Karval Colorado

            Karval is one of those towns that refuses to die.  It is probably tougher then Tombstone ever thought of being.  Sitting on a pretty dry plateau, close to no highways, the little prairie toughen clings to life.  They keep their school open and there is a post office.  The last business, a restaurant, closed a few years ago. 

            Today the old highway, called main street is full of empty store fronts and for the most part, empty.  On Sunday it gets busy with the church goers coming into town.  This time of year there is as bit more then usual activity.  For the locals are preparing for the Bird festival they host. 

            The Rocky Mountain Plover a is a pretty rare bird and Karval is in its migration path.  Tours are scheduled to take the bird watchers out in the pastures, on private land and search for the elusive little plover.  This is a time the bird lovers can access habitat that is usually off limits. 

            Karval is pioneer community settled by Norwegians in early 1900.  They migrated from the Kar Valley region of Norway and used this name to for their new town, Kar Val…. Karval.  Like many homestead town, Karval flourished in the early 1900’s.  There were shops, stores, garages, gas stations …. Etc.  Today it is the tumble weeds that frequent the road and keep the traffic signs busy directing the flow of tumbling weeds.   

A building that is no more

            Located due south of Hugo or due north of La Junta, just off of road 109, Karval sits on a flat area making for good farm land, just not lots of moisture.  There are bovine out in the grasses to greet people and there are the prairie watchers sitting along side the road observing the traffic pass by. 

The variety of birds, float overhand and the buzzard hangs out on the fence waiting for its meat.  Because it is so out of the way, few people will travel to visit, the deckling little town.