Westcliffe, CO: 5 cool and unexpected experiences in a small town!
July 2023: We traveled on a weekend get-away and decided to stop by the small town of Westcliffe (population. 435*) based on the recommendation of a co-worker. We were amazed by what we found! Westcliffe has a small but vibrant business district with cute shops and restaurants, and it was lively with locals and visitors attending the Westcliffe Stampede Rodeo. Intrigued, we explored online as well, and learned that Westcliff’s vibrancy is no accident… this community works diligently to maintain a great place!
Westcliffe is the county seat of Custer County at the intersection of Highways 69 (locally known as Main Street and 6th Street) and 96 (originating locally in Westcliffe town center as Main Street).
Westcliffe – A brief History
The Ute people dominated much of Colorado, including the Wet Mountain Valley east of the Sangre de Cristos, by the sixteenth century. As nomadic hunter-gatherers, the Utes took advantage of the mild summers of southern Colorado to hunt game and forage for edible plants throughout the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
By the 1780s, Spanish forces arrived to the area. French and American fur trappers frequented the region as well. In 1806 Zebulon Pike arrived in the Wet Mountain Valley on his excursion to explore the Louisiana Purchase.
By the 1860s, prospectors arrived looking for silver and lead. In 1874 Copper and silver ore was found south of present-day Rosita and in 1877 gold and silver was discovered a few miles north. Also in 1877, Custer County was carved out of the southern portion of Fremont County. In 1878 high-yield silver ore was discovered, at a site named Silver Cliff, and was incorporated into a town 1879. Alas, the mining boom times were not to last, and the mines were largely abandoned throughout Custer County by the early 1900s, resulting in a corresponding population drop.
Westcliffe had its start in 1881 when the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad was extended to the area to support the silver mining economy. Initially built as a narrow-gauge line, repeated rail washouts resulted into the line’s abandonment by the late 1880s. A standard gauge line to Westcliff was completed in 1900-01, a mile short of Silver Cliff which was experiencing the economic end of silver mining. Westcliffe was incorporated into a town in 1887 and became the county seat of Custer in 1929.
By the turn of the century, farming and ranching became the dominant industry throughout Custer County.
Today, the county remains primarily rural, with just over a quarter of its citizens residing in Westcliffe and Silver Cliff. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound in Custer County, which contains around 189,000 acres of public land, including the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness Area, the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, and the San Isabel National Forest.
5 Cool and Unexpected Experiences in and around Westcliffe!
How does a small town of less than 500 residents work to make their small town a vibrant place? It’s pretty amazing, as it must involve active local residents, a large and engaged community in the surrounding area, combined with many visitors and their wallets. Here is what we found during our visit and online research at home.
1. An observatory! Westcliffe and neighboring Silver Cliff are recognized as IDA International Dark Sky certified
Locals have set up a free observatory in an old period building with a “roll-off” roof to open up the 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with computer-guided pointing and tracking to the skies overhead. Named the Smokey Jack Observatory, it was built in 2015.
- Smokey Jack Observatory – Google Maps
- International Dark-Sky Association – As of summer 2023, Westcliffe and Silver Cliff are 2 of only 7 towns in the state with this certification!
- Planet Walk – a permanent, interpretive, free exhibit of the Solar System at a scale of 4 billion-to-one set up in the beautiful Colorado mountain towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff.
- Stargazing in true dark skies: Westcliffe and Silver Cliff – interesting overview video (4:15 mins long)
2. A historic downtown with beautifully restored buildings and a wide variety of vibrant businesses
We turned left onto Main Street instead of following highway 96 out of town – and found an amazing vibrant historic business district with a beautiful view of the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains! No chain stores here! There is a large variety of local businesses, a theater, a visitor center, and economic development center and much more. Below are just a few examples.
- Custer County Welcome Center – Google Maps
- Lollipop & Co. – Google Maps – we visited this business and bought some gourmet popcorn!
- Wet Mountain Tribune – Google Maps – Delivering a piece of the Wet Mountain Valley since 1883
- All the Range Mountaineering and Outdoor Gear – Google Maps – super high reviews!
- Sangre De Cristo Gallery – Google Maps
- Real West – Google Maps
3. Choose between five different Local Coffee Shops!
We love the concept of a community ‘Third Place‘ and one of our favorite third places is a local Coffee shop… Westcliffe has 5 of them!
- Tumbleweed Coffee House – Google Maps
- Stage Stop – Breakfast, Lunch & Fun! – Google Maps
- Candy’s Coffee – Google Maps –
- SUGARLUMP – Google Maps
- Peregrine Coffee Roasters – Google Maps
4. Enjoy the active local Art Scene
As we wandered around town, we enjoyed the wide variety of local art in many forms, including a community theater. Our favorite was a ground mural of a rocking horse :). See below for a deeper dive into the Westcliffe Art Scene.
5. See a wide variety of Churches and other Restored Historic Architecture
We also enjoyed exploring Westcliffe’s beautiful and often historic buildings! Below are some examples.
- Hope Lutheran Church – Google Maps
- St Luke’s Episcopal Church – Google Maps
- Our Lady of the Assumption – Google Maps
- First Baptist Church – Google Maps
- High Country Mennonite Church – Google Maps
- Old ‘Westcliff’ Schoolhouse & Museum – Google Maps
- Learn more about this beautiful restored school house museum!
- All Aboard Westcliffe Inc – Google Maps
- Learn more about this historic rail road museum
More to Explore!
Westcliffe is the home of the Wet Mountains Valley chamber of commerce and Custer County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Custer County Economic Development Corporation. Each source provides a wide variety of things to do and see while visiting, all nicely organized on their websites.
Local Events
Digging a little deeper, we found an extensive list of events to draw in visitors, as well as entertain the area community.
- Alla Prima Westcliff (June) – Alla Prima Westcliffe is a nine-day event beginning with an optional two-day plein air (i.e. outdoor) workshop with a nationally renowned artist and ending with an art sale.
- High Mountain Hay Fever Blues Festival (July) – staged in a circus tent in Bluff Park at the west end of Westcliffe, providing a backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
- Custer County Fair (July) – located at the Westcliffe Fairgrounds
- Westcliffe Stampede Rodeo (July) – sponsored by the Wet Mountain Valley Saddle club every 3rd weekend in July
- Day of the Cowboy (July) – an annual performance at the Historic Jones Theater, hosting cowboy poets and musicians, followed by a Cowboy Rendezvous social.
- SilverWest Airfest – an anual family-friendly airshow with vintage planes on display, live music and food at Butler Field 10 miles south of Westcliffe
- High Peaks Music Festival (September) – an annual family-friendly festival staged at the Silver West Feedstore Ampitheater and against a beautiful mountain backdrop.
- High Altitude Horsepower Car Show (September, Labor Day Saturday) – Main Street Westcliffe
- Blues, Brews & BBQs (September) – an annual event that combines blues music, craft beer and local barbecue.
- Arts Hullabaloo (September) – presented by the Sangres Art Guild, celebrating art in Westcliffe in the form of street Chalk art, water colors, fiber spinning, face painting, dance and music, etc.
My personal favorite hyper-local event that i read about was called “Touch a Big Truck & Grab a Paint Brush” on a Friday afternoon in September. This event traded the opportunity to explore big city equipment and a free lunch for help painting city pavilions… clever! 🙂
Area Experiences with Nature and Ranching Heritage
A little more online digging provided information on a variety of unique experiences in the area, available to visitors to experience surrounding nature and the area’s ranching heritage. Below are a few examples. We will definitely visit again to explore more of what this beautiful area has to offer!
- Take an Amish Wagon Ride – see webpage for description of available rides and how to set them up with an advanced reservation.
- Visit the family owned Colorado Mountain Lavender Farm – experience the tranquil and fragrant grounds of beautiful Eden West Ranch, home of Colorado Mountain Lavender, in the foothills of the Sangre De Christo mountains
- Visit the Willow Wind Llama Farm
- Hike with a Llama at Llamma Trecking – Just south of Westcliffe, CO is a hidden treasure with gorgeous ponds, beautiful streams, luscious meadows, and breathtaking mountain views
- Visit the historic Beckwith Ranch – The Beckwith Ranch is a historically significant site in Custer County, and stands as a testament to the era and the Valley’s ranching roots. Through philanthropic donations and community member contributions and volunteerism as well as gifts in kind, the ranch has been restored to its original glory and is a popular photography location.
Local Non-profits that support the community
Even more online digging offered an amazing array of local non-profit organizations that support and promote the heritage and places important to the community. Below are a few examples.
- Sangres Art Guild – promotes the arts in the Wet Mountain Valley to create a dynamic, supportive environment for the visual arts to flourish. SAG operate the 3rd Street Gallery in Westcliffe to provide support for members’ artistic endeavors and foster commerce in our community through the visual arts. See more online about Shows and Events, art Classes and Programs, and Our Artists.
- Local Radio KLZR – a local, sustainable, interactive community radio station committed to reliable, informative, timely and entertaining programs for everyone living in the Wet Mountain Valley.
- Railroad | All Aboard Westcliffe | Museum – dedicated to telling the story of the railroad and its impact on the economic development and social fabric of the Wet Mountain Valley, specifically through preservation, restoration, education, and display.
- All Aboard Westcliffe Inc – Google Maps
- All Aboard Westcliffe – dedicated to telling the story of the railroad and its impact on the economic development and social fabric of the Wet Mountain Valley, specifically through preservation, restoration, education, and display
- Valley Strong Gund | Community Foundation – to foster and strengthen community building by supporting education, communication, programs and events which celebrate and advance community relationships
- Westcliffe Community Investment fund – town government accepts non-profit donation requests with an emphasis on benefits to youth and senior citizens.
- Trails for All – A grass-roots movement to steward the trails of the Wet Mountain Valley for all users
- Missionwolf.org – a solar-powered nature center that provides a sanctuary for unwanted captive-born wolves and horses. This organization offers experiential education to inspire the public to become stewards of the earth. It is located south and east of Westcliffe.
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