If the mountains fascinate you, the Sangre de Cristos continue northward into Colorado and become considerably higher and more rugged. Much of the range immediately north of the state line is on private property and not open to the public. From Alamosa north to the range's end near Salida, however, the Colorado Sangres are one of the state's most spectacular natural features, with nine of the state's "Fourteeners" -- peaks with summits above 14,000 feet -- and abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The valley of the Rio Grande, also called the Española Valley in New Mexico, is on the west side of the range, and offers additional attractions: whitewater on the Rio for the outdoors enthusiast, a scenic drive for the more sedentary, more folk art at the pueblos as well as Hispanic centers, and surprisingly enough, some interesting wineries.
