Parks in Huerfano County

Lathrop State Park, Colorado’s first state park, is one of Huerfano county’s most cherished open spaces. Today, it encompasses 1,594 acres of beautiful habitat and recreation spaces and caters to a wide variety of outdoor activities. The park’s two lakes offer a variety of fishing, angling, and boating opportunities for all kinds of water recreation, and there are hiking and biking opportunities for folks of all ages. There are 103 campsites spread across the park’s two campgrounds that can host motor homes, trailers, or tents for either basic or improved camping experiences. Lathrop is also the only state park in Colorado with a golf course inside it, so no matter what your activity, you can find your place here. 

Opening in 1981 as Panadero ski area, The Parker-Fitzgerald Cuchara Mountain Park was purchased by Huerfano County in 2017 using funds raised by the Cuchara Foundation.  The park is roughly 50 acres, mostly at the base of the old ski resort.  Volunteers have rehabbed the former ski rental office into a day lodge that is open selected weekends and holidays to visitors.  The remainder of the park is open to the public and provides access to National Forest Service land.

The Cuchara Mountain Park represents our county’s slice of the Colorado Ski Town dream. This county-owned park was purchased in 2017 and encompasses around 50 acres of the former Panadero Ski Area. Volunteers have rehabbed the former ski rental office into a day lodge that is open selected weekends and holidays for classes, workshops, and other events. During the summertime, visitors can enjoy a round or two of disc golf or mini golf, go hiking or have a picnic along the park’s beautiful Baker Creek trail. During the winter, the park is open for snow shoeing, cross country skiing, backcountry style skiing and snowboarding (hike up), and sledding. Volunteers are working hard to get one of the old lifts up and running so that it will be available for use by ticket holders in the winter of 2021-22.

https://thecucharamountainpark.org

Walsenburg Wild Waters is the county’s only public pool and water park, and it is an incredibly popular summertime destination. Featuring a kids’ play section, two terrific water slides, a lazy river, and a diving pool, this water park is fun for the whole family. If swimming isn’t your style, you can always kick pack in the shade with a book and a snow cone from the the built-in refreshment shack.

Fiesta Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Huerfano County, including the Huerfano Community center, a baseball field, a softball field, batting cages, a playground, a community garden, horse shoe pits, covered and uncovered picnic tables, and a rustic river walk along the historic flood wall. 

La Veta Town Park is a beautiful, large and open green space nestled right in the heart of La Veta off of W Ryus Avenue. This park includes a play set, a large covered pavilion with picnic tables, a handsome covered gazebo, and is connected to the SPACe gallery, one of La Veta’s premier art coops and galleries. During the summer time, it is the site of La Veta’s famous Art in the Park festival and often is the site of numerous concerts during the Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival. 

Walsenburg City Park is a large municipal park situated on Seventh Street next to Walsenburg Wild Waters. This park includes a large play-set for children, several sets of swings, a tennis court, a skate park, and several large sets of covered picnic tables.

Civic League Park is situated on the corner of S Hendren Avenue and W 1st St. It encompasses two parcels that are divided into a family-oriented park with a playground, swings, and covered picnic tables and a sports-oriented section with an outdoor basketball court, a tennis court, and an indoor squash court.

Heritage Park is located across the street from the county courthouse on Main Street. It consists of a few cultural exhibits relating to the county’s history as a hub for pioneers and the coal mining industry, a handful of picnic tables, and some open space in which the Walsenburg Farmers Market takes place weekly during the summer time.

Miner’s Plaza is one of Huerfano County’s newest parks. Located on the corner of 6th street and Main in Walsenburg, this park is dedicated to celebrating Huerfano’s mining history with a bright and beautiful mural, several mining artifacts and sculptural pieces, benches, and a beautiful stage upon which community concerts take place nearly every week in the summer time.