Occupying what is known as Wet Mountain Valley between the Sangre de Cristo peaks to the west and Wet Mountains to the east, Custer County also abuts Great Sand Dunes National Park on the southwestern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo range. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Spanish for "Blood of Christ") are the southernmost subrange of the Rockies. The county seat of Westcliffe is a rural community of fewer than 5,000 residents that has been recognized, along with neighboring Silver Cliff, by the International Dark-Sky Association for their lack of light pollution and visibility of the night sky. Awarded in 2015, the two towns are the highest of the existing 16 certified locations around the world, with their 8,000-foot altitude getting stargazers that bit closer to the stars and Milky Way. A total of 100,000 acres were listed for sale in Custer County, Colorado, recently, representing a combined approximately $184 million in Custer County farms and ranches for sale. Custer County ranks 16th in the state for the total number of acres of land currently advertised for sale. Among cities in Custer County with land for sale, Westcliffe had the most land for sale. Based on its natural assets, Custer County's economy is dependent on tourism and recreation. Custer County is Colorado's 52nd largest county (739 square miles). It's located in the South Central Colorado region of Colorado.