==Description==
==Description==
Cuchara is situated on the eastern slopes of the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]] in south-central Colorado. It is west of the [[Spanish Peaks]]. [[Cucharas Pass]], at almost 10,000 feet, is a few miles south of the town of Cuchara. The [[Cucharas River]] flows on the outskirts of town. The [[San Isabel National Forest]] surrounds the town.<ref name=”sangres”/>
Cuchara is situated on the eastern slopes of the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]] in south-central Colorado. It is west of the [[Spanish Peaks]]. [[Cucharas Pass]], at almost 10,000 feet, is a few miles south of the town of Cuchara. The [[Cucharas River]] flows on the outskirts of town. The [[San Isabel National Forest]] surrounds the town.<ref name=”sangres”/>
In [[Spanish language|Spanish]], “[[wiktionary:Cuchara|cuchara]]” means “spoon,” reflecting the area’s valley being so shaped.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740&view=1up&seq=17|title=Cuchara|work=Place Names in Colorado: Why 700 Communities Were So Named|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|page=16|date=1954|access-date=16 March 2020}}</ref> A large number of locations are listed as having the name of “Cuchara” or some derivation there of in Huerfano County, including Cuchara Junction northeast of [[Walsenburg, Colorado|Walsenburg]] and the [[Cuchara Formation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:4904633368802::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:194265,Cuchara%20Junction|title=Cuchara Junction|work=GNIS|author=US Geographical Survey|date=13 October 1978|access-date=16 March 2020}}</ref>
In [[Spanish language|Spanish]], “[[wiktionary:Cuchara|cuchara]]” means “spoon,” reflecting the area’s valley being so shaped.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740&view=1up&seq=17|title=Cuchara|work=Place Names in Colorado: Why 700 Communities Were So Named|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|page=16|date=1954|access-date=16 March 2020}}</ref> A large number of locations are listed as having the name of “Cuchara” or some derivation there of in Huerfano County, including Cuchara Junction northeast of [[Walsenburg, Colorado|Walsenburg]] and the [[Cuchara Formation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:4904633368802::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:194265,Cuchara%20Junction|title=Cuchara Junction|work=GNIS|author=US Geographical Survey|date=13 October 1978|access-date=16 March 2020}}</ref>
Unincorporated community in Colorado, US
Unincorporated community in Colorado, United States
Cuchara is an unincorporated community located in Huerfano County, Colorado, United States. It is located near a former ski resort in the mountains south of the town of La Veta.[4] State Highway 12 travels through Cuchara as it approaches Trinidad to the southeast.
The Cuchara Camps, Colorado, post office operated from January 20, 1916, until June 15, 1957, when the name was shortened to Cuchara.[5] The Chucara, Colorado, post office closed on June 30, 1959.[5] The La Veta, Colorado, post office (ZIP code 81055) now serves the area.[3]
In the summer of 2018, Cuchara was evacuated due to a wildfire that threatened the town in the middle of their peak season. The evacuation caused local businesses to suffer financially.[6]
Cuchara is situated on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in south-central Colorado. It is west of the Spanish Peaks. Cucharas Pass, at almost 10,000 feet, is a few miles south of the town of Cuchara. The Cucharas River flows on the outskirts of town. The San Isabel National Forest surrounds the town.[4] Cuchara is located along the Highway of Legends National Scenic Byway, an 82‑mile route designated as a National Scenic Byway in 2021.
In Spanish, “cuchara” means “spoon,” reflecting the area’s valley being so shaped.[7] A large number of locations are listed as having the name of “Cuchara” or some derivation there of in Huerfano County, including Cuchara Junction northeast of Walsenburg and the Cuchara Formation.[8]
This small town has a few small businesses such as restaurants and small hotels or lodges. This is a midpoint for stopping along the scenic State Highway 12.[9]
Cuchara Mountain Park
[edit]
Cuchara is the site of the Cuchara Mountain Park, a year-round high-country park that offers traditional skiing and snowboarding, XC skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, disc golf, a bike playground, sledding, and mini golf. The park occupies part of the former Cuchara Ski Resort, which closed in 2000 and reopened on January 16th, 2026. Now operated by the non-profit Panadero Ski Corporation, the park has a single double chair lift in operation, servicing 7 beginner and intermediate runs, plus a terrain park. The ski area has an extensive ski and snowboard equipment rental shop with the latest equipment for rent. Cuchara Mountain Resort was featured in a January 2026 Ski Magazine article.[10][11]
Lift Ticket Pricing
[edit]
Cuchara Mountain Park offers full‑day lift tickets with a pricing structure that includes one complimentary child ticket with each paid adult ticket. Children are defined as ages 15 and under. Additional child tickets may be purchased at a reduced rate. Discounted adult pricing is available for military personnel, first responders, and residents of Huerfano County.
| Category | Price (USD) | Eligibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Full‑Day Ticket | $45 | Ages 16 and older | Includes one free child ticket (ages 15 and under) |
| Discounted Adult Full‑Day Ticket | $40 | Military, First Responders, and Huerfano County residents | Includes one free child ticket (ages 15 and under) |
| Additional Child Full‑Day Ticket | $25 | Ages 15 and under | Applies after the first free child ticket |
| Free Child Full‑Day Ticket | $0 | Ages 15 and under | One free child ticket per paid adult; must be claimed at the ticket window |
| Adult Half‑Day Ticket (12:30–4:00 p.m.) | $30 | Ages 16 and older | Includes one free child ticket (ages 15 and under) |
| Child Half‑Day Ticket (12:30–4:00 p.m.) | $20 | Ages 15 and under | Afternoon session only |
| Adult Season Pass (includes 1 child) | $250 | Ages 16 and older | Includes one free child season pass (ages 15 and under) |
| Additional Child Season Pass | $125 | Ages 15 and under | Applies after the first included child pass |
- ^ a b “Colorado Counties”. Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b “Cuchara, Colorado”. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b “ZIP Code Lookup”. United States Postal Service. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b “Cuchara, Colorado” Sangres.com. Retrieved 23 July 2009. Archived February 25, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Bauer, William H.; Ozment, James L.; Willard, John H. (1990). Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-918654-42-4.
- ^ Severancy, Ryan (July 9, 2018). “Cuchara businesses suffering while village is evacuated for the Spring Fire”. The Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^ Dawson, John Frank (1954). “Cuchara”. Place Names in Colorado: Why 700 Communities Were So Named. p. 16. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- ^ US Geographical Survey (October 13, 1978). “Cuchara Junction”. GNIS. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- ^ “Cuchara Vacations, Activities & Things To Do | Colorado.com”. www.colorado.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- ^ “Cuchara Mountain Park”. Cuchara Mountain Park. La Veta, Colorado: Panadero Ski Corporation. 2023. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
- ^ McCleary, Chase (January 7, 2025). “This once-abandoned Southern Colorado ski hill is now offering $40 lift tickets”. Rocky Mountain PBS. Archived from the original on January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
