Kids Rodeo

The Kid's Rodeo, over 50 years old and still going strong, is held at the Kids Rodeo Grounds at the La Junta Industrial Park. The rodeo is open to students from age 5 – 18 and has been the starting point for many participants going on to compete in the little britches rodeo. Numerous world famous professional cowboys and cowgirls have gotten their start at the Kids Rodeo.

Golf

Inexpensive greens fees and the quiet atmosphere at any of the four challenging nine-hole golf courses in the area offer a great golfing experience. Golf courses are located in La Junta, Rocky Ford, Fowler and Las Animas.

La Junta Raceway

The La Junta Industrial Park is home to the La Junta Raceway and is used by various race-car and motorcycle clubs for exciting oval track racing. The track hosts groups like Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing (RMVR), Motorcycle Racing Association (MRA), Sports Car Club of America (SSCA), Alpine Porsche Club (APC), National Automotive Sports Association (NASA) and the Mercedes Club (MC). These races are open to the public and most admission is free.

Athletics and Sports

Organized sports are an important part of the community of La Junta and there is most always a sports event or game to catch. Some of the organized sports events include:

• Youth Sports Activities
  
• Adult Sports Activities
  
• La Junta H.S. Tiger's Games
  
• Otero Junior College Rattlers Games
  

Koshare Dancers

The Koshare Indian Dancers are the members of Boy Scout Troop 232 and Venturing Crew 2230 of the Rocky Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America. The Koshares perform between 50 and 60 shows a year. Their dances and shows are recognized by Native American dancers as authentic representations of Native American dance; both historically and culturally accurate. In addition to their Summer and Winter Ceremonials and other shows at home, the Koshare Indian Dancers are available for performances anywhere in the world. The Koshares have delighted audiences from Alaska to Mexico and California to New York. Museum admission is included in the show ticket, so come early to tour the museum exhibits, shop in the trading post, view auction items or enjoy the atmosphere in the Koshare Kiva.

Southeast Colorado is one of the best kept secrets of the state. Around the La Junta area outdoor enthusiasts will find miles of trails and rural roads just right for hiking, biking or plain exploring - all within minutes of the city. The area abounds with natural beauty. From the red hued cliffs and steep bluffs of the Purgatory River to the open high plains of Comanche National Grassland you can get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and slow down a bit. Bird watching expeditions, wild flower excursions, or historic journeys back in time are yours - all within a short distance from La Junta.

Boating and Fishing

There are many boating and fishing opportunities in the area.

John Martin and Lake Hasty are located off Hwy 50 near Hasty. John Martin Reservoir State Park is about 35 miles east of La Junta, this massive lake was created by the damning of the Arkansas River in the 1930s. The length of the dam is 2.6 miles with a height of 118 feet. Its discharge capacity is 639,200 feet with a drainage area of 18,913 square miles. Today the lake is open for boating and skiing, as well as fishing for bass, crappie and trout. Other popular boating and fishing locations within a short drive of La Junta include Lake Henry and Meredith, the Arkansas River and several small ponds.

John Martin State Park
Contact: Army Corp. of Engineers
Phone: (719) 336-3476

Premier Bird Watching

Over 300 species of birds inhabit the area around La Junta. Quail, pheasant, dove, bald eagle, golden eagle, ducks, geese and hawks, lesser prairie chickens and longbill curlew are just a few of the species to be found by astute bird watchers. From the short grass prairies and rugged canyons south of town to the Arkansas River basin on the north edge of town popular bird watching spots are just minutes away.

The primary purpose of the Grasslands is the responsible management of 419,495 acres of range lands and the wildlife management of approximately 275 different species of birds that use or live here. In addition, there are about forty different species of reptiles, nine amphibians, and eleven fish in the grasslands. Lion, bear, antelope, fox, and bobcat are among the mammals that inhabit the more remote regions.

Picketwire Canyon

Located just 20 miles from La Junta, is great for a more strenuous adventure. No motorized vehicles are allowed in the canyon except for guided tours led by Comanche National Grassland rangers. The canyon is open to the public though, a trail heads on the mesa above the canyon offer access to Picketwire canyon for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking. Picketwire Canyon contains one of the largest dinosaur track beds in the world, ruins of an old Mexican mission and settlement, Native American Rock Art, and an early 19 th century ranch, now preserved by the Comanche National Grassland.

Dinosaur Tracks – Along the Purgatory River tracks from dinosaurs such as apatosaurus (brontosaurus), stegosaurus and allousaurus are found. The area has come under serious scientific investigation in recent years. But it wasn’t always that way, in fact the dinosaur tracks were a well-guarded secret until letters in Life Magazine and Scientific American in 1935 reported the existence of dinosaur track ways in the Purgatory Valley, called Rio De Las Animas Pedidas or River of Lost Souls. The track site is considered to be the largest continuously mapped site in North America with over 1,300 footprints in four different layers of rock.

Vogel Canyon

Just a short drive from La Junta, beautiful Vogel Canyon is always a popular destination because it has something for everybody - from a short hike to a quiet picnic. The canyon is a tributary of the Purgatory River and offers a varied habit from short grass prairies to the pinion-juniper ecosystem. Two permanent springs located at the bottom of the canyon support a variety of wildlife. Native Americans lived in the canyon 300-800 years ago and left rock art visible on the canyon walls. There are historic ruins of an old stage station and numerous homesteads to be found in the canyon. Walls constructed of native stone from the heavy 19 th century ranching days can be found throughout the canyon. Four hiking trails take you to the canyon bottom and mesa top. The park provides picnic grounds and hiking trails with a variety of difficulty and length. Hikers must beware of rattlesnakes and scorpions, as well as pack appropriate dress for late afternoon showers.

Comanche National Grasslands
Picketwire & Vogel Canyons and Dinosaur Tracks
Contact: Colleen Oquist, U.S. Forest Service
Phone: (719) 384-2181

La Junta is located on the heart of the Mountain Branch of the Old Santa Fe Trail. Starting in Las Animas and continuing through La Junta on your way to Trinidad you can easily travel and explore the old trail by car. History is evident all throughout the area at Boggsville in Las Animas, Bent’s Fort in La Junta, and along Highway 350 to Trinidad.

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site is located just 5 miles from La Junta and over 150 years back in time. This reconstructed trading post located on the Santa Fe Trail was the last United States outpost before crossing the Arkansas River and entering Mexico. It became the most important frontier hub during the era of “Manifest Destiny” for a growing young country. American trade and influence radiated from here south into Mexico, west into the Great Basin and north to southern Wyoming. The Fort was originally built in 1833-34 by brothers Charles and William Bent and Ceran St. Vrain for the Native American fur trade but soon became an important stop along the Santa Fe Trail. In its hey-day it was know as the only civilization between Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, Mexico. This early nineteenth century fort is filled with period furnishings and hosts historic re-enactors throughout the year during several special events.

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Contact: Park Manager
Phone: (719) 384-2596

Boggsville Historic Site

Boggsville stands apart in the history of this region as the only non-military settlement along the Santa Fe Trail. The small settlement is located on the Purgatory River two miles south of present day Las Animas. Boggsville was founded in 1862 by Thomas O. Boggs, his wife Rumalda Luna Bent (as stepdaughter of Charles Bent), L.A. Allen and Charles Ritc. In 1867, the noted frontiersman, Kit Carson, moved to Boggsville. This was his last home before his death in 1868 at Ft. Lyon. During its short lifespan from 1867 through 1873 when the railroad arrived, Boggsville was important as a center for agriculture, government, commerce and culture. In 1985, the site was acquired by the Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County. The site is currently being restored to its former glory. The restored and reconstructed buildings already completed offer a personal experience of life on the frontier for the visitor.

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

U.S. Highway 50 from the Kansas border through La Junta and U.S. Highway 350 from La Junta to Trinidad follows the route of the "Mountain Route" of the Santa Fe Trail. Faint traces of the old wagon ruts can still be seen just outside of La Junta and along Highway 350 at various locations.