Saguache County (pronounced Sa-watch) was created in 1866 from Costilla and Lake counties. In 1893 it gave up territory to Mineral County reaching its current boundaries. It is bounded on the north by Gunnison & Chaffee counties, on the east by Fremont, Custer & Huerfano counties, on the south by Alamosa & Rio Grande counties and on the west by Mineral & Hinsdale counties. As the northern gateway to the San Luis valley, the county sits at an elevation of 7,800 feet.
This beautiful valley is surrounded on the east by the Sangre de Cristo mountains and on the west by the San Juan mountains, with many peaks in the surrounding mountains exceeding 14,000 feet in height. Saguache's current population is roughly 6,900, an increase of about 1,000 since the last census. One of the larger counties (3,168.7 sq. miles) in Colorado by area (ranked #7) Saguache is mostly rural, with only five incorporated towns: Bonanza, Center, Crestone, Moffat, and Saguache (which is the county seat). The Ute Indians, who visited here before pioneer settlement, called it "Sa-gua-gua-chi-pa" which means blue earth or water at the blue earth. Shortened to Saguache (pronounced Sa-watch), its name is a tongue twister.
The Ute Indians, who camped here before the settlement of the Whites, called it "Sa-gua-gua-chi-pa", which means blue earth or water at the blue earth. Shortened to Saguache (Sa-watch), has been a tongue-twister through the ages.
Saguache County is 3,168.7 sq. miles and has an estimated 1999 population of 6,176 people.
This page was last updated