The Stations of the Cross Shrine, located in the town of San Luis in southern Colorado, is a path that follows bronze statues depicting the fifteen Stations of the Cross. The statues lead visitors up to the mesa top where the shrine sits over looking the San Luis Valley.
This is not a traditional hike that I usually feature on my page. Visitors to this location are typically on a spiritual or reflective journey and it is important to give others plenty of space and to be respectful and quiet on the path.
Getting Started
The Shrine of the Stations of the Cross is located in San Luis, Colorado at the junction of highways 142 and 159. There are a few of parking spots on the street outside of a small bridge and sign marking the start of the path.
The path begins by heading up a dirt path on the side of the mesa and before long you will come to the first of the statues. From the first statue you will make your way up to the top of the mesa, covering 15 Stations of the Cross in total. If you decide to head to the grotto as well, the total hike will be about a mile and a half and consist of almost 200 feet of elevation gain.
This is a time where the hike isn’t the important part though. The story and statues are the real draw.
The Statues and Stations of the Cross
Along the path up the side of the mesa are 15 bronze statues depicting the 15 Stations of the Cross. The statues sit on stone blocks and are intricately detailed. These statues are really impressive.
Each statue is paired with a stone block that has a description of the specific Station of the Cross being depicted and matching bible passages. The statues are the work of sculptor Huberto Maestas who is a local resident of the San Luis area. More of the stations are shown below in the gallery.
The Shrine
On top of the mesa sits the shrine. The Shrine of the Stations of the Cross is an Adobe style building built by the parishioners of the Sangre de Cristo parish in San Luis, Colorado. The shrine is open to members of all faith for moments of prayer and solace.
The Grotto of our Lady of Guadalupe
On the hill above the Shrine site the Grotto of our Lady of Guadalupe. A loop trail with sandstone busts of over twenty different saints and informational plaques that explain the significance of the saints achievements on earth. The grotto also gives a wonderful look back at the shrine on the hill and shows just how impressive it is.
Distance and Elevation Gain
If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 1.55 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 187 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 8,167 feet. I was also moving for a total of 41 minutes.
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Effort
If you start from the bottom of the hill to take in the entire trek of the shrine there is a bit of an incline that will be a challenge for some, especially elder or those who are less physically active. I found the pace to be slow with so many statues to see and read about so there is no reason to rush and the slow pace make this a pretty easy hike.
Terrain
The trail and path are very well manicured and easy to follow. It is also wide enough for several people to pass or pause to take in the monuments. This area is in really good shape and I think any pair of athletic or walking shoes would work fine.
Finding the Stations of the Cross Shrine
The Stations of the Cross Shrine is located on the junction of highways 142 and 159 in San Luis, Colorado. There is some street parking near the start of the hike. There is also a road to the top and a visitor center. The lower parking does not have a restroom available.
Wrapping up the Stations of the Cross Shrine
I am not a very religious person so the Stations of the Cross were all new to me. Still, I was still really impressed in the detail and intricacies in each of the statues. I sat at each for a few moments and read the information and followed the journey. I was also really impressed with the shrine. The building is amazing and placed perfectly on top of the mesa. It was a humbling and reflective hike for me and I took it in near silence. But it was powerful for even someone without much of a religious background.
On a personal note, the Shrine of the Stations of the Cross is located in Costilla County. Costilla County is the 35th of 63 counties in Colorado that I have hiked in now on my goal of hiking in every county.
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