Buena Vista: Trails Along the Arkansas River and History

Buena Vista offers a range of options for a trip: trails along the Arkansas River, recreational opportunities around River Park, and places where the town’s history and transportation heritage are on display. If you’re looking for a hotel in Buena Vista, you can plan your stay around whether you mainly want to hike, bike, or explore historical topics. The trails vary in their routes and the activities they offer; museums and historical connections provide a different focus.

Trails Along the Arkansas River and in River Park

The Arkansas River Trail follows the west bank of the Arkansas River. It is 0.6 miles long and nearly flat, making it a clearly defined option for a shorter hike or walk. The Midland Bike Trail starts at the BV River Park bridge. It is rated moderate and is suitable for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. This gives you two distinct points of reference to choose from: the Arkansas River Trail has a stated length and a nearly flat route, while the Midland Bike Trail has a difficulty rating and several possible activities.

Through the Midland Trail system, River Park provides access to a variety of hiking, mountain biking, running, walking, and horseback riding trails. The options range from a walk to trails for cyclists or horseback riders. The same park is home to the Amy Lynch Memorial Disc Golf Course, which can be enjoyed by people of various skill levels. If you’d like to include disc golf in your trip, its suitability for different skill levels is a separate point to consider alongside the trails.

Another place to practice bike skills is the Buena Vista Pump Track, east of the Community Center. Other trails lead to specific spots for river activities: the Rock ‘n Roll Trail leads to the boat launch, where many rafting adventures begin. The Whitewater Trail offers good views of paddling on the Arkansas River. Fishing and wildlife viewing are also good options along this stretch of the river. Depending on your interests, you can choose between getting active on the trail, watching paddlers, and other activities along the river.

Courthouse, Railroad History, and Museums

The Historic Chaffee County Courthouse, built in 1882, houses the Buena Vista Heritage Museum. The courthouse is located at 506 E. Main Street and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’d like to add a visit to your day’s plans, check the opening hours in advance.

The Whipple Trail also leads to a chapter in Buena Vista’s transportation history: its main route follows the historic “Hack Road.” From 1887 to 1918, this road carried Midland Railroad passengers and freight from a depot located 400 feet above the Arkansas River into town. The Depot & Transportation Museum presents Buena Vista’s transportation history. Together, the trail’s history and the museum tell the story of transporting people and goods on the Midland Railroad, while the trail follows the route of the historic Hack Road.

The Buena Vista Model Railroad offers another look at a local subject. It includes more than 400 handcrafted structures, most of which were built from scratch based on original photographs. The number of structures and their creation from photographic references make the layout a distinct subject alongside railroad and transportation history.

Summer Music as Another Reason to Visit

The Friday at the Farm concert series takes place during the summer months at Turner Farm and Apple Orchard. If you’d like to include live music in your trip plans, check the dates for your travel dates. You may be able to combine a summer visit to Buena Vista with a concert, while the trails, River Park, and museums offer other ways to spend your stay.

Discover more destinations: Salida, Nathrop.

For the broader travel overview: Chaffee.