Poncha Pass

As you drive south on US Hwy 285 from Poncha Springs you'll cross Poncha Pass, the northern entrance to the San Luis Valley. As the valley begins to open before you, breathtaking views of the near vertical Sangre de Cristo Mountains stretch out to the south on your left. Mount Ouray and the northern reaches of the San Juan Mountains tower on your right. The valley begins at the headwaters of San Luis Creek, and its expanse gradually spreads out like a huge fan. The 9,010 foot high pass marks the watershed for the drainages of the Arkansas and the Rio Grande rivers.