Trinidad has served as a Santa Fe Trail trading stop to a 19th-century coal mining hub to a present day arts mecca, and much more. With ties to the Wild West, coal mining, and more, Trinidad has evolved many times throughout its colorful history.

History:

According to Visit Trinidad, the town’s original inhabitants were Indigenous people, who lived among the Spanish Peaks and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Spanish and Mexican traders began to make their way into the area in the 16th century.

Then, between 1821 and 1880, Trinidad served as an important trading stop for the Santa Fe Trail, with the stretch that ran through Trinidad used to ship freight to Denver. The trail then became a national route that linked U.S. states to southwestern territories.

The Colorado Gold Rush then drew many traders to Trinidad, with Felipe Baca spotting a townsite along the Santa Fe Trail. Gabriel Gutierrez, Trinidad’s sole businessman and a saloon owner, named the town. Land grants continued to increase settlement in the area.

Because it was situated at the intersection of two major rail lines, Trinidad was a strategic hideout for outlaws like Black Jack Ketchum (a member of Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid’s gang), and other figures of the Wild West including Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Bat Masterson.

Coal mines and subsequent camps sprang up in the area in the 1870s, drawing a diverse mining workforce. Profits from the growing coal industry resulted in Trinidad getting new buildings, businesses, and homes.

Labor tensions began to rise when the United Mine Workers of America invited Colorado Fuel & Iron to meet about miners’ grievances in the camps. The Colorado Coalfield War followed, which included The Ludlow Massacre, when three miners, four women, and 11 children were killed.

Trinidad soon developed a welcoming atmosphere that made it a hub for people wanting alternative and countercultural lifestyles. Four art students and filmmakers created Drop City, which is known as the first rural hippie commune, in 1960. The town also earned the title the “sex change capital of the world,” in 1969 when Dr. Stanley Biber completed what was then called “gender reassignment surgery.”

Trinidad is now buzzing with a thriving downtown arts scene including galleries, studios, public art, events, live music, and more.

Outdoor recreation:

Fishers Peak State Park – a great spot to bike challenging singletracks and do some hiking.

Trinidad Lake State Park – a hotspot for boating, waterskiing, paddleboarding, and fishing.

Comanche National Grassland – features the Picket Wire Canyonlands, which is home to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America (with over 1,900 prints in 130 separate trackways).

Scenic Highway of Legends – Trinidad is a starting point for this 82-mile drive that takes you over mountain passes and through historic mining villages.

Culture:

Trinidad History Museum – the complex of this local history museum includes the 1870s-era adobe Baca House, 1882 Victorian-style Bloom Mansion, the Santa Fe Trail Museum, and the Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens.

A. R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art – showcases “cowboy art,” featuring the paintings, illustrations, and pulp western covers of Arthur Roy Mitchell.

Trinidad Trolley – a free, 45-minute guided tour of the town that operates every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

CREATE Trinidad Creative District – this cultural hub features architecture, history, and the arts, as well as Space to Create – a 25,000-square-foot cultural facility and live-work space for artisans.

Trinidaddio Blues Fest – world-class blues artists perform on Trinidad’s Main Street.

Fancy Spider Music Fest – a three-day, multi-genre music festival.

Santa Fe Trail Days – this summer celebration looks back on the town’s heritage.

Dining:

AlMack’s Kitchen – serves brunch staples like pancakes, eggs and biscuits with gravy, and more.

The Hive – features craft cocktails and dishes with “southern charm and smoky Southwestern flavors.”

Nana & Nano Monteleone’s Deli and Pasta House – this is a family-owned Italian restaurant.

Lodging:

The Well Hotel & Taproom – offers fun and quirky rooms and a self pour taproom and restaurant.

Hilton Garden Inn Trinidad Downtown – located on the Trinidad Riverwalk right in the heart of the town.

La Quinta by Wyndham Trinidad – offers good access to Trinidad Lake State Park, Fisher’s Peak, and more.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Trinidad by IHG – offers a “peaceful, mountainside retreat.”

Getting there:

According to Google Maps, it takes about three hours to drive from Denver to Trinidad.

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