Find adventure in La Junta
La Junta lies on the high plains of the Arkansas River Valley where the Purgatory and Arkansas rivers meet. Spanish for “the junction,” La Junta was an excellent place for settlers heading West to stop for rest and to trade.
Trade and travel have made La Junta what it is today. It remains a small town with a population of around 7,000 people. The area is served by Southeast Colorado Power Association, the local electric co-op.
Trek With Tarantulas
Tarantulas make an annual trek to hunt for a mate in the canyons south of La Junta. The town celebrates this furry arachnid during the September 26–27 Tarantula Fest. Find information online at visitlajunta.net/la-junta-tarantula-fest.
Grab A Bite
Located in a historic 1890 building on Colorado Avenue is La Junta’s go-to spot for home cooking — the Copper Kitchen. Breakfast and lunch menus include omelets, biscuits and gravy, chicken-fried steak, burgers, and more.
Photo by Roam with Robin via Facebook
Travel By Train
The La Junta BNSF train depot also serves as a stop for Amtrak. Hop aboard the Southwest Chief line in La Junta, head west to Trinidad, and then go to New Mexico. Get your tickets at amtrak.com/southwest-chief-train.
Stay For a Night
The KOA on Highway 50 is pet friendly and has cabins, tiny homes, tent sites, RV hookups, and fun family amenities. Train lovers can book a stay in a renovated 1928 AT&SF Railroad caboose. Owners Wendee and Brad Patterson have carefully curated the caboose experience, incorporating a hammock, saloon doors, and a floor tiled with pennies designed to look like a train track. Find more information and book your stay at koa.com/campgrounds/la-junta.
Photo by Anne Boswell
Explore Where the Early Settlers Stayed and Traded
Located on the Historic Santa Fe Trail about seven miles east of La Junta, Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site is leading group tours while the fort is reconstructed.
Visit nps.gov/beol/index.htm to find tour hours and tickets.
Photo by Matt Vincent
