Pueblo to Trinidad, Colorado

Pueblo - Trinidad, Colorado

August 22 - 23, 2025 

I am up early this morning as I return to the Union Depot for a better exterior photo and take a few photos of Steam Locomotive 2912 that is parked behind the Depot and a few of the historic freight cars that are part of the rail museum.  The museum is really just a string of cars on an outside track, but they have the perfect place for a real serious museum and maybe even an excursion train operation.  I'm thinking back to the Trinidad rail museum, they would die to have this situation to work with. 

Pueblo Union Depot

Santa Fe 2912 Steam Locomotive

I then go across the street to the neon alley for a few more photos with better light conditions.

Neon Alley is great !

 I just have to return to the river walk for a daylight view, the dark did not do it justice, this is a remarkably well planned and engineered park area.  The water is coming from the Arkansas River fed through the canal and then returned to the river, the landscaping, the art and sculptures and restaurants along the canal path are really done well.  It also connects to the main historic district which helps to bring people to the downtown, it’s brilliant ! 

Canal Boats

A short walk off the riverwalk puts me on Union Avenue where I take a few last minute pass.

Great facade

Very nice memorial across from the Vail Hotel

The beautiful Vail Hotel which is now a senior home

I think this guy just staggered out of the Starlite Inn

Ok, I'm finally driving through town towards route 25 when I see another interesting diversion down a side street, the beautiful historic Lady of Mount Carmel Church and as I park the priest out front talking to a man, he greets me and then gives me some history of the church and then gives me an inside tour.  The interior is beautiful, everything is restored, lots of old religious paintings that I know nothing about, but the priest is very proud and attempts to explain it all to me.

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

  

A few feet from the church is an entrance to the river trail, I walk over and am quite impressed, the paved trail and the landscaping appears to be relatively new and I am passed by a biker, this is a really nice scenic trail network along the Arkansas River.

They have built a great bike trail here

Love the Levee

Great bike and walking path

I then enter my destination into my “obsolete GPS’’ and soon discover that it is taking me off on a ridiculous path to get on route 25, but the error takes me into an area where the remnants of the former CF & I Steel Plant community of Bessemer remain.  The closing of the Steel Plant some decades ago has turned this area into a poor, distressed area.  At one time, this was one of the largest Steel Mills in the United States. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessemer_(Pueblo)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Fuel_and_Iron

It's a pretty poor looking area today, but I see some good in this decay, these distressed areas can keep history alive, in a way, as the old buildings architecture, signs and character still remain and can be candidates fro restoration. Sadly, many are beyond restoration and most likely will be torn down and replaced with square box buildings with no character.

Of course, most of my photos are of places of perhaps ill repute, especially sinful after my prior religious training.  

They aren't afraid to speak their mind

Waving the flag

Music hero's on the wall, my kind of place

I love the building shape and signs

Buffalo Bar loves Bud Light

The shoe repair shop is still open !

Biker Bar for sure

Ok, it's now about noon time as I get onto Route 25 south heading towards Trinidad, Colorado.  I'm cruising along at the speed limit, making good time until I see the exit for Walsenburg.  I've never been there, it's a must stop ! 

  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walsenburg,_Colorado

As I drive down Main Street, I suddenly hear and see a group of protestors in front of the Court House with anti Trump signs.  I park across the street to observe, grab my camera to document this and one of the organizers comes over to invite me over to join the movement. I do join them for a while and learn that this is about ICE negotiating with the town to build a local detention center with the blessing of the republican mayor.  The passing traffic seems to be in agreement with the protesters to my surprise.  I find out later that this situation is in the head lines of the local paper, it appears that most of the towns people are against this. 

Protestors in front of the Court House

Old gas station needs to be restored

Huerfano County mural

After Walsenburg, I exit route 25 at Aguilar Colorado just for a look around, I have been here before and there is a great small grocery store that always has great home made bakery items.  It's a rustic old town that is quite interesting. It's on one end of the "Highway of Legends scenic byway" that's been on my "to do list" for a few years.  

Check out the thickness of the wall

Not sure the roughnecks is my kind of place

A few miles away at Ludlow, Colorado is another historic (in a bad way) monument erected by the United Mine Workers of America.  It's in memory of the striking miners and their family members who were killed by the state Militia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre    

The memorial to the miners

Eventually, I make it to Trinidad, park the van and proceed to the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art which I have wanted to see for a long time, it's always been closed on previous visits, this must be my lucky day. It's mostly an art gallery with a museum area primarily about famed western artist A.R. Mitchell. There is also much Mexican and Native American Indian art works. The building itself is also a work of art.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad,_Colorado

A.R. Mitchell studio 

Navajo rug and bowls

A typical A.R. Mitchell picture

I really love this painting

Great gallery space and check out the old ceiling

I then wandered around the downtown area for a while hoping for find live music somewhere in the Trinidad area, but live music these days is hard to find, especially my flavor of music.  It appears that most people in Trinidad get their entertainment from the several dispensaries, they are always busy.

 

The First National Bank has been there from the beginning

Old fire station is now a Childrens Museum

Taken in dark

Taken through shop window in dark

 It’s another Walmart for me this night, but that's OK, they are easy and safe.

August 23 - My first target is the railroad museum, which is actually not really a museum yet, more of a work in progress with good intentions.  The museum is located in the actual old Colorado and Southern Railroad Depot, but is now owned by a private individual who is renting the space to the museum.  There have posters, post cards, pamphlets, books and  a few nostalgic railroad items, but no real railroad rolling stock items.  

I did have a very good discussion with the man who is developing this museum, he is working on a long range plan, looking for grant money, investors and volunteers to make his dream a reality.  This is quite a vfor someone starting from scratch, maybe impossible, but I wish him success.

I was the only one there, no parking issue 

I then visit the Coin Dancer Antiques inside and outside, I end up buying a couple of cheap items, that I have no use for, thats normal. 

The Coin Dancer delivery truck

Really cool how they cut and pieced them together

 I spend another hour wandering around taking several interesting photos.

Post Office mural

They don't dance at JuJo'sPub  anymore

Very Interesting

As I am taking a photo by Skateland with a young couple approaching me, I can’t help but notice the rough appearance of the man and the beauty of the woman, a real contrast, when all of a sudden she stoops down to pick up a cigarette butt from the sidewalk and shyly smiles at me.

Skate Land is historic

This old building is looking for a buyer

The gas station now dispenses other products

The Tire Shop dispenses other stuff too

The Meat Market has turned into a tatoo parlor

       

In the afternoon, I decide ride out of town on route 12 which is a popular scenic road called the "Highway of Legends scenic byway". The full loop goes from Trinidad to Walsenburg over the Spanish Peaks.  I'm only doing an abbreviated 25 mile section through coal mining country.    

The first town in come upon is Cokedale which is an old company coal mining village and many people still live in the original historic homes.

Old Mining Ovens

Continuing down the road, I pass through several small scenic hamlets with lots of Mexican influence and crumbling adobe.  I stop at Ringo's Super Trading Post to get a snack, it's super clean and has about everything you could need on the shelves, very nice. 

You can get anything you need here

Heading for the Spanish Peaks

 I turn around just before the road starts to climb into the mountains, gotta save that for another time.

Back in Trinidad, I walk around the downtown area again, going into several art shops with little intention of buying  anything, I find the light really nice in late afternoon for a photo at the impressive Court House and the welcome mural.

The Las Animas County Court House

 As storm clouds are approaching, I decide to head back to my safe “Walmart” haven.  t didn’t notice it before, but the Motel next door has a collection of 1950’s cars in a the front lot, seems a bit out of place, but it’s a good assortment of non restored period cars, cool stuff ! 

In the morning, I will leave Trinidad driving south up the long, steep, but scenic Raton Pass to Raton, New Mexico, another favorite town of mine, where I will make a brief stop.