Buena Vista (pop. 1,800) sits below the Collegiate Range, including three mountains named after Harvard, Princeton and Yale. The town was founded as a mining and ranching community, but does steady business in tourism and recreation.
The Mount Shavano State Fish Hatchery produces more than 4 million fish each year, including brook, brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout. Visitors can watch a video orientation, feed the fish or fish in a stocked public lake just outside the hatchery.
Salida Museum is located adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce in Salida. Indian artifacts, household furnishings, art, and items associated with railroading, mining, farming and ranching in the Rockies are on display in the two-room museum.
Address: Salida Museum, 406 1/2 Highway 50 West, Salida, CO 81201-2236, United States
Phone: 1 (719) 539-2236, Fax: 1 (719) 539-7844
Tips: Open daily, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, subject to availability of volunteers.