Site of Pike's Stockade - Sanford, CO - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

Left from Sanford 5 m. on an unimproved country road to the State-owned SITE OF PIKES STOCKADE, marked by a peculiarly shaped rock standing in a grove of trees on the bank of the Conejos River. In the winter of 1806-07, Lieutenant Zebulon Pike entered San Luis Valley over the Sangre de Cristos by way of Mosca Pass while searching for the source of the Red River. Noting the Great Sand Dunes at the foot of the pass (see Tour 11C), he proceeded to the banks of the Rio Grande (Rio Grande del Norte), which he believed to be the Red River. In February 1807 he built a stockade here to serve as a winter base for his explorations. It was constructed of cottonwood poles set on end to form a wall, and was protected by a moat spanned by a drawbridge. Here, unaware that he had overstepped the vague boundary between the United States and Mexico, Pike raised the Stars and Stripes. When Spanish officials became aware of this, an armed force of 100 was sent to the fort, ostensibly to offer protection against the Indians, but in reality to arrest the explorer for trespass. On the morning of February 26, 1807, so Pike recorded in his journal, he invited two Spanish lieutenants into his stockade where, after breakfast, the commanding officer said: "Sir, the Governor of Mexico, being informed you had missed your route, ordered me to offer you, in his name, mules, horses, money, or whatever you stand in need of, to conduct you to the head of Red River..."
This was Pike’s first intimation that he was on the Rio Grande del Norte. The commander further stated that the Governor should be visited and acquainted with Pike’s business on the frontier. Pike immediately surrendered the fort and lowered his flag. "I was induced to consent to the measure," Pike wrote, "by conviction that the officer had positive orders to bring me in, and I had no orders to commit hostilities." Pike added that as he had innocently violated Spanish territory, "it would appear better to show a will to come to an explanation than to be anyway constrained."
Pike and his party were conducted to Santa Fe, where he was closely questioned and many of his credentials taken. Later, he was sent to Chihuahua, Mexico, and subsequently released on his promise not to return again to Mexico.

Excerpt from Colorado: A Guide to the Highest State, 1941

Lt. Zebulon Pike led the second official exploration into the United States' newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory. Crossing the Sangre de Cristo mountains into the San Luis Valley, Pike constructed a stockade out of Cottonwood logs to protect his men from the winter and from Spanish raiders. However, whether knowingly or unknowingly, Pike built his fort on Spanish soil and on February 26, 1807, a force of 100 Spanish cavalry appeared to escort him to the governor in Santa Fe. Pike was taken to Chihuahua and questioned by the Spanish. He was finally freed in July and reported his findings, having gained valuable insight into the geographical knowledge of the southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase and the Spanish presence in the southwest.

In 1926 the state of Colorado acquired land and, in 1952, built a replica of Pike's stockade. The site was selected based on detailed description given by Pike in his journal and the fort replicates the original as closely as possible. In 1962 the site was registered as a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The fort, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day (8-5 daily), is located about 4 miles east of Sanford. A picnic area is located nearby and historic markers provide some insight into the history of the area.

Source: National Register of Historic Places, San Luis Valley Heritage, National Geographic GeoTourism Map Guide