Fort Garland, CO

Fort Garland is a historic census-designated place in Costilla County’s San Luis Valley, at the junction of U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado Highway 159. The United States Army established the post in 1858 to replace Fort Massachusetts, and it remained active until 1883. The 2020 census counted 464 residents in the CDP. Coming west over La Veta Pass, travelers reach Fort Garland as a gateway into the valley, with the Sangre de Cristo Range rising around the route.

ATTRDavid Herrera from Albuquerque, NM, Bernalillo / CC BY 2.0

Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center preserves original buildings, artifacts, exhibits, and living-history programs on the old post grounds. Its story includes the Ute people whose homeland the army entered, the later presence of Buffalo Soldiers, and the shifting military and transportation map of southern Colorado. The community also hosts the Fort Garland Band Jam, with regional musicians, food vendors, a market, and children’s activities. At nearly 8,000 feet, Fort Garland combines a working post-office settlement, a major valley crossroads, a museum campus, and a music weekend that gives the old fort a current rhythm.