Highway of Legends
Places to Visit

• Cokedale (CO)

  Cokedale was a flourishing turn-of-the-century mining town, and today has been preserved practically intact. In 1984 it was placed on the National Historic Register.

• Cordova Plaza (CO)

  Cordova Plaza is one of a series of villages founded by Mexican farmers. They spread out along the Purgatoire River, forming "plazas" for protection against Indian attack.

• Cuchara (CO)

  Cuchara was settled by potato farmers who called it Nunda Canyon and stayed until the soil was exhausted. The valley's beauty and closeness to the river later drew summer resort goers.

• Cuchara Pass (CO)

  The route that Highway 12 follows over Cucharas Pass was once an old Indian trail, used as early as 1779. In 1883 it became a mail route. Now it is near the Farley Wildflower Trail and Apishapa Arch.

• Cuchara River Recreation Area (CO)

  This region contains the San Isabel National Forest and the Cucharas River Recreation area with both Blue Lake and Bear Lake.

• Dakota Wall (CO)

  This wall is the same formation as Stonewall south of Cuchara Pass and was once the bottom of an ancient lake. The gap was carved by the Cuchara River.

• Devil's Stairsteps (CO)

  When the world was new the Devil used to mount these steps to survey the world and plot its conquest. When God banished the Devil, these grand formations remained.

• Lathrop State Park (CO)

  Colorado's oldest state park has two lakes, Horseshoe and Martin, and offers a look at the vegetation and wildlife typical of a high plains grassland.

  Location:	Located at the northern end of the byway, near Walsenburg.

• La Veta (CO)

  The Fort which withstood an Indian seige in 1863 still stands at the center of La Veta.

• Monument Lake (CO)

  This high-altitude lake has a unique rock formation in its center which, in legend, represents two Indian chiefs.

  Location:	Located east of the byway, just northeast of Monument Park.