Chaffee County, Colorado, USA
County or equivalent
Location overview
Chaffee County occupies the upper Arkansas River Valley in central Colorado. Salida is the county seat, and Buena Vista and Poncha Springs are other communities in the valley. The Arkansas River runs between the Sawatch Range to the west and mountain ranges to the east. Mountain scenery and the river have made outdoor recreation a prominent part of the area, while its towns serve the surrounding rural and mountain communities. The county’s setting also links it to central Colorado’s mining and railroad history.