Saguache County, Colorado

County in Colorado, United States

County in Colorado

Saguache County

County

Entering Saguache County from the north on U.S. 285

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Colorado

Colorado's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 38°05′N 106°18′W﻿ / ﻿38.08°N 106.3°W﻿ / 38.08; -106.3
Country|  United States
State|  Colorado
Founded| December 29, 1866
Seat| Saguache
Largest town| Center
Area

• Total

| 3,170 sq mi (8,200 km2)
• Land| 3,169 sq mi (8,210 km2)
• Water| 1.7 sq mi (4 km2)  0.05%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 6,368

• Estimate

(2024)[1]

| 6,670
• Density| 2.0/sq mi (0.8/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district| 3rd
Website| saguachecounty.colorado.gov

Saguache County (suh-WATCH /səˈwɑːtʃ/ ⓘ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado.[a][2][3] As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,368.[4] The county seat is Saguache.[5]

## History

[edit]

Saguache County was formed December 29, 1866, in the Territory of Colorado when it was extracted from the northern half of Costilla County. A partition from Lake County on February 9, 1872, added the northwest section of the present-day county.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,170 square miles (8,200 km2), of which 3,169 square miles (8,210 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.05%) is water.[6] It is the 7th largest of Colorado's 64 counties.

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Chaffee County \- north
* Fremont County \- northeast
* Custer County \- east
* Huerfano County \- southeast
* Rio Grande County \- south
* Alamosa County \- south
* Mineral County \- southwest
* Hinsdale County \- southwest
* Gunnison County \- northwest

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 285
* State Highway 17
* State Highway 112
* State Highway 114

### National protected areas

[edit]

* Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
* Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
* Gunnison National Forest
* La Garita Wilderness
* Rio Grande National Forest
* Sangre de Cristo Wilderness

### Trails and byways

[edit]

* Colorado Trail
* Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
* Great Parks Bicycle Route
* Liberty Road historic mail route open to foot, horse, and bicycle travel between Crestone and the ghost towns of Duncan and Liberty crossing the Baca Mountain Tract Rio Grande National Forest.[7]
* Medano Pass Primitive Road
* Montville Nature Trail
* Mosca Pass Trail
* Old Spanish National Historic Trail
* Sand Ramp Trail, a hiking trail within the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve which skirts the east and north of the dune field.[8]
* Western Express Bicycle Route

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1870| 304| | —
1880| 1,973| | 549.0%
1890| 3,313| | 67.9%
1900| 3,853| | 16.3%
1910| 4,160| | 8.0%
1920| 4,638| | 11.5%
1930| 6,250| | 34.8%
1940| 6,173| | −1.2%
1950| 5,664| | −8.2%
1960| 4,473| | −21.0%
1970| 3,827| | −14.4%
1980| 3,935| | 2.8%
1990| 4,619| | 17.4%
2000| 5,917| | 28.1%
2010| 6,108| | 3.2%
2020| 6,368| | 4.3%
2024 (est.)| 6,670| [9]| 4.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[4]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 5,917 people, 2,300 households, and 1,557 families living in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 3,087 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.29% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 2.06% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 23.00% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. 45.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,300 households, out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,495, and the median income for a family was $29,405. Males had a median income of $25,158 versus $18,862 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,121. About 18.70% of families and 22.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

[edit]

Like many Colorado counties with a strong Hispanic presence, Saguache leans Democratic in Presidential elections. The last Republican to carry the county was Ronald Reagan in 1984.

United States presidential election results for Saguache County, Colorado[15] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 1,577  | 46.37%  | 1,704  | 50.10% | 120  | 3.53%
2020 | 1,413  | 41.69%  | 1,884  | 55.59% | 92  | 2.71%
2016 | 1,147  | 40.46%  | 1,417  | 49.98% | 271  | 9.56%
2012 | 964  | 32.88%  | 1,865  | 63.61% | 103  | 3.51%
2008 | 956  | 34.76%  | 1,730  | 62.91% | 64  | 2.33%
2004 | 1,163  | 41.49%  | 1,594  | 56.87% | 46  | 1.64%
2000 | 1,078  | 42.63%  | 1,145  | 45.27% | 306  | 12.10%
1996 | 712  | 36.48%  | 969  | 49.64% | 271  | 13.88%
1992 | 675  | 31.05%  | 1,011  | 46.50% | 488  | 22.45%
1988 | 945  | 46.94%  | 1,033  | 51.32% | 35  | 1.74%
1984 | 1,201  | 57.63% | 867  | 41.60%  | 16  | 0.77%
1980 | 1,124  | 52.65% | 893  | 41.83%  | 118  | 5.53%
1976 | 1,094  | 49.50% | 1,059  | 47.92%  | 57  | 2.58%
1972 | 1,062  | 63.18% | 578  | 34.38%  | 41  | 2.44%
1968 | 824  | 52.45% | 648  | 41.25%  | 99  | 6.30%
1964 | 622  | 36.06%  | 1,099  | 63.71% | 4  | 0.23%
1960 | 956  | 49.05%  | 984  | 50.49% | 9  | 0.46%
1956 | 1,149  | 58.03% | 823  | 41.57%  | 8  | 0.40%
1952 | 1,344  | 65.08% | 714  | 34.58%  | 7  | 0.34%
1948 | 914  | 47.19%  | 1,009  | 52.09% | 14  | 0.72%
1944 | 1,204  | 62.13% | 729  | 37.62%  | 5  | 0.26%
1940 | 1,462  | 55.57% | 1,142  | 43.41%  | 27  | 1.03%
1936 | 1,071  | 43.79%  | 1,321  | 54.01% | 54  | 2.21%
1932 | 931  | 37.88%  | 1,427  | 58.06% | 100  | 4.07%
1928 | 1,491  | 62.62% | 854  | 35.87%  | 36  | 1.51%
1924 | 1,205  | 58.33% | 591  | 28.61%  | 270  | 13.07%
1920 | 1,195  | 60.32% | 717  | 36.19%  | 69  | 3.48%
1916 | 681  | 34.22%  | 1,254  | 63.02% | 55  | 2.76%
1912 | 730  | 36.37%  | 859  | 42.80% | 418  | 20.83%
1908 | 811  | 49.06%  | 817  | 49.43% | 25  | 1.51%
1904 | 922  | 56.19% | 697  | 42.47%  | 22  | 1.34%
1900 | 731  | 39.84%  | 1,085  | 59.13% | 19  | 1.04%
1896 | 176  | 13.17%  | 1,155  | 86.45% | 5  | 0.37%
1892 | 326  | 36.51%  | 0  | 0.00%  | 567  | 63.49%
1888 | 592  | 57.76% | 428  | 41.76%  | 5  | 0.49%
1884 | 543  | 54.08% | 454  | 45.22%  | 7  | 0.70%
1880 | 509  | 57.19% | 371  | 41.69%  | 10  | 1.12%

## Communities

[edit]

### Towns

[edit]

* Bonanza
* Center
* Crestone
* Moffat
* Saguache

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Alder
* Duncan
* La Garita
* Mineral Hot Springs
* Sargents
* Villa Grove

## National Register of Historic Places

[edit]

Main article: National Register of Historic Places listings in Saguache County, Colorado

Saguache County has nine locations listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

## See also

[edit]

* Government portal
* History portal
* Mountains portal
* United States portal
* Colorado portal

* Baca land grants
* Bibliography of Colorado
* Geography of Colorado
* History of Colorado
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Saguache County, Colorado
* Index of Colorado-related articles
* List of Colorado-related lists
* List of counties in Colorado
* Outline of Colorado

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The name "Saguache" is pronounced /səˈwætʃ/. This name comes from the Ute language noun "sawup" /səˈwʌp/ meaning "sand dunes". The Spanish language version of this name is usually spelled "Saguache", while the English language version is usually spelled "Sawatch".

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
2. ^ Merkl, Dameon (February 26, 2013), "What's in a Colorado name pronunciation?", The Denver Post, retrieved March 7, 2013
3. ^ Benson, Maxine (1994). 1001 Colorado Place Names. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-0632-7.
4. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. ^ "Forest Service issues management plan for Baca Mountain Tract:" Creation of Great Sand Dunes National Park gave 14,000-acre parcel to Forest Service." article by Matt Hildner in The Pueblo Chieftain November 14, 2009, Updated May 11, 2010, accessed August 30, 2010
8. ^ Hiking and Backpacking accessed July 16, 2010
9. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Lindsey, D.A. et al. (1985). Mineral resources of the Black Canyon and South Piney Creek Wilderness Study Areas, Saguache County, Colorado [U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1716-A]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Crestone and Saguache County Visitor's Agency website
* Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
* Colorado Historical Society
* Geographic data related to Saguache County, Colorado at OpenStreetMap

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Saguache County, Colorado

| Gunnison County | Chaffee County | Fremont County

|
|

|  |

Saguache County, Colorado

| Custer County
|  |
Mineral County and Hinsdale County | Rio Grande County and Alamosa County | Huerfano County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Saguache County, Colorado, United States

County seat: Saguache

Towns|

* Bonanza
* Center‡
* Crestone
* Moffat
* Saguache

Map of Colorado highlighting Saguache County

Unincorporated
communities|

* La Garita
* Sargents
* Villa Grove

Ghost towns|

* Alder
* (Bonanza)
* Duncan
* Liberty
* Orient

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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38°05′N 106°18′W﻿ / ﻿38.08°N 106.30°W﻿ / 38.08; -106.30
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