The little town of Antonito lies just north of the Colorado/New Mexico border, on the Colorado side. When I’ve headed down that way, I’ve stayed a few times at the Indiana Jones Bed and Breakfast. On this road trip in October 2022, I spent a night there on the way down and the way back. It’s a convenient distance for an overnight stop and a welcoming one. The little house, full of posters and memorabilia from the movies, is run by a friendly woman who makes a great breakfast. You’ve probably seen the house before. It’s the one filmed in the Last Crusade movie, where Indy lived as a boy, played by River Phoenix, with his stern father, portrayed by Sean Connery.
Most of the murals in the town center were painted by Fred “Lightning Heart” Haberlein.
Around Antonito
I haven’t spent much time in the town, aside from dinner and lodging, just passing through. But I always stop by the train station on my way out of town. The historic steam Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad takes all day to chug up the mountains to Chama, New Mexico, another small town, and back. I usually get there as the locomotive spouts its head of steam, drifting high into the blue sky. The train chase scene from Indiana Jones’ childhood was filmed on the Cumbres & Toltec line.
Along the road home
I drove over Guanella Pass, a familiar route. The pass reaches south, starting (or on this day ending, going north) at my little mountain town. One of my favorite regular hiking trails, at Silverdale, once a mining and mill town, is just a few minutes up that road. Mount Bierstadt, one of Colorado’s fifty-two peaks over 14,000 feet, at 14,065, which I climbed in my younger days, graces the highest point of the pass. Hikers and tourists’ cars overflowed the parking areas as usual. The peak had a soft layer of snow in October.
Santa Fe road trip: Leadville, Santa Fe landmarks, Walking Santa Fe, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico towns, Ghost Ranch, Antonito
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
I’ve never even heard of Antonio. What a fun little place to see on the way home.
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It’s not a destination on anyone’s list! But people do come to ride the train.
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I love this area. I don’t think I’ve been through Antonito but definitely recall Chama. Great photos of this charming town.
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You might not remember if you did drive through Antonito! It’s not all that charming, but thanks. I drove up to Chama once.
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Well, maybe authentic is a better description.😊
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Thank you! Another place to check out on our travels south!
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It’s not much of a destination, but people come for the train.
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The people in that town must have been very excited when the Indy movie was filming there. Or, on the other hand, maybe they were highly inconvenienced.
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Probably a little of both, I would guess.
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You have such a great eye to catch the “feeling” of what you are photographing. Such a special talent.
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Thanks so much, Carol. It means a lot to me.
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The wall paintings looked fantastic.
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They do liven up the small downtown area. I’m tempted to hunt for this artist’s work in other southern Colorado towns.
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Very atmospheric! From the photos and your descriptions, I could almost feel the dry heat and desolate wind of the US Southwest in my bones. I’m sure being in Antonito in person must’ve been even more of a sublime experience!
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I wouldn’t call Antonito sublime, but I have captured the highlights! You have described well the dry heat and desolate wind.
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Wonderful images!
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Thank you, Luisa!
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My pleasure, Ruth ❣️❣️❣️
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I would love to visit the childhood home of Henry Jones Jr. and go for a ride to experience the train as Western travellers did more than a century ago. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Glad you enjoyed this post, especially as an Indy fan! Thanks for your comment, Aiva.
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The folk art murals are pretty cool and fun. The steam train would be a good day trip.
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I haven’t taken the train, but drove up to Chama once to see the cute little mountain town on the other end. I’m always attracted to street art and this artist is noted in the area.
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Antonito looks like such a charming town. Heck, even the name of it sounds adorable. I love all the colourful murals.
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It’s really not so charming, but these are the highlights! The murals are outstanding. I’m tempted to look for others of this artist’s work around southern Colorado.
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Love this little town and the Indiana Jones thing is just a bonus. Have a great Sunday Ruth. Allan
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Thanks, Allan. I found this place years ago while looking for a stop along a long drive south, and it’s kept me coming back.
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Looks like a great place for an overnight stop. I love the murals and the photos of the train. There’s a real sense of wide open spaces here.
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It is a spot in wide open spaces. Typical U.S. western landscape. Thanks as always for your visit.
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Antonito (beautiful name, I love Spanish diminutives) looks enchanting, it feels so sleepy and peaceful. The murals are lovely, and the Indiana Jones house surely worth a visit.
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It is sleepy and peaceful. Actually not so enchanting – I have shared what to me are the interesting parts. The downtown is a strip along the highway of fifties-style boxy structures, but adorned with the murals, they come alive.
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Must be a very nice place to visit!
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I’m always just passing through, but it’s a good place for a stopover.
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Oh I get so drawn in by the thought of a special rail journey. Absolutely love rail travel and am yet to experience any US trains apart from the BART. I would be very tempted by this one.
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This is a historic rail, unlike the commuter trains. There’s one in my small mountain town that was a commuter rail for miners working further up the hill, and a couple of other historic ones in the southeast corner of Colorado. They are fun and interesting.
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Always!
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What a fun bit of cinema history!
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We’ve driven through Antonito a few times, but have never stopped. Love all of the street art you’ve photographed.
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Thanks, actually there’s not all that much to stop for in Antonito! If I hadn’t found the b&b, it wouldn’t have been a stop.
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