Sangre de Cristo Creek

locationLa Veta Pass

coordinates37°36′56″N 105°11′35″W / 37.61556°N 105.19306°W / 37.61556; -105.19306^[1]

location

Smith Reservoir

coordinates

37°23′54″N 105°31′25″W / 37.39833°N 105.52361°W / 37.39833; -105.52361

Sangre de Cristo Creek
The creek near Fort Garland, viewed from a bridge on Trinchera Ranch Road North.
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	La Veta Pass
• coordinates	37°36′56″N 105°11′35″W / 37.61556°N 105.19306°W / 37.61556; -105.19306[1]
Mouth
• location	Smith Reservoir
• coordinates	37°23′54″N 105°31′25″W / 37.39833°N 105.52361°W / 37.39833; -105.52361
• elevation	7,730 feet (2,360 meters)
Basin features
Progression	Trinchera Creek — Rio Grande

Sangre de Cristo Creek is a stream in Costilla County, Colorado. It starts atop La Veta Pass in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The creek flows alongside Highway 160 as it descends from the top of the pass into the San Luis Valley.

The creek's mouth is at Smith Reservoir, south of Blanca. Before the reservoir was built, the creek had a confluence here with Trinchera Creek, of which it is a tributary.

In 1879 there was a railroad accident on a grade above the creek, killing one person.^[2]