Comanche National Grassland
The Comanche National Grassland is located in Baca, Las Animas and Otero counties in southeastern Colorado and manages about 443,784 acres. The Comanche National Grassland was created in 1960 when the federal government placed the recovered lands of the dust bowl under the management of the Forest Service. The Comanche National Grassland is managed to conserve and use the natural resources of grass, water and wildlife habitat and to protect prehistoric and historic areas.
The grassland has many stories to tell, from dinosaurs roaming the ancient shoreline of a vast lake 150 million years ago to Mexican and American traders traveling the Santa Fe National Historic Trail 150 years ago.
General Information
This recreation region is managed by the Comanche National Grassland, Carrizo Unit (Springfield) and Timpas Unit (La Junta).
Complexes
The east fork of Carrizo Creek flows through this small canyon graced by juniper and cottonwood trees. American Indian petroglyphs can be found along the canyon walls. A variety of wildlife, especially birds, can be seen in the early morning or before sunset.
Preservation: As you enter this area, please remember that you are the guardian of this unique canyon. Rock imagery, stone tools, charred bones and rubble from dwellings provide evidence that people thrived on the Comanche National Grassland for thousands of years.
Each relic of the past holds a clue that archaeologists use to reconstruct life here long ago. These cultural resources are ancient, fragile and irreplaceable. If destroyed or removed, the information they reveal is lost forever and so is a legacy that belongs to us all.
Please do not touch rock imagery and petroglyphs. Oils from your hands promote deterioration of the drawings and the rock surface. Do not draw or scratch graffiti on rocks or cliff faces. Graffiti defaces a fragile, irreplaceable legacy. All cultural resources on public lands are protected by law.
The Antiquities Act and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act impose fines and penalties for disturbing or removing artifacts. Please help protect our past. Report any acts of vandalism to the Comanche National Grassland office in La Junta at 719-384-2181 or in Springfield at 719-523-6591. We thank you for observing the rules for this area and for helping us to preserve this valuable resource. Please be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Informational kiosks for this self-guided, 180-mile tour highlights many points of interest, scenery, and amenities found on the Carrizo Unit including the Granada-Fort Uni
Carrizo Canyon: The east fork of Carrizo Creek flows through this small canyon graced by juniper and cottonwood trees.
Scenic vistas, unique rock formations, gentle sandstone canyons and rolling hills are this area's main attractions. No camping is allowed in Picture Canyon.
Please carry water with you, as the spring water is not safe to drink. Look for cairns, or stone posts, to help you locate the trails. Please stay on the trails and pay attention. Shortgrass prairie and rocky areas are home to rattlesnakes and cacti.
Picture Canyon allows visitors to step back in time to discover remnants of Plains Indian cultures in rock imagery and early 20th century homestead remains.
Arch Rock Trail #1881 is an 8-mile hiking trail located in Picture Canyon. Please carry water with you, as the spring water is not safe to drink.
Vogel Canyon is a scenic tributary of the Purgatoire River and has a rich history. American Indians lived in the canyon 300-800 years ago and left rock imagery, which is visible on the canyon walls. Hiking trails lead visitors through the riparian, canyonland and shortgrass prairie vegetation found in the canyon and surrounding plains.
- Overlook Trail - This easy trail is a 1-mile loop from the parking area. It is wheelchair accessible and provides access to a canyon overlook.
- Canyon Trail - This easy trail is 1.75 miles roundtrip from the parking area. Highlights include ruins, a canyon overlook, a spring and rock imagery.
- Prairie Trail - This moderate trail is 3 miles roundtrip from the parking area. Highlights include historic stage tracks, juniper woodlands and shortgrass prairie.
- Mesa Trail - This moderate trail is 2.25 miles roundtrip from the parking area. Highlights include ruins, juniper woodlands and shortgrass prairie.
Trail safety:
- Please carry water with you. Spring water is not safe to drink.
- Look for cairns, or stone posts, to help you locate the trails. Please stay on trails.
- Pay attention to the trail. Shortgrass prairie and rocky areas are home to rattlesnakes and cacti.
These primitive canyons in the Comanche National Grasslands are home to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America. Over 1,900 prints in 130 separate trackways extend across a quarter mile of bedrock along the banks of the Purgatoire River.
These primitive canyons in the Comanche National Grasslands are home to the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America.
This popular meeting spot, about 33 miles south of La Junta, offers wildlife interpretation and corrals for public equestrian use.
Recreation Sites
Arch Rock Trail #1881
Carrizo Auto Tour Interpretive Site
Carrizo Canyon Picnic Area
Iron Spring Interpretive Site
Picket Wire Canyonlands
Picket Wire Corrals Interpretive Site
Picture Canyon
Rourke Ranch National Historic Site