Buena Vista Colorado

Located in the Upper Arkansas River Valley between Salida and Leadville, Buena Vista sure lives up to its name. Translated “Beautiful View” in Spanish, Buena Vista has breath-taking views of the Collegiate Peaks and Mt. Princeton. This town is rich in history and natural beauty and offers the kind of small-town life most people only dream of.

More Town Facts

Region: South Central	County: Chaffee
Latitude: 38.838889	Longitude: -106.132778	Elevation: 7,965 ft (2,428 m)

Due to the mild climate around the Buena Vista area and valley, the community has been called the “Banana Belt”. It’s a wonderful destination for whitewater enthusiasts and also has stunning views of Mt. Yale, Mt. Harvard, the Sawatch Range and other Colorado “Fourteeners”. The Arkansas River provides world-class whitewater rafting opportunities, and the wild game in the area include elk, deer, antelope, mountain goats and the Colorado State Animal the Bighorn Sheep. The residents and visitors to the Buena Vista area also enjoy kayaking, fly fishing and hiking and climbing the nearby peaks. Every year, the Salida community hosts the largest whitewater rafting event in North America – known as FIBark, and takes rafters down the Arkansas River toward Royal Gorge.

The history of Buena Vista begins in 1879 with the beginning of Chaffee County – known as the “Heart of the Rockies” and named for Jerome B. Chaffee, Colorado’s first United States Senator. The town of Buena Vista was also incorporated in 1879 and served as a railroad town for the gold, silver and lead mining industries. The Denver Rio Grande, the Colorado Midland and the South Park & Pacific Railroad all had rail lines which ran through the area. Growth in the 1880′s and 1890′s are still visible today in the local architecture of the historic district. A visit to the Heritage Museum will complete the story.

Buena Vista Local Attractions

Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy – “Nestled in a beautiful river valley at the foot of the Colorado Rocky Mountain’s Collegiate Peaks, family-owned Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy is one of the nation’s most passionate and fastest growing commercial cheese makers — dedicated to sustainable farming and darn good cheese making.” Offering tours from April 1st to October 1st. For more information visit the Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy website.
Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort on CR 162 south of Buena Vista features outdoor soaking pool, lap pool, and bath house. Another hot springs near the town is Cottonwood Hot Springs on CR 306 west of Buena Vista, with stone soaking pools, private spas, sauna, and cold plunge.
San Isabel National Forests – Buena Vista is minutes from the San Isabel National Forest. The forest includes scenic and recreational features within its 1,109,782 acres. The recreation opportunities in the forest are countless. Visitors can visit ghost towns or backpack on more than 700 miles of trails. Camping, Fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, and snowshoeing are only a few of the activities available. Horseback, snowmobile, mountain biking, jeep, and other tours are available from local vendors and outfitters.
Arkansas Headwaters State Recreation Area is one of the nation’s most unusual recreation areas, stretching for 148 miles along one of the West’s premier recreation rivers, the Arkansas. From its northern boundary below the fabled mining town of Leadville to the Pueblo Reservoir, the area is a recreation paradise. Opportunities abound for fishing, rafting, kayaking, picnicking, wildlife watching, hiking, camping, mountain climbing and sightseeing among deep canyons, broad valleys, and towering mountains. Buena Vista is home base for many river rafting outfitters operating in the recreation area. They offer a wide variety of rafting, kayaking, and float fishing trips on the Arkansas River.
Collegiate Peaks scenic overlook is just east of town. It provides one of the most spectacular views in the Rockies. A large panoramic display identifies the 14,000 foot peaks and other points of interest across the valley.
The Heritage Museum located in the old county courthouse, depicts the town’s 120 years of history and houses a turn of the century model railroad exhibit that features the historic Midland, Rio Grande and South Park Railroads. The Chaffee County Council of the Arts uses the upper floor for traveling art shows.