TRINIDAD

Trinidad is a charming southern Colorado town situated on the historic Santa Fe Trail that traverses from New Mexico to Missouri. Before railroads entered the area, the Santa Fe Trail was primarily a commercial highway connecting Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico and also was used by stagecoach lines, gold seekers, adventurers, missionaries and emigrants from 1821 to 1880.

To catch a glimpse into Trinidad’s rich past, groups can visit the large granite marker for the Santa Fe Trail in Kit Carson Park, take a free trolley tour of the historic downtown from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and visit the Trinidad History Museum that encompasses a full city block.

However, it’s not all about the past in Trinidad, which became certified as a Colorado Creative District in 2013. One of the newest initiatives is Space to Create that renovated an entire downtown block and became fully open in 2022. The restored historic buildings feature 41 affordable residential units for creatives and locals, multiple commercial spaces, meeting rooms, co-working space, two workshops and a kitchen. A bar, cafe and patio also are available for groups to rent for events.

The cultural vibrancy of Trinidad spills over into culinary creations. While planning food and beverage outings for gatherings, consider the rustic taste of a brick-oven pizza, vibrant green hatch chili sauce poured over a Mexican dish, or an artisan sandwich with a spread of local chutney.

Attendees also are sure to enjoy the dinosaur track exhibit at Louden-Henritze Archaeology Museum and masterpieces by a renowned local artist at the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art. Are there outdoor enthusiasts on your team? Make time on the agenda for hiking local trails, tubing the river, hitting the links at the nine-hole golf course, visiting the farmers market and exploring scenic Trinidad Lake State Park. Local lakes offer terrific options for fishing, boating, kayaking, paddleboarding and hiking with mountains and mesas as the backdrop. Another great way to enjoy the water is walking, jogging or biking the Trinidad Riverwalk that meanders through town along the banks of the Purgatoire River.

Groups can find comfortable accommodations and meeting space at properties like La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham and the new Hilton Garden Inn Trinidad Downtown that opened in 2023. Both offer amenities like fitness centers, swimming pools and options for grabbing a bite to eat. The Hilton Garden Inn is part of a larger development featuring a coffee house, local restaurant, water park, pickleball courts, and exercise and activity areas.

Colorado’s newest and largest state park, the local Fishers Peak State Park, is in the early stages of development and encompasses 19,200 acres, making it the second largest. The park has been gradually adding resources since opening the in 2020, including the new 8-mile Champion Trail that traverses to the 9,633-foot summit of the flat-topped Fishers Peak.