If you are a high point enthusiast, this is an interesting activity for you in town. It may not appear spectacular or fit the image of a lofty summit, but the highest natural point within town limits of Buena Vista is located in the vicinity of the rodeo grounds and sportsmans club.

The altitude at the high point is 8,180 feet and is located on the far west side of town limits. Buena Vista's corporate boundary zigzags out this way to the west, and it makes sense the high point would be closest to the Sawatch Mountains (quite high) and farthest from the Arkansas River (quite low).

Directions on how to get to the Buena Vista high point: From the traffic light in Buena Vista (Main Street & Highway 24), travel west on West Main Street for 1.8 miles as if you were going to Cottonwood Pass. Make a left (south) on Chaffee County Road 337 and proceed approximately 0.5 miles. The road appears to end and comes to a point where you must make a perpendicular left on Gregg Drive. If you look ahead, you'll see an old dirt road (adjacent photo) ... continue on that road and the high point is on the left. Park in the area for the shooting range and model airplane airport and walk back toward the road. The high point is located just past the last remaining wooden post from an old barbed wire fence. (Click the adjacent photo to see it at a larger size.)

Yes folks, "high pointing" is becoming increasingly popular these days. For example, there are many people who travel around the country just to visit the high points in each of the 50 U.S. states. I will admit I "caught the bug" recently and created a page dedicated to my high pointing adventures: www.HighPoints.us.

Enjoy your visit. I have created a small pile of rocks to denote the high point. Maybe at some point we can put a flag or place a monument out there!

All the best,
Steve

	Four photos showing some of the views at the Buena Vista high point. TOP: The beautiful view of Mt. Princeton. SECOND: Facing west with Red Deer Mountain in the background. (Initially, I placed an old candle and bottle of Jones Soda before creating the small pile of rocks.) THIRD: Mt. Columbia's summit stands way out there in the background. BOTTOM: The easterly view from the high point. It is difficult to notice in the photo, but in person, there is an unmistakable grade as one looks towards most of Buena Vista out there. The range out there is known as Midland Hill. Note: There is a manmade "berm" (some kind of small ridge) that runs along the dirt road. It was clearly created by human(s) and does not count as the natural highest point. This reminds me of the Delaware high point controversy. Delaware's high point is located in suburban Wilmington near a busy road, but nearby is a trailer park that elevated the foundation of its grounds a few feet. That does not count!
	The highest point in Buena Vista, Colorado. (alt. 8,180 feet)
	I was so happy to be there that I smoked a cigar! :)
	The nearby runway for model airplanes and the sportsmans club area.
	The pile of rocks at the high point. Some of my U.S. state high point visits: Oklahoma High Point Iowa High Point Maryland High Point North Dakota High Point Colorado High Point Florida High Point