Ignacio supplies the adjacent Southern Ute Indian Reservation and ranches scattered throughout this area. The Southern Ute Tribe, a descendant of two of the seven original Ute tribes that inhabited Colorado, is headquartered just north of Ignacio, but its reservation spans more than 680,000 acres.
Downtown Ignacio is quaint. It's a laid-back place with a few galleries and casual restaurants. As a rural community, this town is a perfect option for those ready for close-knit country living. As a result, the town is home to residents who enjoy nature, farming, and outdoor recreational activities.
The modern Sky Ute Casino Resort, one of the tribe's economic mainstays, is very popular with visitors. The casino features gaming halls, hotel rooms, and a conference center. In addition, numerous quick, casual restaurants dot downtown Ignacio, and not surprisingly, given its southern location, Mexican cuisine is one of the specialties.
Fox Fire Farms is a local favorite Colorado Centennial farm, owned by the same family for over 100 years. More than just a winery, this stunningly green location on a 910-acre ranch provides the perfect backdrop for drinking a glass of wine and forgetting about your cares and worries.
Recreational sports include Navajo State Park, which provides ample opportunity to enjoy water sports — jet-skiing, house boating, fishing, and the reservation's top trout-fishing hole, Lake Capote.
The Southern Ute Cultural Center & Museum gives insight into Colorado's Ute tribe. Exhibits "promote positive social-cultural and economic interaction and understanding between all people."
Although the population is small, several annual events happen in Ignacio, including the San Ignacio Fiesta held on the last weekend in July. This celebration has been a tradition for over 110 years, highlighted by live music, a parade, and other festivities. During the annual Four Corners Motorcycle Rally held around Labor Day, the town is the busiest. More than 22,000 motorcycles roar into Ignacio bringing bikers to free concerts and hours of daily fun.
