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resources

huerfano county

Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center

  • Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center has served as a healthcare and education resource for more than 20 years

  • Overlooking Lathrop State Park, with the spectacular Spanish Peaks serving as the backdrop, SPRHC offers patient centered medical care with a:

    • Family Clinic,

    • Outreach Clinic,

    • Specialty Clinic,

    • Surgical Team,

    • Critical Access Hospital,

    • Imaging Department, and

    • The Five Star Spanish Peaks Veterans Community Living Center.

school districts

Huerfano County has two school districts, Huerfano RE-1 and La Veta RE-2.  The Huerfano RE-1 School District is led by Superintendent Michael Moore has three schools: Peakview (Pre K through 8th), Gardner (Pre K through 8th), and John Mall High School (9th through 12th).  La Veta RE-2 School District is led by Superintendent Bree Lessar and consists of the La Veta Elementary School (Pre K through 5th) and the La Veta Junior Senior High School (6th through 12th).

fire districts

Huerfano County has three fire protection districts:  the Huerfano County Fire Protection District, the La Veta Fire Protection District and the Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District. The Huerfano County Fire District has the largest response area, including the City of Walsenburg and the entire I-25 corridor. The La Veta Fire Protection District response area includes the Town of La Veta, parts of the US Highway 160 corridor, and areas east and north of the Town, including Cuchara. The Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District response area includes Gardner and the northeastern portion of Huerfano County.

transportation

  • Huerfano County is located along I-25, the major north-south highway on the eastern edge of the intermountain west.

  • I-25 runs from El Paso Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border through Albuquerque and Santa Fe to Walsenburg, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Wyoming where it merges with I-90 near the Montana border.

  • US Highway 160 is the primary route through Downtown Walsenburg and runs west over La Veta Pass to Alamosa and the San Luis Valley, then on to Durango and the Four Corners Region.

  • State Highway 10 travels east to La Junta where it connects with US Highway 50 providing access to Southeast Colorado and Kansas

  • State Highway 69 runs to the northwest, connecting Walsenburg to Gardner and Westcliffe then connecting with US 50 for access to Salida and Canon City

  • State Highway 12 is the core of the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway.  Highway 12 runs from the junction with US 160 south to La Veta and Cuchara and eventually connects with I-25 in Trinidad

  • The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) operates on lines running north-south through Walsenburg giving the potential for a rail spur to an industrial park

  • Union Pacific has a freight service to the San Luis Valley over La Veta Pass.  Part of this line is owned by the San Luis Rio Grande Railroad

  • The Spanish Peaks Airfield is a general aviation airport that offers a 4504 foot asphalt runway and self-service Jet-A fuel with tie-down parking.

water

The City of Walsenburg has senior water rights meaning that it has the first claim on water in the Cucharas River.  The current water system is sized for a population of approximately 35,000 compared to the current population of just under 3,000.  The filtration plant has capacity for 6.0 million gallons per day (GPD). Current use averages 750,000 GPD or 12.5 percent of its capacity.  The sanitary sewer has a capacity of 1.0 million GPD compared to the current use of 250,000 GPD.

climate

  • The climate is warm and arid with an average high temperature of 67 degrees.

  • Winter temperatures average in the high 40s while summer temperatures are in the upper 80s and higher.

  • Huerfano County is in the top 15 percent of counties in terms of annual sunshine and annual solar radiation.

  • This creates opportunities for solar energy and for water-efficient indoor agriculture.

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