Our recent trip to La Junta, Colorado, was intended for one specific reason: the legendary Tarantula Festival! For those who don’t know, La Junta celebrates the annual migration of thousands of tarantulas through the area. That is a little misleading – the tarantulas aren’t on a long voyage but rather it is mating season. Anyway, I first heard about it in 2020 and it sounded like a unique, albeit slightly creepy, experience since I have a fear of spiders — but I still really wanted to go.
We arrived in La Junta, full of anticipation (and perhaps a healthy dose of trepidation on my part, as spiders, especially big hairy ones, are not exactly my cup of tea). The town was charming, but noticeably… lacking in tarantula-themed festivities. A quick double-check of the dates revealed our hilarious blunder: we were a week early! The Tarantula Festival was still a week away. Oops. After an almost 3 hour drive emotions were high. We stopped in for a drink and regrouped – We didn’t need the crowds and the spiders don’t know what day it is, so let’s see if we can find one anyway.
While our primary mission was a bust, the silver lining was the opportunity to explore some of the natural beauty around La Junta with less crowds, so really, it probably worked out better! We decided to head to Vogel Canyon State Park, a stunning area known for its rugged terrain and, as we soon discovered, its resident tarantula population. Even before we got to the park, we saw a few black things on the road, only to discover as we got closer, they were tarantulas crossing the street. This left me hopeful we would see some in the park.
Now, for someone who breaks out in a cold sweat at the sight of a house spider, the prospect of encountering tarantulas in their natural habitat was… less than appealing. However, I was determined to be brave. We set out on one of the canyon’s hiking trails, the dramatic rock formations and expansive views providing a welcome distraction.
It wasn’t long before our first sighting, a mere 2 minutes. There, slowly and deliberately making its way across the dusty path, was a tarantula. My initial reaction was a full-body flinch, but Justin, ever the calm one, reminded me that we were in their world, and they were simply going about their business. Taking a deep breath, I managed to observe it from a respectful distance. It was… surprisingly majestic in its own way, a creature perfectly adapted to its environment.
Over the course of our hike, we encountered about five tarantulas. It was like a game of hide and seek. While the hike itself was great, adding this extra effort of observation looking down, not just outward, was thrilling. Each time one of us saw one, my heart did a little flutter-kick, but I consciously reminded myself to stay calm and observe. And you know what? I actually did pretty well! Being in their natural environment, seeing them unbothered and simply existing, somehow made them less… scary. There was a sense of respect that replaced the usual fear. I even managed to snap a few up close photos where I was just a few feet away from them. We didn’t rush each encounter – we stood watching it and giving it plenty of space and wished them well on their journey to find a mate.
So, while we may have missed the official Tarantula Festival, our accidental early arrival led to a different kind of tarantula experience – a surprisingly positive one. Vogel Canyon offered a beautiful backdrop and, more importantly for me, a chance to confront my arachnophobia in a controlled and natural setting. It turns out that observing these creatures on their own terms is a far cry from finding one unexpectedly in your bathtub. Plus, I can’t imagine having done that hike at dusk (a time of day when they are most active) – I liked having the full daylight so I wasn’t startled even more.