Historical Marker

Red River Valley

The Red River Valley nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is on of the most spectacular areas of the state. Abundant game attracted trappers to the valley in the early 1800s and prospectors followed in the 1860s with gold, silver and copper mines operating until 1925. Labor and environmental history of the 20th Century have been largely defined by the discovery of molybdenum in the Red River Canyon. Designated as a "mountain playground" in the 1920s, the Red River has endured as a vibrant destination for tourism.