MOTELS
RESTAURANTS
THE LODGE MOTEL - FT. GARLAND
 825 Hwy 160, Ft. Garland, CO  81133
(719) 379-2880
Located about 4 miles from Blanca, this is an older motel but it is clean and a decent value.  The hosts were VERY FRIENDLY and interested in having you come back.  They were booked full during hunting season. Jane stayed there once in Oct. 2003
 

Lodge Motel Web Site

In Blanca - Lu's Cafe - south side of 160.  Excellent food, fast service, homemade pies and great Mexican food.  Very friendly staff.  Spring of 2005 they got a liquor license.  Many truckers stop here constantly -- so you know it is good!
SAN LUIS INN MOTEL, San Luis, CO
A very affordable and modern motel in the San Luis Inn Motel in San Luis, CO which is about 20 miles south of Ft. Garland, CO.  It has 22 rooms with TVs and there is also a hot-tub.  Wolfgang and Jane stayed there for 3 nights in December, 2002 and were very happy with the room and the hosts. 
138 Main St., San Luis, CO 81152
Toll free: (877) 672-3331, Main phone: (719) 672-3399
 

At the intersection of US160 and CO159, in the center of Fort Garland,
the Old West Cafe has reopened under the same management as Lu's Cafe.
In Fort Garland -- at the far east side of town-- DEL'S DINER-
Usually open until 8 p.m.
On Hwy 160 in Fort Garland on the south side of the road- evenings at the SILVER SAGE RESTAURANT are wonderful.
Full bar and menu.  Closed on Mondays

MOUNTAIN VIEW MOTOR INN FORT GARLAND
Very modern and clean rooms. Near the intersection of Hwy 160 and Hwy 159 going south towards San Luis. 
 

CLICK FOR LINK AND MORE INFO

ALL-GON RESTAURANT-- Opened several years now in Fort Garland --they are located on the south side of Hwy 160 across from the Fort Garland Motor Inn in a yellow building.
Menu is Pizza and Italian food- very affordable and high quality food is served.  The place is really warm and inviting and the servers are friendly and helpful.  Please give them a try when you are passing through the area this year.  We love to support the local businesses.
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For a Wonderful Meal -- here's an idea

Click to go to the local Hardware Store in Fort Garland

Hardware, Plumbing, Electrical Supplies -- Paint, Tools, Special Orders. Delivery available!

Don't miss this- owned by Lu from Lu's Cafe
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Great Food, including Mexican and PIE.

LOCAL BUS LINE OFFERING SERVICE IN THE "VALLEY"

5/1/18 - New Service - Alamosa to Pueblo and then connect to Greyhound in Pueblo:  Click here for information: https://www.ridebustang.com/alamosa-pueblo

Blanca - Fort Garland Community Center
The center has a 25-meter, solar heated swimming pool, dry sauna, and hot tub, plus locker rooms and showers.  It is open to Costilla County residents for $25. per year.  This is very convenient for cabin owners or campers without shower facilities.  You can also pay a one-time fee if you are visiting the area.
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Blanca Post Office

Most of the residents and property owners in the SLVR area have a Post Office Box here. Blanca has about 100 residents, two stores, one gas station, a restaurant, an antique store and a pizza place. There is a Home Depot store in Pueblo, about 100 miles to the north. Alamosa has two or three lumber yards.

The Sand Dunes National Monument offers recreational activities for the entire family.  For more information, go to http://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm

SAND DUNES SWIMMING POOL is located about 26 miles from our area.  During the early 1930s hot water was struck near Hooper while drillers were exploring for oil.  The hot well water enters the pool at 118 degrees and the pools temperature in maintained between  98 and 102 degrees depending on the season.  There are tables and grills there plus volleyball, basketball, tetherball a horseshoe pit and a large grassy area and creek for the kids - so the area offers a lot of great family fun.  The pool is open every day from February through November from 10AM to 10 PM except Thursdays when it is drained and cleaned.  This area is located 20 miles from Alamosa (about one mile north of the town of Hooper.  Turn east on County Road B, well marked with a sign, then go 2.5 miles further on a dirt road.  For more information call (719) 378-2807.

www.sanddunespool.com

Blanca RV Park - You can camp overnight in Blanca on HWY 160.  They have hook-ups, plus there is a small store and gas available.  If you are driving an RV into the area, this would be an excellent base while you explore.

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The San Luis Lakes Park in Mosca offers recreational activities and camping. All sites have electrical hookups, sheltered tables, fire grates, drinking water, and an available dump station. A bathhouse with modern restrooms, hot showers and laundry facilities is located in the campground.Campsites can accommodate motor homes, trailers and tents.
An Entrance Fee is required.  There is hiking, fishing, boating, camping, picnicking. 
Located near the Sand Dunes area - go north on Hwy 150

Community Church- Blanca, CO
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CLICK FOR INFORMATION ABOUT FLIGHTS ON GREAT LAKES AVIATION IN AND OUT OF ALAMOSA, CO

Alamosa Airport
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Weather
Climate of this general area:
The sun shines over 330 days a year in this part of Colorado.  Approximately 8" of moisture will fall per year and the average winter temperature is 14.8 degrees.  It gets up to 85 degrees during the summer months, but cools off to an average of 48 degrees  at night, especially at the higher elevations.

Click for Alamosa, Colorado Forecast

Snowfall in Costilla County and Forbes Park

The San Luis Valley has a high desert climate with relatively low snowfalls in the Valley, between 7400’ and 7800’.  Typical annual snowfall amounts in the Valley range from 25" to 45” per year, with a 12”+ snowfall only expected about once in four years.  Most snowfalls in the Valley will come in skiffs of ½” to 3” with perhaps two or three 6” snowfalls the rest of an average year.

Up at the higher elevations, it is a much different story with Wolf Creek Pass averaging 480” and Forbes Park averaging 190”.

Here are some statistics for Forbes Park:

The average annual snowfall for Forbes Park for the last 5 years was 198”. Wolfgang has been up there many times and has seen 3’ to 4’ of packed snow under the trees and some 10’ drifts in places.  However, the main roads and all roads to occupied residences were ploughed and in relatively good shape.

In the 2006-2007 season, the total snowfall at Forbes Park was 271”.

The 15-year high snowfall was in 1996 with 292”.  The 15 year low was during a drought in 2001 and totaled 109”.

September through December are usually low snowfall months.  The major snowstorms usually come in the January through April periods.

They now have a weather station up on Le Veta Pass and they list daily snowfall amounts .  The San Luis Valley Dweller also has a web-cam that shows conditions during daylight hours near the center of the San Luis Valley.  Both links are below: