Fall is approaching, and so are the Sandhill Cranes. The cranes trickle into the valley in family groups. It’s not the large numbers at one time like the spring, but it’s still spectacular. The best time to see the cranes is mid to late September and the first couple of weeks in October. The cranes spread out across the farmland surrounding the towns of Monte Vista, Del Norte, and Alamosa. Your best bet for seeing cranes during the day is to drive the county roads. A good place to try is Stanley Road between Alamosa County Road 104 and 102. Also, the Monte Vista Tour Loop area at the Monte Vista Refuge is a good place to see cranes at sunset. Please remember that the Monte Vista Refuge is open from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. ENJOY!
Are there many cranes currently in the refuge?
Sept. 13, 2022
Pat, not currently, but they will be trickling in over the next few weeks.
Is there good fall foliage as well in the valley? If so, when does it peak in most years??
The fall color is very good in the mountains surrounding the refuge and seen from the refuge, paeking late Septembe to the 1st week in October.