Westcliffe

Welcome to Westcliffe

Westcliffe, sitting at 7,888 feet, is tucked between the Wet Mountains to the east and the Sangre de Cristo Range to the west. Views of the Collegiate Peaks from the north and the Spanish Peaks in the south are seen.   This quiet mountain community is the Custer County seat.  Westcliffe hosts a High Peaks Music Festival each summer featuring acoustic bands.

Nestled between the Wet Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Westcliffe offers over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails in the summer and alpine cross-country ski routes in the winter. The Sangre de Cristo mountains are known for their steep and rocky terrain, so most trail access and mountain passes require a high-clearance vehicle. But several trails are accessible, no matter your transportation.  Anglers enjoy the 54 alpine lakes nearby, and rock climbers seek new heights with the Crestone Needle, less than 20 miles from town.

Westcliffe is home to a populous Amish community that was founded in 2008, which is traced back to Enos Yoder of an Iowa Amish settlement. The area is home to a big Amish furniture store and a bakery.

About 45 minutes south of Westcliffe is the Mission: Wolf Nature Center.  It is a solar-powered refuge for rescued wolves bred in captivity. They provide guided tours, day visits, camping, and volunteer opportunities to help people get in touch with nature and learn more about wolves.

The Frontier Pathways Byway (Highway 96) goes from Westcliffe to Pueblo, passing by the one-of-a-kind Bishops Castle.  There’s a lovely detour before Wetmore where you can head southeast on Highway 165 toward Rye and Colorado City at I-25.

Westcliffe has been designated an international dark sky community along with Silver Cliff which is one mile east.  The Smokey Jack Observatory in Westcliffe is a dark skies observatory complete with a retractable roof and a 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The observatory works to preserve, honor, and promote the dark skies of Wet Mountain Valley.  It is open to amateur and professional astronomers, locals, and tourists who want breathtaking views of the skies above.  Star Parties are open to the public, free to attend, and held several times throughout the year. Parties focus on a range of astronomical interests including the Milky Way, star clusters, planets, and more.