Trinidad, Colorado, located 175 mi/280 km south of Denver, has a well-maintained historic district of Victorian and southwestern architecture. Fisher's Peak, rising 9,655 ft/2,943 m above the city, once guided wagon trains from the Santa Fe Trail to Trinidad.
That era and others are examined by the Trinidad History Museum, which includes several separate sites. The Santa Fe Trail Museum has artifacts related to the important Southwest trade route as well as items from the town's later history. The Trinidad History Museum also operates the Baca House and Bloom Mansion, next-door neighbors that both date to the late 1800s.
The A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum and Gallery lies in the center of the historic district. The museum features paintings, collections of Old West memorabilia, Native American artifacts and Hispanic folk art.
The Scenic Highway of Legends (Highway 12) forms a breathtaking 120-mi/195-km loop from Trinidad over 10,000-ft/3,050-m Cuchara Pass and through San Isabel National Forest.
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