Saguache County is a county in Colorado, United States, set in the San Luis Valley between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountains. It had a population of 6,368 at the 2020 census and covers 3,170 square miles (8,200 km2) centred near 38°05′N 106°18′W.
Saguache is the county seat, and its postal code is 81149. The county has five incorporated towns, six unincorporated communities, and observes Mountain Time year-round with a spring-forward to daylight saving.
Towns & Villages in Saguache County
Saguache County has 11 named places on record: five incorporated towns and six unincorporated communities. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saguache | Town · seat | 1,183 | 81149 |
| Center | Town | 1,941 | — |
| Crestone | Town | 127 | 81131 |
| Moffat | Town | 159 | 81143 |
| Bonanza | Town | 10 | — |
| Villa Grove | Unincorp. | — | 81155 |
| Sargents | Unincorp. | 264 | 81248 |
| Mineral Hot Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| La Garita | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Alder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Duncan | Unincorp. | — | — |
Colorado has no civil townships, so places here are organized directly under the county. A handful of names on older lists — Chester, Iris, Kerper City, Liberty, Parkville, Spook City, Bonita, Cottonwood — are historic mining-camp or ranch-stop names from the county’s 1870s–1890s silver and gold rushes with no current population; they are omitted from the table above pending verification.
ZIP Codes
- 81149 — Saguache (also serves the surrounding valley floor)
- 81131 — Crestone (also serves the Baca Grande subdivision)
- 81143 — Moffat
- 81155 — Villa Grove
- 81248 — Sargents (a Gunnison County post office that also covers the county’s northwest corner)
Center and Bonanza have no dedicated ZIP of their own on record; Center’s mail is handled under a neighboring Rio Grande County code.
Geography
Saguache County spans the northern half of the San Luis Valley floor and climbs into the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo ranges on its western and eastern edges. The Rio Grande National Forest and part of Gunnison National Forest cover much of the high country, and the county’s eastern flank touches the dune fields of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Of the county’s 3,170 square miles, about 1.7 square miles is water.
Saguache County borders Chaffee County to the north, Fremont and Custer counties to the northeast and east, Huerfano County to the southeast, Alamosa and Rio Grande counties to the south, Mineral and Hinsdale counties to the southwest, and Gunnison County to the northwest. Live pages verified this session cover Chaffee County, Huerfano County, Rio Grande County, Alamosa County, and Hinsdale County; Fremont, Custer, and Mineral counties are named without a link since their site pages could not be confirmed as the Colorado editions this session.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 6,368 residents, making Saguache one of the less populous of Colorado’s 64 counties despite ranking seventh largest by land area. Center is the largest town, followed by Saguache. Median household income in the county runs well below the Colorado median of $92,911, reflecting the area’s dependence on agriculture and seasonal tourism. Population density is roughly two people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated potato and barley farming on the San Luis Valley floor anchors the county’s agricultural economy, alongside cattle ranching on the surrounding benchlands. Crestone, at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, has become a center for meditation retreats and spiritual centers representing multiple faith traditions, drawing visitors distinct from the county’s ranching towns. Tourism tied to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and the Rio Grande National Forest supports seasonal jobs in Saguache and Villa Grove.
History
Saguache County was created on December 29, 1866, by the Colorado Territorial Legislature, formed from the northern half of Costilla County. On February 9, 1872, a partition from Lake County added the county’s northwest section. The name comes from the Ute word for “sand dunes” or “blue earth,” referring to the sand formations near the eastern edge of the county. Silver and gold strikes in the Bonanza and Kerber Creek districts in the 1880s briefly boomed and busted several of the county’s now-vanished mining camps.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 285 runs north-south through the county, connecting Saguache and Villa Grove; State Highways 17, 112, and 114 provide east-west and secondary links.
- Alamosa — 40 miles south
- Salida — 45 miles north
- Gunnison — 65 miles northwest
- Colorado Springs — 130 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is San Luis Valley Regional Airport in Alamosa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Saguache County?
It is in south-central Colorado, in the northern San Luis Valley, bordered by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west.
What is the population of Saguache County?
6,368 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Saguache County?
3,170 square miles (8,200 km2), making it Colorado’s seventh-largest county by area.
What is the county seat of Saguache County?
Saguache is the county seat.
How many towns are in Saguache County?
Five incorporated towns — Saguache, Center, Crestone, Moffat, and Bonanza — plus several unincorporated communities including Villa Grove and Sargents.
What ZIP codes are in Saguache County?
81149 (Saguache), 81131 (Crestone), 81143 (Moffat), 81155 (Villa Grove), and 81248 (Sargents).
What is Crestone known for?
It hosts more than two dozen spiritual centers and retreats spanning Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and other traditions, unusual for a town of about 125 people.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Colorado.