Denver, the capital of Colorado, features a wide variety of Hispanic art and cultural exhibits. Start off the day visiting mural sites with Hispanic influences, such as Emmanuel Martinez's "Confluent Peoples" in Confluence Park. the Denver Public Library's Byers Branch has a Carlota Espinosa mural that depicts the city's Hispanic past, present and future (pasado, presente y futuro). El Centro Su Teatro is a Chicano and Latino multidisciplinary cultural arts center, and Teatro Latino de Colorado offers Mariachi workshops and puppet shows. End the field trip with a visit to one of the area dance shows, such as Fiesta Colorado (Mexican and Flamenco dance) or Grupo Folklorico Sabor Latino (folk ballet). There are several Hispanic annual festivals in Denver, such as the Chicano Music Festival every August and the Cinco de Mayo event each May.
According to the official Colorado state website, after Mexico took possession of Colorado from Spain in 1821, Mexican and Hispanic people settled throughout the area. Many were farmers and sheepherders but Anglo settlers began to change the communities. Then the Hispanic pioneers left their original locations to work as miners and laborers. However, the state's oldest town, San Luis, still features the influence of the early Hispanic pioneers. This picturesque town is situated in southern Colorado at the foot of Culebra Peak on Highway 159. Field trip visitors can view old adobe structures and take in the same mountain views as the original pioneers.
If you want a rugged, adventure-themed Hispanic Heritage field trip, go to the Picketwire Canyonlands in southeast Colorado. This area is located south of La Junta on the Comanche National Grasslands. It features primitive canyons, the biggest set of dinosaur tracks in North America, a historic ranch, early Hispanic settlements and Native American rock art. Visitors can take the self-guided automobile tour, or they can hike, bike and horseback ride. This area also features partial remains of the Dolores Mission and Cemetery, which was built by Mexican pioneers between 1871 and 1889.
