La Junta, Colorado
La Junta is a city of 7,140 people in Otero County, Colorado, founded in 1881.
Why visit La Junta
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 14 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Fox Theater, Koshare Museum & Trading Post, Daniel Sciumbato Grocery Store and La Junta Swimming Pool.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in La Junta
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About La Junta
La Junta HOON-tə is a home rule municipality in, the county seat of, and the most populous municipality in Otero County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 7,322 at the 2020 United States census. La Junta is located on the Arkansas River in southeastern Colorado 68 miles (109 km) east of Pueblo. The city is the home of Otero College and hosts the annual Tarantula Fest.
From the Wikipedia article La Junta, Colorado (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks10
Koshare Museum & Trading Post
Museum · 0.5 mi
115 West 18th Street, La Junta
Mo-Su 12:00-17:00; Tu off; Th off
Daniel Sciumbato Grocery Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Commercial building in La Junta, Colorado
Dr. Frank Finney House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
La Junta, Colorado, also known as the Hofmann-Collins House, NRHP-listed in Otero County
Eugene Rourke House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historical house in La Junta, CO
North La Junta School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic school building in North La Junta, Colorado, United States
U.S. Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic post office in La Junta, Colorado, United States
Wilson A. Hart House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in La Junta, Colorado
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
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Restaurants and cafes14
2 more on the map.
History
La Junta (Spanish for 'the junction') was named for the fact it rested at the intersection of the Santa Fe Trail and a pioneer road to Pueblo. The town developed near Bent's Fort, a fur trading post of the 19th century. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway passed through La Junta, with a branch line to Denver separating here.
During World War II, La Junta had an Army Air Force Training Base outside town. An Air Force detachment of the Strategic Air Command remained there until modern flight simulators developed in the 1980s rendered live flight unnecessary for pilot training maneuvers. At least one military aircraft crashed closeby during such training maneuvers.
From the History section of La Junta, Colorado on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Holiday Inn Express la Junta
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
27994 US Highway 50, La Junta
Churches and places of worship21
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare1
Map of La Junta
77 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 16°F | 0.5 in | 7.2 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 20°F | 0.4 in | 6.3 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 28°F | 1.0 in | 6.0 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 36°F | 1.4 in | 2.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 46°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 57°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 62°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 61°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 52°F | 1.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 37°F | 1.3 in | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 25°F | 0.5 in | 2.8 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 17°F | 0.5 in | 6.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for La Junta (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Otero County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2007-01-07: Snow (Snowstorm)
- 2005-09-05: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Coastal Storm)
- 2002-06-19: Wildfires (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lamar Municipal Airport (LAA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 miles away.
- North La Junta 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- Swink 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Rocky Ford 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Las Animas 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Sugar City 19 mi north, about 30 min by car
- Ordway 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Manzanola 20 mi northwest, about 31 min by car
- Olney Springs 25 mi northwest, about 41 min by car
- Fowler 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Lamar 51 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Woodruff Block La Junta Colorado 1892, Unknown author, Public domain
- La Junta, Colorado 500s San Juan Ave E side, Ammodramus, CC0
- La Junta, Colorado, In the Arkansas Valley, On the Colorado Trail - Large Letter Postcard (5053991480), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The Southwest Chief at La Junta Colorado - panoramio, Loco Steve, CC BY 3.0
- Amtrak Southwest Chief and conductors at La Junta, CO, 4300streetcar, CC BY 4.0
- La Junta, CO, station in the evening, LHOON from Mechelen, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0
- La Junta Gardens, Colorado, Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
- Fort Lyon Canal at La Junta Gardens, Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
- Frank Finney house (La Junta, Colorado) from NE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- North La Junta School from S 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Wilson A. Hart house (La Junta, Colorado) from E 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Sciumbato Grocery Store (La Junta, CO) from NE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- La Junta, Colorado post office from E 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Rourke house (La Junta, Colorado) from SW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Martin Bowden canyon carving (finished work), Uncredited newspaper photographer, Public domain
- 19980328 05 BNSF near LaJunta, CO (6363287515), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Amtrak locomotive (2283635935), LHOON from Mechelen, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0
- King Arroyo, Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
- Fort Lyon Canal, Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
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