Crestone

Crestone is a town with about 75 permanent residents, located in the south central region of Colorado. It lies at the foot of the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range in the northern part of the San Luis Valley. Crestone was a small mining town, but insufficient ore led to a population decline, and for several years only 40 permanent residents remained. In the 1970s a large land development, the Baca Grande, was established to the south and west and several hundred houses have been built, most of them vacation homes.

Center of Crestone

Crestone was founded in 1880 by the platting of two homesteads, which lay north of the Baca Grant, by George Adams, the owner of the ranch, a Mexican land grant. It became the local center, replacing Teton, a local mining camp lying to the southeast (all the houses in Teton were moved to Crestone). Lots were sold by the Grant, but sales were slow, with a substantial number remaining in the ownership of the Baca Grant.

Hoffman's Old Cabin

The Crestone area, which includes the Baca Grande and Moffat, Colorado, is a spiritual and new age center with several religions represented. There is a Hindu temple, a Zen center, a coed Carmelite monastery, several Tibetan Buddhist centers, and miscellaneous new age happenings. The local newspaper, Crestone Eagle, has up-to-date information of local events.

Crestone has ample accommodation: a National Forest Service campground is about a half mile north of town, and rooms are available in the town itself. There are opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, climbing as well as spiritual explorations.

• Shambala Cafe, 175 W Golden, ☏ +1 719 256-4959. A cute cafe with lots of variety in the menu. 
• Desert Sage Restaurant and Bakery, 242 Baca Townhouse, ☏ +1 719 256-4402. 

• Laughing Buddha.