P.O. Box 65  Villa Grove, Colorado  81155-0065
 719-256-4315
Office / Phone Hours: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM Mountain Time every day
Day visitors (not staying overnight) must arrive by 8:30 pm
Open to the Public 7 days a week except closed  December 1st - December 28th
Web address: www.olt.org

Welcome to Orient Land Trust
Orient Land Trust is a nonprofit Colorado land trust dedicated to the preservation of natural resources, wildlife habitat, open space, and historic and geologic features of the northern San Luis Valley for the enjoyment of current and future generations. 100% of unrestricted donations go towards open space and land conservation.

Learn more about Land Conservation...
See here for a good overview of land trusts, conservation easements, tax credits, and how Orient Land Trust
works with land owners to preserve land here in the San Luis Valley.
The serenity of winter at the Everson Ranch...
See what Orient Land Trust is all about - protecting the land, water, and clean air of the San Luis Valley.
View two pages of images of our peaceful rural beauty here and here. (large files - long download)
 

*** Important Info about 4th of July Fireworks at OLT! ***
Fireworks will start sometime after 9:30 pm on Saturday night - Due to safety considerations, the road between the Welcome Center and the OLT sign at the bottom of the driveway will be CLOSED from 8:30 pm until at least 10:15 pm. This means that if you are visiting for the day on Saturday, you must leave by 8:30 pm or you will have to stay until the road is reopened. This will be 20-30 minutes after the fireworks have finished, but it MAY be later if there are any "duds" or unexploded shells that need to be located. If you leave you are free to park along County Rd GG to watch the fireworks. If you choose to stay, you will still have to move your vehicle outside the gate before 10 pm but you may stay on the grounds to watch the fireworks.

It's here... the Bigger and Better than ever 2009 OLT Raffle!
Raffle tickets are on sale NOW at OLT for this year's raffle, which includes a top prize of $5000!

New Policy on Dogs at Orient Land Trust effective July 1, 2009.
Important news for Dog Owners - In response to a growing number of dog-related issues and problems in the last few years, Orient Land Trust is reluctantly revising our policy on dogs. See New Dog Policy page for details.

Features of the lands protected by Orient Land Trust include a large bat colony, hot springs, alternative energy use, high altitude dark skies for astronomy, an exposed active geological fault, limestone caves, numerous trails into a wilderness area, historic buildings, town sites at an abandoned iron mine and a working ranch. Visitors to Orient Land Trust experience these features in a naturist (clothing-optional) setting and may camp or stay in rustic lodging.  The number of visitors is limited based on space available and environmental impact.

~ Late June ~
A wet late May and June has often lead to dramatic skies, such as this low-level, unusually vibrant rainbow seen from the Welcome Center porch.
See What's New and Mission for additional images of current conditions here in the northern San Luis Valley.

Important information on Caver access to the Orient Mine.
Due to the White Nose Syndrome affecting bat colonies in the eastern US, the Orient Mine will be closed to caver access until further notice.
See Orient Mine Closure Information page for details. Note - this does not affect hikes to the cave to see the bat outflight.

Check us out on Facebook!
See the new Orient Land Trust page on Facebook and add yourself as a "fan" to join our brand-new online community.
This is a great way to connect with other fans of OLT / Valley View and start discussion groups, share experiences, post photos, and stay in touch with the place you love.

*** A PERMANENT CHANGE IN OUR CAMPFIRE POLICY ***
Orient Land Trust is strengthening our commitment to the environment and protecting our fragile land by permitting campfires only at the Picnic Pavilion and Soaking Pond firepits, regardless of conditions. And now, there is a NEW group campfire at a great location next to a stream in the "Park", the main wooded area of the Tent Campground. Of course, any higher-level state or county-wide fire bans would still take precedence. See our Campfire Policy page for additional information and details.

We have an opening on our Board of Directors. See here for information on becoming a board member and helping to guide the future direction of OLT.

If you aren't already on our mailing list and would like to stay up-to-date with
news and events at Orient Land Trust, sign up here for our e-Newsletters:

Sign up for OLT Email Newsletters

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	How to get here - See Directions and Maps
	2009 Rates for Hot Springs Use and Lodging
	New to OLT / Valley View Hot Springs? See First-Time Visitor Information
	Why donate? A summary of Annual Contributor Benefits available to OLT members
	See What's New for current weather and road conditions, fire ban, and bat information
	A History and Overview of Orient Land Trust
	Everson Ranch in the autumn - See why we are more than just a clothing-optional hot springs resort!