Huerfano County, Colorado

History

Colorado Coalfield War

Main article: Colorado Coalfield War

Huerfano County and neighboring Las Animas County were the central locations of the 1913-1914 United Mine Workers of America strike against the Rockefeller-owned Colorado Fuel and Iron company, which is now referred to as the Colorado Coalfield War.

Walsenburg and other stops on the Colorado and Southern Railway proved strategically important for both strikers and the Colorado National Guard, resulting in multiple gun-battles in around towns with stops.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1593 sqmi, of which 1591 sqmi is land and 2.2 sqmi (0.1%) is water. The price of property saw an increase of more than 10% after a moratorium on commercial marijuana grows was lifted in July 2015.

Adjacent counties

• Pueblo County - northeast
• Las Animas County - southeast
• Costilla County - southwest
• Alamosa County - west
• Custer County - northwest
• Saguache County - northwest

Major highways

Protected areas

• Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness
• Lathrop State Park
• San Isabel National Forest
• Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
• Spanish Peaks Wilderness

Scenic byway

• Highway of Legends Scenic Byway

Attractions and recreation

The towns of La Veta and Cuchara offer art galleries and lodging.

Also in Cuchara, a new county park — the Cuchara Mountain Park — opened in 2017, repurposing property that used to be the former Cuchara Ski Resort. The ski resort had been closed to skiers since 2000, but in the mid-2020s a group of local citizens purchased a 47 acre parcel of land the old ski resort occupied and formed the non-profit Panadero Ski Corporation. Beginning in 2023, the organization began taking skiers and snowboarders partway up the ski resort's mountain using a snowcat pulling a "ski bus", opening the ski resort for the first time in more than twenty years. Moreover, Panadero Ski Corporation is in the process of repairing one of the old ski lifts at the site, Lift 4, and hopes to open it to visitors soon.

Huerfano County is a geologist's paradise. Over 500 dikes surround the Spanish Peaks. Many other geological formations, such as the Dakota Formation, are visible in the county.

Lathrop State Park offers hiking, camping, picnicking, fishing and 4.5 mi of mountain bike trails. Adjacent to the park, the city of Walsenburg offers a public, nine-hole golf course.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,820. Of the residents, 16.1% were under the age of 18 and 31.9% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 56.0 years. For every 100 females there were 103.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.8 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 73.3% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 2.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 7.8% from some other race, and 15.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 31.2% of the population.

There were 3,195 households in the county, of which 19.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,679 housing units, of which 31.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.1% were owner-occupied and 27.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.5%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,862 people, 3,082 households, and 1,920 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 /mi2. There were 4,599 housing units at an average density of 3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 80.96% White, 2.75% Black or African American, 2.70% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 9.41% from other races, and 3.71% from two or more races. 35.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,082 households, out of which 25.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.40% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.70% were non-families. 32.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 27.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 118.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,775, and the median income for a family was $32,664. Males had a median income of $24,209 versus $21,048 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,242. About 14.10% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.70% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

A Democratic stronghold for much of the 20th century, Huerfano has become a competitive swing county in recent elections. After only backing Al Gore by 29 votes in 2000, the county voted for the winner of each presidential race between 2004 and 2016 before narrowly staying in the Donald Trump column in 2020.

City

• Walsenburg

Town

• La Veta

Census-designated place

• Gardner

Unincorporated communities

• Badito
• Chama
• Cuchara
• Farisita
• Farista
• Navajo Ranch
• Red Wing

Ghost towns

• Alamo
• Calumet
• Delcarbon
• Tioga

Education

There are two school districts that cover sections of the county: Huerfano School District RE-1 and La Veta School District RE-2.

References

References

1. (January 1, 2020). "State of Colorado Counties – Current/TAB20 – Data as of January 1, 2020". [[United States Census Bureau]].
2. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
3. (March 2025). "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties in Colorado: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 (CO-EST2024-POP-08)". [[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Department of Commerce]].
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
6. . ["Southern Colorado's Spanish Peaks Country"](https://spanishpeakscountry.com/). *Huerfano County*.
7. . ["Galleries and artists"](http://lavetacucharachamber.com/business-directory/galleries-and-artists/). *La Veta Cuchara Chamber of Commerce*.
8. Knowles, Bill. (September 17, 2017). "Cuchara Mountain Park ribbon cutting informal and well attended". Huerfano World Journal.
9. McCleary, Chase. (January 7, 2025). "This once-abandoned Southern Colorado ski hill is now offering $40 lift tickets". Rocky Mountain PBS.
10. . ["Dikes"](http://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/colorado-geology/igneous-rocks/plutonic-rocks/dikes/).
11. Johnson, Ross B.. (1959). "Geology of the Huerfano Park Area: Huerfano and Custer Counties, Colorado". United States Government Printing Office.
12. Boster, Seth. (June 5, 2024). "Colorado's first state park gets its first mountain bike trails". The Gazette.
13. . ["Lathrop StatePark"](https://www.colorado.com/state-parks/lathrop-state-park). *State of Colorado*.
14. . ["Walsenburg Golf Course"](http://www.cityofwalsenburg.net/walsenburg-golf-course).
15. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
16. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
17. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
18. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
19. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
20. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
21. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
22. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
23. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
24. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
25. Geography Division. (December 17, 2020). "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Huerfano County, CO". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].