Monte Vista, Colorado

The City of Monte Vista is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 4,247 at the 2020 Census.^[6]

Monte Vista, Colorado
Home rule municipality[1]
City of Monte Vista[1]
Downtown Monte Vista in late 2012
Motto:  Experience the Full Monte
Location of the City of Monte Vista in Rio Grande County, Colorado
Monte Vista Location of the City of Monte Vista in the United States.
Coordinates: 37°34′41″N 106°08′35″W
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Rio Grande County[2]
City	Monte Vista[1]
Incorporated	September 27, 1886[3]
Government
• Type	Home rule municipality[1]
Area [4]
• Total	2.65 sq mi (6.87 km2)
• Land	2.63 sq mi (6.82 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation [5]	7,664 ft (2,336 m)
Population  (2020)[6]
• Total	4,247
• Density	1,600/sq mi (620/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
ZIP codes[7]	81135 (PO Box), 81144
Area code	719
FIPS code	08-51635
GNIS feature ID	2411143[5]
Website	cityofmontevista.colorado.gov

History

Monte Vista was laid out in 1884. The site had previously served as a watering stop for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.^[8] Monte Vista is the Spanish translation of "mountain view."^[9]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), of which, 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (2.56%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	780		—
1900	556		−28.7%
1910	2,544		357.6%
1920	2,484		−2.4%
1930	2,610		5.1%
1940	3,208		22.9%
1950	3,272		2.0%
1960	3,385		3.5%
1970	3,909		15.5%
1980	3,902		−0.2%
1990	4,324		10.8%
2000	4,529		4.7%
2010	4,444		−1.9%
2020	4,247		−4.4%

Culture

Monte Vista is served by the Carnegie Public Library.

Every March, nearly 20,000 Sandhill Cranes descend on the San Luis Valley before continuing their northward spring migration.

Climate

Monte Vista has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk).

Climate data for Monte Vista 2W, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, 1893-2020 extremes: 7,695 ft (2,345 m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	61 (16)	65 (18)	73 (23)	78 (26)	89 (32)	92 (33)	96 (36)	90 (32)	87 (31)	80 (27)	69 (21)	61 (16)	96 (36)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	47.8 (8.8)	52.7 (11.5)	65.9 (18.8)	72.2 (22.3)	79.0 (26.1)	86.7 (30.4)	88.0 (31.1)	84.7 (29.3)	81.3 (27.4)	74.7 (23.7)	62.2 (16.8)	51.1 (10.6)	88.8 (31.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	33.1 (0.6)	39.6 (4.2)	51.5 (10.8)	58.8 (14.9)	67.1 (19.5)	77.2 (25.1)	80.1 (26.7)	77.8 (25.4)	72.5 (22.5)	61.6 (16.4)	48.1 (8.9)	34.5 (1.4)	58.5 (14.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)	15.4 (−9.2)	22.3 (−5.4)	33.7 (0.9)	40.5 (4.7)	49.2 (9.6)	57.7 (14.3)	62.5 (16.9)	60.6 (15.9)	53.7 (12.1)	42.4 (5.8)	29.9 (−1.2)	17.2 (−8.2)	40.4 (4.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	−2.2 (−19.0)	5.0 (−15.0)	15.8 (−9.0)	22.2 (−5.4)	31.4 (−0.3)	38.3 (3.5)	44.9 (7.2)	43.3 (6.3)	34.8 (1.6)	23.2 (−4.9)	11.7 (−11.3)	−0.1 (−17.8)	22.4 (−5.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−15.2 (−26.2)	−10.5 (−23.6)	0.3 (−17.6)	10.1 (−12.2)	21.4 (−5.9)	30.8 (−0.7)	39.2 (4.0)	37.7 (3.2)	25.8 (−3.4)	10.6 (−11.9)	−3.3 (−19.6)	−14.1 (−25.6)	−19.5 (−28.6)
Record low °F (°C)	−38 (−39)	−31 (−35)	−16 (−27)	−2 (−19)	9 (−13)	23 (−5)	31 (−1)	27 (−3)	15 (−9)	−6 (−21)	−22 (−30)	−29 (−34)	−38 (−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.40 (10)	0.32 (8.1)	0.66 (17)	0.66 (17)	0.81 (21)	0.50 (13)	1.48 (38)	1.64 (42)	1.11 (28)	0.83 (21)	0.41 (10)	0.41 (10)	9.23 (235.1)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	6.00 (15.2)	4.50 (11.4)	6.50 (16.5)	4.80 (12.2)	1.20 (3.0)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	2.80 (7.1)	3.90 (9.9)	5.70 (14.5)	35.4 (89.8)
Source 1: NOAA[10]
Source 2: XMACIS2 (records & monthly max/mins)[11]

See also

• Colorado portal

• San Luis Valley