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Office: Huerfano County OEM – (719) 738-2550 | huerfanocounty.net
Alert System: CO-WARN; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Walsenburg school facilities; Spanish Peaks Medical Center; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 8
Notes: Southern Colorado Sangre de Cristo and Spanish Peaks county; Walsenburg is county seat; wildfire risk (surrounding forests; Wet Mountains and Spanish Peaks terrain); flooding (Cucharas River and tributaries); severe winter weather; Spanish Peaks (volcanic intrusions creating unique geological features – “twin peaks” visible from I-25 for miles); significant coal mining heritage (some of the most significant coal mining history in Colorado – including the 1913-14 Colorado Coalfield War and the Ludlow Massacre); poverty; significant natural gas wells in eastern county
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Huerfano County Roads – (719) 738-2550
Transit: Very limited; primarily auto-dependent
Notes: I-25 (north-south – the main Front Range corridor; connects Trinidad south and Pueblo north through Walsenburg); US-160 (east-west – connects Alamosa west and La Veta Pass east toward Walsenburg; gateway to the San Luis Valley over La Veta Pass); SR-12 (the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway – south through La Veta, past Monument Lake to Trinidad; one of Colorado’s finest scenic highways through the Spanish Peaks, ancient Dakota Wall, and coalfield heritage landscape); Walsenburg is about 60 miles south of Pueblo and 30 miles north of Trinidad
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Huerfano County Planning – (719) 738-2550
Services: Basic county permits; Walsenburg, La Veta separate
Notes: Limited development; natural gas and wind energy development on the eastern plains; La Veta’s small artist and retirement community creates some residential development; limited commercial activity along I-25; the county has experienced significant depopulation since the coal mine closures
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Huerfano County Veterans Services – (719) 738-2550
VA Medical: VA Pueblo (about 60 miles north); accessible via I-25
Services: Benefits claims; VA Pueblo accessible; small veteran community
Notes: I-25 corridor makes VA Pueblo reasonably accessible; limited local resources; coal mining heritage community includes veteran presence; VA advocacy through local VSO chapters
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Huerfano County Library – (719) 738-2774 | huerfanolibrary.org
Branches: Walsenburg, La Veta, Gardner
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Colorado coal mining heritage; Spanish Peaks heritage; Ludlow Massacre history
Notes: Library system reflects a county with deep and complex history; the Ludlow Massacre (April 1914 – National Guard and mine guards attacked a tent colony of striking coal miners and their families, killing 25 including women and children; one of the most significant events in American labor history) is an important local heritage topic; Spanish Peaks geology and history; the Colorado Coalfield War heritage
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Spanish Peaks State Wildlife Area (the Spanish Peaks – two volcanic intrusion mountains rising from the plains; distinctive “dikes” (rock walls radiating from the peaks) are visible from miles away – a remarkable geological feature; excellent hiking; visible from I-25 for 60+ miles south; sacred to the Ute and Comanche peoples); Highway of Legends Scenic Byway (SR-12 – one of Colorado’s finest scenic drives through the Spanish Peaks, Dakota Wall, and Monument Lake; connects to Trinidad); La Veta (small arts community near the Spanish Peaks – galleries, restaurants, historic downtown); Cucharas Ski Resort (closed 2000 but historic); Lathrop State Park (Walsenburg – two reservoirs; Martin Lake; camping; boating; water sports; Colorado’s first state park established 1962); Ludlow Massacre Site (National Historic Landmark – the site of the 1913-14 Colorado Coalfield War massacre; preserved memorial and interpretive site; one of the most historically significant labor history sites in the US)
Notes: The Ludlow Massacre National Historic Landmark is one of the most important sites in American labor history – the April 20, 1914 attack by Colorado National Guard and private mine guards on the Ludlow tent colony (where striking United Mine Workers and their families were living) killed 25 people including women and children who suffocated in a pit beneath their tent when it was set on fire; the massacre provoked a 10-day armed rebellion (the Colorado Coalfield War) and the involvement of federal troops; it ultimately contributed to labor reforms nationally; the Spanish Peaks’ geological dikes (rock walls radiating from the volcanic intrusions for miles across the landscape) are one of Colorado’s most extraordinary geological features – the “Great Dikes of the Spanish Peaks” create a distinctive landscape visible from great distances
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Huerfano County GIS – huerfanocounty.net; Spanish Peaks geological mapping; USGS maps; Highway of Legends route maps; Ludlow Massacre site maps
Notes: Limited county GIS; USGS geological mapping of the Spanish Peaks dike system; Cucharas River watershed maps; natural gas well locations
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Huerfano County Animal Control – (719) 738-2550
Services: Basic animal control; livestock management; wildlife (elk, mule deer, black bears in the mountains; pronghorn on the eastern plains; golden eagles)
Notes: Agricultural county with livestock management; Spanish Peaks wildlife (elk, deer, black bears) managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife; Comanche National Grassland extends into the eastern plains; pronghorn antelope herds; golden eagle populations in the Spanish Peaks area
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Huerfano County – (719) 738-2550; limited
Environmental: Colorado DPHE; DRMS (Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety – coal mine reclamation ongoing); Cucharas River watershed; natural gas development regulation through COGCC; Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology
Notes: The coal mining heritage has left significant land and water reclamation challenges in Huerfano County; abandoned mine lands (AML) from 19th and 20th century coal mining operations are managed through Colorado DRMS with AML funding; subsidence (ground settling over abandoned mine tunnels) is a risk in some areas; natural gas development on the eastern plains contributes to the county’s tax base but requires COGCC environmental oversight; the Cucharas River is relatively pristine given the county’s limited development; Spanish Peaks area watershed management focuses on protecting drinking water and recreational values
About Huerfano County County
Huerfano County is southern Colorado’s Spanish Peaks and coal heritage county – the dramatic twin volcanic peaks that guided Santa Fe Trail traders for generations and the coal mining history that made Walsenburg a labor battleground in the early 20th century define a county of rugged scenery and deep working-class history along the I-25 mountain corridor.
Walsenburg (the county seat, population ~3,100) is Huerfano County’s governmental hub on I-25, a southern Colorado city whose coal mining history, Spanish Peaks backdrop, and highway corridor position anchor its identity between Pueblo and Trinidad.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Huerfano County Assessor at 401 Main Street, Walsenburg, CO 81089, phone 719-738-2370. CO assessed at percentage of actual value.
Courts & Legal
Huerfano County District Court at 401 Main Street, Walsenburg, CO 81089, phone 719-738-1040, 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)
401 Main St., Walsenburg, CO 81089
(719) 738-2370
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Huerfano County District Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Southeastern Colorado Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1407, Pueblo, CO 81002 – also covers Huerfano County as one of 11 SE Colorado counties.
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
Huerfano County Judicial Center – District Court (Probate Division) 200 West 5th Street, Suite 141, Walsenburg, CO 81089 (719) 793-7100 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 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 Huerfano 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
Walsenburg, CO 81089
(719) 738-1600
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK & RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses, Elections)
401 Main St., Walsenburg, CO 81089
(719) 738-2370
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(719) 738-2370
Human Services
(719) 738-1130
CO Benefits / PEAK
(800) 536-5298
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Huerfano/Las Animas County Health Department – (719) 738-1720 (bi-county health department)
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; behavioral health; coal mining heritage health (former coal mining community with pneumoconiosis/black lung legacy)
Hospital: Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center (Walsenburg) – (719) 738-5100; small community hospital; Pueblo for major care
Notes: Small community hospital; coal mining occupational health legacy (black lung disease among former miners); behavioral health in depressed rural economy; opioid challenges; Ludlow Massacre historical trauma has lasting community impacts
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Walsenburg
Population: 6,500
Area: 1,591 sq mi
Established: 1861
Public Records
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