La Veta Lake South Reservoir

La Veta Lake South Reservoir is a small town reservoir on the south side of La Veta in Huerfano County, sitting in the shadow of the Spanish Peaks at roughly 7,000 feet of elevation. The reservoir is part of the cluster of water bodies that make La Veta one of the more water-rich towns on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and it shares its visitor reviews and reputation with the nearby Wahatoya Lake system that borders the town to the east.

A walking trail loops around La Veta Lake South Reservoir and provides one of the easiest and most scenic walks in the area. The path is mostly flat, passes through open meadows and tree-lined sections, and delivers views of the Spanish Peaks that reviewers consistently describe as the highlight of the visit. The trail is popular with locals for morning walks and evening strolls, and dogs are welcome on leash. Wind can pick up in the open stretches, so a light layer is worth carrying, but the sheltered sections under the trees provide enough protection to keep most outings comfortable.

Fishing at La Veta Lake South Reservoir targets trout, and anglers report catching rainbow trout using spinning flies and small lures. The reservoir is a cold-water fishery at this elevation, and the trout population benefits from the cool temperatures that persist through most of the year. The fishing here is casual and approachable — this is not a destination fishery, but it is a pleasant place to spend an hour or two with a rod while enjoying the mountain scenery.

The setting around La Veta Lake South Reservoir is peaceful in a way that larger, more developed recreation areas cannot replicate. Several reviewers use the word "peaceful" to describe the experience, and the low foot traffic outside of weekend mornings means you can often have stretches of the trail to yourself. Bird watching is productive along the water's edge and through the meadow habitat, and the reservoir's position near the Sangre de Cristo foothills puts it in a corridor for migrating and resident bird species.

La Veta itself is a small mountain town with restaurants, galleries, and lodging options that make a half-day at the reservoir easy to combine with lunch or an afternoon of exploring. The nearby Wahatoya Lakes State Wildlife Area and Daigre Reservoir expand the fishing and hiking options within a short drive, and the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway runs through the area for those looking to extend the trip into a full day of southern Colorado scenery.