If you are driving from Denver or other places, please consider offering a ride to fellow retreatants through our website ride board (Click here). You may also request a ride using this link.
FLYING
Denver International Airport (DEN) is a 4-1/2 hour drive north of Crestone. Denver flights tend to be less expensive and involve fewer connections than other airports.
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), NM is a 5-hour drive south of Crestone.
Denver Air Connection flies from the airport in Denver to Alamosa, CO, a one-hour drive south of Crestone. Reservations must be made through https://www.sanluisvalleyairport.org/boutique.
Little Stinkers Taxi service in Alamosa can take you from the Alamosa airport to Crestone. 719-589-2500
Bus Service
For the Journey from Denver to Crestone, Another Option is to Take the Bus.
Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) offers rail service on the University of Colorado A Line that will take you from Denver International Airport (DIA) to Denver Amtrak Union Station (DEN) to connect with the Alpine Express bus. Cost is $10.50 one way. Travel time to Union Station is 37 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at the vending machines located at the RTD Customer Care Counter, which is in the center of the airport on Level One. Tickets must be purchased before proceeding to the train platform, also on Level One. There are no vending machines on the train platform. Please allow enough time to claim your baggage, purchase your rail ticket, board the train, and arrive at Union Station before the Alpine Express bus departure at Union Station at 1:55 p.m. For information about RTD’s rail service from DEN to Union Station, visit: http://www.rtd-denver.com/app/route/A/schedule?direction=westbound
Alpine Express (970-641-4111) operates the bus line from the Denver Amtrak Union Station to Salida, Colorado on the Crested Butte-Denver Line. The Alpine Express departs daily from the Denver Amtrak Union Station at 1:50 p.m. and arrives in Salida at 5:05 p.m. The cost is $29. You may pay $29 directly to the driver in correct change, or you may book and pay here. https://www.amtrak.com/home.html Choose Denver, CO Union Station (DEN) as your point of origin and Salida, CO (SLD), as your destination. Please note this is an Alpine bus operating between Denver and Salida, not an Amtrak train.
The Bustang Bus will meet the Alpine bus in Salida daily at 5:05 p.m., arriving in Moffat at 6:08 p.m. The cost is $7 and must be paid to the driver in cash, with the correct change. Let the driver know that your destination is Moffat. The Alamosa/Pueblo Line runs between Salida and Moffat. https://ridebustang.com/alamosa-pueblo-schedule/
For the trip from Moffat to Crestone, taxi service is provided by Windhorse Taxi Service, call or text 719-480-5127 or email keithchd@gmail.com
For the Return Bus Service to Denver
The Bustang Bus stops in Moffat at the Moffat Town Park, 5th & Reynolds at 6:45 a.m. and arrives in Salida at 7:45 a.m. The cost is $7 cash paid to the driver in correct change. In Salida, transfer to the Alpine Express bus to Denver Union Station arriving at Denver Union Station at 10:50 a.m. Pay $29 cash to the driver in correct change or you may book and pay here. https://www.amtrak.com/home.html The University of Colorado A Line, RTD train will return you to Denver International Airport. https://www.rtd-denver.com/app/route/A/schedule?direction=eastbound
Windhorse Taxi Service at 719-480-5127, keithchd@gmail.com, offers service between Crestone and the Alamosa Airport. Little Stinkers Taxi (719-589-2500) out of Alamosa also offers service between Crestone and the Alamosa airport. Cost is approximately $95 per trip.
DRIVING
Getting to Crestone from Denver International Airport/DEN
Please check these directions for updates with Google Maps or Mapquest before beginning your trip.
- Take Pena Blvd South/West for about 10 miles, until it merges into I-70 West.
- Take I-70 West for about 25 miles.
- Merge onto CO-470 E via Exit 260 toward Colorado Springs, and go 5.7 miles.
- Merge onto US-285 South toward Fairplay.
- Take 285 South through Fairplay, through Johnson Village, South, on 285 through Villa Grove (about 150 miles).
- After passing through Villa Grove watch for a turnoff from 285 to RT 17 on your Left.
- Take RT 17 through Moffat.
- As you are about to pass the southern end of Moffat, look for a small sign for Crestone.
- You will turn Left on County Road “T” heading East towards Crestone.
- After turning from Hwy 17 onto County Road T, go 13-14 miles toward the mountains.
- As you come into town, you’ll notice that the speed limit is reduced, and there is a church on the left.
- About a minute after passing the church, you’ll come to wide fork in the road.
- For those of you with accommodations in the Baca Grande: bear right at the fork onto Camino Baca Grande, into the community marked as The Baca (note: bearing left at this fork takes you into downtown Crestone) and proceed to your lodgings.
- If you are staying in Crestone, then go left at the wide fork in the road toward the town and your lodgings.
- Check-in will be at the tent on the Yeshe Rangsal retreat land. Please park in the Stupa parking lot and walk up the trail.
To find specific addresses in the Baca or the town of Crestone, go to Google Maps and use the Directions tab at https://maps.google.com/
Getting to Crestone from Albuquerque International Sunport
Directions are from MapQuest.
- Start out going east on Sunport Blvd SE toward Yale Blvd SE.
- Merge onto I-25N/US85N toward I-40/Albuquerque Downtown/Santa Fe.
- Take the US-84 N/US-285 N/St Francis Dr exit, EXIT 282B-A, toward Santa Fe-Plaza.
- Merge onto US-84 N/US-285 N via the ramp on the left toward Santa Fe Plaza/Los Alamos/Taos. Turn left onto S Paseo de Onate/US-84 N/US-285 N.
- Continue to follow US-84 N/US-285 N.
- Turn right onto US-285 N/County Road 55.
- Continue to follow US-285 N (Crossing into Colorado).
- Turn right onto US-285 N/CO-17/CO-285.
- Continue to follow US-285 N/CO-17.
- Turn right onto 6th St/US-160 E.
- Turn left onto Denver Ave/US-160 E.
- Continue to follow US-160 E.
- Turn left onto 1st St/CO-17.
- Continue to follow CO-17.
- Turn right onto County Road “T.”
- After turning from Hwy 17 onto County Road T, drive approximately 13-14 miles toward the mountains.
- As you come into town, you’ll notice that the speed limit is reduced, and there is a church on the left.
- About a minute after passing the church, you’ll come to a wide fork in the road.
- For those of you with accommodations in the Baca Grande: bear right at the fork onto Camino Baca Grande, into the community marked as The Baca (note: bearing left at this fork takes you into downtown Crestone), and proceed to your lodgings.
- If you are staying in Crestone, go left at the wide fork in the road toward the town and your lodgings.
- Check-in will be at the tent on the Yeshe Rangsal retreat land. Please park in the Stupa parking lot and walk up the trail.
Please keep in mind that Crestone is a quiet community that values slow car speeds to reduce noise and dust from unpaved roads. The roads are shared by pedestrians, cyclists, and various animals, particularly deer, which often graze on roadways and can bolt in front of cars at any time. Please be alert, aware, and courteous when driving in Crestone.
Parking
The parking lot for the Yeshe Rangsal retreat land is at the Stupa of Enlightenment located in Chalet 1, off Camino Baca Grande to the east, between Rendezvous and Hilltop.