Cuchara, Colorado

This article is about the community. For other places in Colorado, see Cuchara.

Cuchara
Unincorporated community
Entering Cuchara from the north on State Highway 12.
Cuchara Location within the state of Colorado
Coordinates: 37°22′45″N105°06′01″W / 37.37917°N 105.10028°W / 37.37917; -105.10028
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Huerfano
Elevation	8,468 ft (2,581 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	81055 [1]
GNIS feature ID	203635 [2]

Cuchara is an unincorporated community in Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. It is located near a former ski resort in the mountains south of the town of La Veta. ^[3] Its altitude is 8,468 feet (2,581 m). ^[4] State Highway 12 travels through Cuchara as it approaches Trinidad to the southeast.

Description

Cuchara is situated on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in south-central Colorado. It is west of the Spanish Peaks. Cucharas Pass, at almost 10,000 feet, is a few miles south of the town of Cuchara. The Cucharas River flows on the outskirts of town. The San Isabel National Forest surrounds the town. ^[3]

In Spanish, "cuchara" means "spoon," reflecting the area's valley being so shaped. ^[5] A large number of locations are listed as having the name of "Cuchara" or some derivation there of in Huerfano County, including Cuchara Junction northeast of Walsenburg and the Cuchara Formation. ^[6]

This small town has a few small businesses such as restaurants and small hotels or lodges. This is a midpoint for stopping along the scenic State Highway 12. ^[7]

Cuchara Mountain Park

Cuchara is the site of the Cuchara Mountain Park, a year-round high-country park that offers traditional skiing and snowboarding, XC skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, disc golf, a bike playground, sledding, and mini golf. The park occupies part of the former Cuchara Ski Resort, which closed in 2000. Now operated by the non-profit Panadero Ski Corporation, the park has a ski bus that carries skiers and snowboarders partway up the mountain, with departures every few minutes. The organization is in the process of renovating one of the old ski lifts and hopes to have it certified for operation soon. ^{[8] [9]}

Cuchara Mountain Park (2024)

History

In the summer of 2018, Cuchara was evacuated due to a wildfire that threatened the town in the middle of their peak season. The evacuation caused local businesses to suffer financially. ^[10]

References

• Colorado portal

1. "Cuchara, CO ZIP Code - United States". codigo-postal.co. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
2. "Cuchara, Colorado". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. October 13, 1978. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
3. "Cuchara, Colorado" Sangres.com. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
4. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cuchara, Colorado
5. Dawson, John Frank (1954). "Cuchara". Place Names in Colorado: Why 700 Communities Were So Named. p. 16. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
6. US Geographical Survey (October 13, 1978). "Cuchara Junction". GNIS. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
7. "Cuchara Vacations, Activities & Things To Do | Colorado.com". www.colorado.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
8. "Cuchara Mountain Park". Cuchara Mountain Park. La Veta, Colorado: Panadero Ski Corporation. 2023. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
9. McCleary, Chase (January 7, 2025). "This once-abandoned Southern Colorado ski hill is now offering $40 lift tickets". Rocky Mountain PBS. Archived from the original on January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
10. Severancy, Ryan (July 9, 2018). "Cuchara businesses suffering while village is evacuated for the Spring Fire". The Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved April 11, 2019.

External links

Media related to Cuchara, Colorado at Wikimedia Commons