About Antonito
Antonito is home to charming, small-town attractions such as local shops, eateries, and historic buildings.
Antonito, one of San Luis Valley’s oldest towns, is the starting point of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad’s 64-mile track. Once run by Hispanic farm families in 1849, Antonito is now home to small farms and ranches.
Antonito’s Birth
Antonito was originally just a small sheep herding camp called San Antonio Junction. Once the Rio Grande Railroad was built, San Antonio Junction became a popular pitstop for travelers of the railroad, so accommodations, shopping boutiques, and restaurants were built there.
Antonito’s History
Due to the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, and then the Colorado State Highway project getting rebuilt in 2015, new traffic began to come into Antonito, causing a boom in popularity. New businesses have moved or started here.
From Antonito’s acceptance of 420 culture, to the many culturally important buildings, such as the historic Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad that happens to be one of the remaining lava depots left in the United States, Cano’s Castle, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish which is the oldest church in Colorado, built in 1863.
Antonito Today
Antonito’s quaint historic downtown area has several shops, restaurants, and other businesses, including our hotel. It’s a quiet, southern Colorado area, with a population of 647 as of 2020. Located in Conejos County, Antonito has an elevation of 7,888 feet and is near the Conejos River and Rio Grande National Forest.
