Location: La Junta
Top Things to do in La Junta
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What to do and see in La Junta, United States: The Best Places and Tips
La Junta is the city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Otero County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,077 at the 2010 United States Census. La Junta is located on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado east of Pueblo.
Restaurants in La Junta
1. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Overall Ratings
5 based on 332 reviews
Reviewed By Lynn W - Oklahoma
A short drive out of La Junta will take you to a reconstructed fort. They charge a small fee to self tour the building. The parking lot has ample spaces and the walk from the lot to the fort is on a quarter mile paved trail. They do offer free shuttles for people with mobility issues. The fort is well stocked with time appropriate pieces. You start near the entrance and go from room to room. A tour brochure is very helpful and available from the ranger. Horses and oxen graze loose but don't pose a hazard to visitors. This is a great place to visit for history buffs.
2. Koshare Indian Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 64 reviews
Reviewed By TravelWriter48 - Denver, Colorado
Located in the middle of La Junta, Colorado, the Koshare Museum is worth a stop! Not only is the museum chock-full of paintings and Indian artifacts, the history of the Koshare Dancers is wonderful story to hear. Bravo to the town of La Junta for supporting this wonderful program for over 75 years.
3. Picketwire Canyonlands
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 48 reviews
Reviewed By Jim R - Highlands Ranch, Colorado
So glad we did this - Lyn and his volunteer Grant did a suburb job for us. EIght 4 wheel drives and a pretender followed Lyn from the Forest Service offices in La Junta through the canyon.
Lyn is extremely knowledgable, friendly and an authority on this place. It is hot, dry and beautiful along the Purgatory River.
This is a mixture of culture, paleontology, history, agriculture, geology, short hikes and easy 4 wheeling.
The hike up to the rock art was fine and the hike across the river was worth the walk.
4. Otero Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16 reviews
The Otero Museum's collection covers La Junta life from 1875-1945 in eastern Colorado.
Reviewed By MikeSteeves - Swink, CO
The museum's published hours are 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Monday through Saturday, from June 1 through September 30. But, the museum is staffed by volunteers, so it would be a good idea to call 719.384.7500 to confirm that the museum will be open.
This is an exceptionally well-done little museum, all the more so considering there is no professional curating staff. A tour of this museum will give you a good glimpse into life in the small railroad towns of the plains from the late 19th through the middle of the 20th centuries.
The museum has an extensive railroad collection, including a telegraph office, a fine collection of historical photos, and all manner of railroad-related tools, equipment, uniforms, and documents.
There is an extensive - especially considering that this is a small museum - collection of WWII memorabilia centering on the Army airbase that was established in that time for training bomber pilots.
The Sciumbato house and grocery store, both of which are on the National Historic Register, are on the grounds as external exhibits to the main museum building. Both are furnished and otherwise set up as they would have been in early 20th century.
Here is a page with links to exhibit photo galleries:
http://www.oteromuseum.org/galleries.htm
There is no charge for admission.
5. Vogel Canyon
Overall Ratings
4 based on 17 reviews
A canyon in the Comanche National Grasslands with excellent petroglyphs.
Reviewed By AdventurousByNature - Denver, Colorado
I took a friend from Europe here to visit. We marveled at the quietness that it's hard to find anywhere but far away from civilization, out on the open prairie. My friend lingered for a long time just looking out over the grasslands. The petroglyphs are really cool to see. This is a relatively accessible part of the Comanche National Grasslands that gives the visitor a sense of the place without having to drive for hours or hike a long distance. If you're in the neighborhood, it's well worth a visit.
6. La Junta Municipal Golf Course
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By Red23Hair34 - La Junta, CO
The City of La Junta recently took control of this course. The fairways and greens are well maintained. There is a new chipping area for practicing 50 yards and in. If you have a handicap higher than say 16, consider playing from the gold and red tees, since the blue and white measure 6,400 yards, some holes seem to go on forever. As anywhere else on earth, you are penalized for missing the fairway, it is difficult to get out of the prairie.
7. The Railyard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Shanna R - Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States
*THIS IS A BAR*
One could come in and have a nice lunch consisting of sandwiches, soup, etc. although it is primarily a bar. There is a patio with tables and chairs out back. The atmosphere is great, the restrooms are clean and the place is overall well-kept. When I decide to go out for a few drinks, this is my go-to spot.
8. 1st Street Emporium
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Angela A
Lots of different items! Really a hidden gem in the town of La Junta! Stop in and see what each individual booth has to offer! Handmade crafts, antiques and so much more!
9. Purgatoire River Canyon
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Deep, scenic red canyon with flowing streams, dramatic sandstone formations and exposed geological processes.
Reviewed By Dale R - Victor, New York
This is so wortyh seeing, but go early to avoid heat even in fall and spring, take lots of water! Give yourself lots of time and do some exploring among the cliffs and rocks for Native American petroglyghs . While hiking in I did see couger traks and a fresh set of Black Bear tracks! Cool huh! The bear had walked the trail ahead of me for about a mile. You could see his prints very clearly in the sand. To see all of the Dino tracks you will need to cross the river so go when the water is low. This place
is worth the effort to drive and hike into. When I went I only saw one person and that was on the way out. He was a Native A
American who was nice enough to clue me in on a couple good places to see the petroglyghs. About mid way you find a big split rock on the edge of the trail. Look between the rocks, you will need to crawl in. There are some great ones there. It is five miles back to the dino tracks mostly easy flat walking, on the way back the hikr back out og the canyon was a bit of effort and thats when the extra water would have been nice, (I had arived in the early morning at the trail head ,saw coyote on the way in getting out of the jeep I could hear them yipp'in all over the place) pretty wild area!
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