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Office: Costilla County OEM – (719) 672-3302 | costillacountyco.gov
Alert System: CO-WARN; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: San Luis Community Center; school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Southern Colorado San Luis Valley/Sangre de Cristo county; San Luis is county seat – San Luis is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Colorado (founded 1851); wildfire risk (Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east; Carson National Forest and Great Sand Dunes adjacent); flooding (Culebra Creek and tributaries); severe winters; very rural; significant Hispanic heritage – one of the most historically Hispanic counties in Colorado; New Mexico border; Fort Garland Historic Site nearby (Huerfano County border)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Costilla County Roads – (719) 672-3302
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; very rural
Notes: SR-159 (runs north-south through the western part of the county; the main “highway” through San Luis and Fort Garland area); US-160 (on the Huerfano County border – north edge); very remote; Alamosa is about 35 miles west; Taos, New Mexico is about 80 miles south
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Costilla County Planning – (719) 672-3302
Services: Basic county permits; San Luis, La Veta (San Luis Valley communities); Forbes Tri-State Land (Forbes Park – gated rural community)
Notes: Very limited development; Forbes Park (a large private subdivision on the Sangre de Cristo Mountain slopes) has some vacation cabin development; extremely limited overall development; agricultural structures
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Costilla County Veterans Services – (719) 672-3302
VA Medical: VA Albuquerque and VA Alamosa CBOC area; very distant
Notes: Extremely remote from VA; telehealth critical; Spanish-language services important
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Costilla County Public Library – (719) 672-3562
Address: San Luis
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Chicano/Hispanic heritage; San Luis Valley history; Spanish-language materials
Notes: Single library; critically important community resource and internet access point; San Luis is one of the most historically significant communities in Colorado – the oldest town; the Stations of the Cross Shrines (a pilgrimage route on a hilltop above San Luis featuring beautiful bronze sculptures by Huberto Maestas) are a major religious and artistic attraction; the library reflects the deep Chicano/Hispanic cultural heritage of this community
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Culebra Range and Sangre de Cristo Mountains (private and public land with hiking and hunting; the southern Sangre de Cristo Range); San Luis and the Stations of the Cross Shrines (San Luis – the hilltop Stations of the Cross sculpture walk above San Luis, featuring 14 life-sized bronze sculptures by local artist Huberto Maestas, is one of Colorado’s most moving religious and artistic experiences; a pilgrimage destination for the Hispanic Catholic community); People’s Ditch (San Luis – the People’s Ditch is the oldest water right in Colorado, dating to 1852; still in use; reflects the acequia (irrigation ditch) heritage of the Hispanic community); Great Sand Dunes National Park accessible from Alamosa; Fort Garland Museum (Huerfano County border – the adobe fort where Kit Carson commanded; Colorado History Museum operates site)
Notes: Costilla County has deep historical significance as one of the oldest Hispanic settlement areas in Colorado; the People’s Ditch (1852) is the oldest active water right in Colorado – the acequia system brought by Spanish settlers is still in use today and represents a living tradition of community water management; the Stations of the Cross Shrines are genuinely moving – the bronze sculptures on the hilltop above San Luis depicting the suffering of Christ, created by local artist Huberto Maestas, attract pilgrims and visitors from throughout the Southwest; the county’s poverty and isolation coexist with extraordinary cultural richness
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Colorado GIS; USGS topographic maps; BLM Rio Grande del Norte maps
Notes: Minimal GIS infrastructure; state and federal resources primary; acequia mapping (the irrigation ditch system is of historical and legal significance)
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Costilla County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Agricultural and ranching county; cattle, horses, sheep management; elk and mule deer in the Sangre de Cristo; black bears in the mountains
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Costilla County – very limited; transfer station
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; Rio Grande Water Conservation District; BLM; USFS; acequia water rights (the ancient acequia system is legally protected in Colorado – the Rio Grande Acequia Association represents these historic water users); Culebra Creek watershed
Notes: The acequia water rights in Costilla County are among the most historically significant in Colorado water law; these community-owned irrigation ditches (established by Spanish settlers in the 1850s) have older priority dates than almost any other water right in the state; the acequia heritage (water flowing from the mountains through community ditches to small farms) is a living cultural tradition; water management in the county involves balancing these ancient rights with more recent demands; Costilla County’s extreme poverty limits environmental management capacity; the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the county’s eastern border create an important wildlife corridor between Colorado and New Mexico
About Costilla County County
Costilla County is Colorado’s oldest continuously settled county and the home of San Luis – the oldest town in Colorado – where Hispanic land grant heritage, acequia water law, and Sangre de Cristo Mountain traditions define a community of extraordinary cultural depth and historical significance in the southern San Luis Valley.
San Luis (the county seat, population ~600) is Colorado’s oldest town, a small San Luis Valley community whose 1851 founding, acequia irrigation system, and Stations of the Cross shrine make it one of the most historically significant communities in the entire state.
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Costilla County Assessor at 400 Gasper Street, San Luis, CO 81152, phone 719-672-3301. CO assessed at percentage of actual value.
Courts & Legal
Costilla County District Court at 354 Main Street, San Luis, CO 81152, phone 719-672-3681, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
400 Gasper St., San Luis, CO 81152
(719) 672-3301
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Costilla County District Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
No dedicated Costilla County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Costilla Combined Court – District Court (Probate Division) 304 Main Street, P.O. Box 301, San Luis, CO 81152 (719) 672-3681 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Colorado follows the Uniform Probate Code, one of the more streamlined, less court-intensive systems in the country.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates where personal property totals less than roughly $86,000 (twice the “exempt property” amount under C.R.S. § 15-11-403, which adjusts annually for inflation – always confirm the current year’s figure with the court). Available starting 10 days after the death. No court filing required; present the affidavit (Form JDF 999) directly to whoever holds the property.
Summary Administration for small real property – a separate, roughly parallel threshold applies to real property equity. This route does require a court filing.
Informal Probate – the standard path for most estates with a will or clear heirs and no disputes. Handled largely by the court Registrar with minimal hearings.
Formal Probate – required for contested wills, disputed appointments, or complicated estates.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 10 days after the death.
Confirm the fair market value of the decedent’s property (less liens) doesn’t exceed the current statutory threshold, and that no probate has already been opened.
Complete Form JDF 999, Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit.
Present it, along with a certified death certificate, to the bank or institution holding the property – no court filing needed.
If filing for informal or formal probate
File the appropriate application with the Costilla County District Court: Form JDF 910 (with a will) or JDF 908 (without one). For formal probate, file JDF 920 or the intestate equivalent. Filing fee is $199.
The court (or Registrar, for informal cases) appoints a personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
In informal probate, the personal representative then manages the estate largely independently.
Creditors have 4 months from first publication of notice to file claims.
The estate closes once debts are paid and assets are distributed.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no court filing fee.
Informal or formal probate filing fee: $199.
Personal representative compensation: “reasonable compensation” – no fixed statutory percentage.
No Colorado state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
San Luis, CO 81152
(719) 672-3302
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
400 Gasper St., San Luis, CO 81152
(719) 672-3301
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(719) 672-3332
Human Services
(719) 672-3315
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: San Luis Valley Public Health Partnership (regional, Alamosa)
Services: Very basic services; immunizations; vital records
Hospital: San Luis Valley Health (Alamosa – 35 miles west); local clinic in San Luis
Notes: Very limited local healthcare; Alamosa hospital serves the region; deep poverty creates significant health disparities; farmworker health; rural behavioral health challenges; Spanish-language health services essential
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: San Luis
Population: 3,600
Area: 1,230 sq mi
Established: 1861
Public Records
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