Ignacio is a ranching community in the southwest corner of Colorado, in a long valley bordered by the La Plata Mountains. Today Ignacio supplies the adjacent Southern Ute Indian Reservation and ranches scattered throughout this remote area.
The community's mix of ethnicities - Southern Utes, Hispanics and Anglos - makes it a fascinating and decidedly unique part of Colorado.
The Southern Ute Tribe, a descendant of two of the seven original Ute tribes that inhabited Colorado, is headquartered just north of Ignacio, but its reservation spans more than 680,000 acres. The modern Sky Ute Casino, one of the tribe's economic mainstays, is very popular with visitors. The casino features gaming halls, hotel rooms and a conference center.
The Southern Ute Cultural Center and Gallery, featuring a multimedia presentation, examples of Ute bead and leather works and a gallery of American Indian arts and crafts, is another interesting and educational stop.
Numerous quick, casual restaurants dot downtown Ignacio, and not surprisingly, Mexican cuisine is one of the specialties. Recreational spots include Navajo Lake, which provides ample opportunity to enjoy water sports - jet skiing, house boating, etc. - and the reservation's top trout-fishing hole, Lake Capote.
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