open for lunch and dinner. Beer and wine, various salads, sandwiches & wraps, chicken wings, and burgers. 
• Wendy's, 3338 Clark St, ☎ [phone]. 
• Wize Apples, 119 Broadway Ave, ☎ [phone]. Restaurant with full bar, menu ranges from burgers and fries to nachos and burritos. Open for lunch and dinner, take-out available. 

Drink

• San Luis Valley Brewing Company, 631 Main St. (On the corner of San Juan and Main St. (Hwy 160)), ☎ [phone]. 11AM-9PM. Craft brewed beers and famous homemade root beer, menu on website. +1 719 587-BEER. 
• Purple Pig Pub, 624 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

• Alamosa Lamplighter Motel, 425 Main St (Corner of Main St & Hunt Ave), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Wi-fi. Free breakfast. Kitchenettes available. Pets allowed. $59-68+tax. 
• Best Western Alamosa Inn, 2005 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A fairly large property not far from Adams State College, on the main drag through town. Not special, but entirely acceptable. from $75. 
• Comfort Inn of Alamosa. Outdoor family activity area, free breakfast, pool & jacuzzi, fitness center, meeting/conference room, WIFI, pets allowed. (updated Sep 2016)
• Days Inn, 223 Santa Fe Ave, ☎ [phone]. Free continental breakfast, fitness center, WIFI, and pets are allowed for a fee of $10 per pet. 
• Grizzly Inn Motel, 1919 W. Main St, ☎ [phone]. Free continental breakfast, WIFI, and pets are allowed. 
• Hampton Inn, 710 Mariposa St, ☎ [phone]. Free breakfast, pool & jacuzzi, fitness center, meeting/conference room, WIFI. 
• Holiday Inn Express, 3418 Mariposa St, ☎ [phone]. Free breakfast, pool, jacuzzi, sauna, fitness center, meeting/conference room, business center, WIFI, pets allowed. 
• Ramada Inn, 333 Santa Fe Ave, ☎ [phone]. Indoor water park with giant water slide, kiddie frog slide, and 3 pools. Clancy's restaurant on main floor near the front desk/ check in area. Jacuzzi, fitness center, meeting/conference room, banquet facilities, business center, WIFI, pets allowed. 
• Riverside Inn, 250 Broadway Ave, ☎ [phone]. Twenty rooms available at daily, weekly or monthly rates. They allow pets. 
• Super 8 of Alamosa, 2505 W. Main St, ☎ [phone]. Free continental breakfast, pool, jacuzzi, WIFI, pets allowed. 
• Valley Motel, 2051 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Free breakfast, kitchenettes available, WIFI, pets allowed. 

Connect

Go next

• The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve at 11999 Highway 150, Mosca is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, with the tallest dune (known as the Star dune) measuring 750 feet high in elevation. The Pinyon Flats Campground at the park has 88 individual camping sites along two distinct loops. Restrooms have sinks, flush toilets and a sink for washing dishes. Each campsite has a fire grate and picnic table.

Antonito is a small town about 30 miles south of Alamosa. Lodging exists at Antonito, but it's not as plentiful as in Alamosa.

• Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, toll-free: [phone]. Trains run from the eastern terminus at Antonito to Chama, New Mexico through some superbly scenic country. The line offers options for round trips to Chama or the half-way point, with a possible return from Chama via bus. Reservations are a must. 

In the town of Hooper, there are a few developed hot springs in the San Luis Valley, about twenty miles (30km) north of Alamosa.

• Sand Dunes Swimming Pool and RV Park, 1991 County Road 63, Hooper, ☎ [phone]. Open year-round, daily except Thursday. Family-owned natural artesian pool features 150,000 gallons of clear, odorless hot springs water which maintains a temperature between 98-100 degrees year-round. A 25 person therapy pool maintains a temperature of 107 degrees. Covered baby pool. Suits, towels, and toys available for rent. Concession stand offers organic produce from on-site greenhouses. 

Just east of the road to Antonito is the similarly small town of Manassa, birthplace of the great boxer Jack Dempsey.

• Jack Dempsey Museum, 412 Main St., ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM (summer). 

Routes through Alamosa

Durango ← Pagosa Springs ←	W  E	→ Walsenburg → Trinidad
Buena Vista ← Salida ←	N  S	→ Jct W E → Española