Why Crestone became a center for retreat and spiritual communities

Crestone is known today for something unusual: a small town at the edge of the Sangre de Cristo range that holds many retreat centers, monasteries, and temples from a wide range of traditions. This did not happen by accident, and it is fairly recent history.

In the 1970s, a company began developing part of the old Baca land grant into a large residential area called the Baca Grande, building roads and utilities at the base of the mountains. Beginning in the 1980s, a foundation connected to that development gave parcels of land to religious and spiritual organizations. Over time, groups from Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, and other traditions established centers there, drawing practitioners and visitors. Today, centers from many different traditions sit within a few miles of one another.

For a newcomer, this explains the character of the area: quiet, contemplative, and dotted with stupas, chapels, and retreat grounds among the pinyon and sage. Many centers welcome respectful visitors, but they are working religious sites, so it is worth checking each one’s own guidelines before you arrive.

For documented background on Crestone and the Baca Grande, start with History Colorado, including its page on the history of Baca Land Grant No. 4.