Durango, Colorado

Downtown Durango is one of those places where you feel like you'd be at home on a Sunday morning just strolling down the sidewalk, enjoying the sun, and not having a care in the world. Do a little shopping, maybe grab a beer (ok, maybe it's Saturday), and just enjoy yourself. To sum it up, I loved Durango.

Chimney Rock in the center, Companion Rock to the right

It's a great day trip from Pagosa, and an easy drive that's about an hour long. Plus on the way down 160 you can take in a great view of Chimney Rock and Companion Rock. If you don't want to just grab a picture from the side of the road and want to have a fuller Chimney Rock experience, you can do that too. Highway 151 will take you to the Visitor's Center where you can grab a guided or self-guided tour for $12. Guided tours will offer more of a complete visit of the grounds, including ancient structures of the Ancestral Puebloans. Self-guided tours are limited to the Great Kiva Trail. Four guided tours are offered each day, self-guided tours are available 10:45 - 2:45. There are also some special tours such as the Full Moon Tour. Through October 1-May 14 there is limited access to Chimney Rock and the gates are closed to vehicles.

Durango Train Station

So let's get to downtown Durango. We started at Main Street by the Durango Train Station. The station has a museum and gift shop, and is the starting point for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trips. There are several tours leaving the station, going through the San Juan Forest and along the Animas River. Be aware that the normal train route is abbreviated November through May and does not go all the way to Silverton and instead stops at the Cascade Station. Check for schedules and rates. Even if you don't plan on taking a train ride, the station is beautiful and worth a stop.

We walked down Main Street just going into any store that caught our interest. There are a ton of souvenir shops and I went into nearly every one of them. I'm a sucker for those types of stores. Good thing I was with someone very patient! Just as plentiful are the sports and ski shops. There are four major breweries in Durango, and one of them is on Main Street - Carver Brewing. I'm not much of a beer drinker, so I'm not the best to comment on the breweries, plus this was the only one we went into. The other ones in Durango are Ska Brewing, Steamworks Brewing, and Durango Brewing. Carver, Steamworks, and Durango serve food as well, but the menus are limited.

The "trail" we followed

A cave we climbed down into

After shopping and enjoying downtown we got back in the car and headed out on highway 550 about 30 miles to Cascade Falls. The entrance was all snowed in but we went down the road a little ways and just parked in the middle since no one else was around. But apparently if you keep going down the road you come to a red gate that you can open and go through and park at the Cascade Creek trialhead. From there there are two trails, one on each side of the creek - the trail on the west side is the better of the two. However, we just roamed off on some trail through the snow that a bunch of other people had made and wound our way down the side of the gorge until we reached the waterfall. The entire waterfall was frozen, and you could tell people had been ice climbing on it. It was beautiful. The hike wasn't particularly easy, the snow made it slippery and it was very steep. But we stumbled upon a little cave with giant icicles on the way that was very cool. The hike back up was worse and I really felt the altitude on this one. Dearly missed the oxygen saturated air of home.

Cascade Falls covered in ice

After a hike that nearly killed me we headed back to town for some lunch. Serious Texas Bar-B-Q. Oh. My. Heavens. I had the most amazing food! The menu isn't too big but all you need to know is Texas Taco. Chopped bar-b-q, cheesy potatoes, onions and jalapenos (not for me though) on a soft flour tortilla. Splash some of their bbq sauce on there and you'll be in heaven. Plus - if you're a southerner having sweet tea withdrawals, their sweet tea is spot on. So have all the beer you want at the breweries, but seriously...have some Serious Texas Bar-B-Q.

I would have loved to have had more time in Durango. It would be great to spend a week just exploring in the surrounding mountains. There are also hot springs in Durango - Trimble Hot Springs and one on the side of 550 that's actually quite beautiful. You don't soak there, but we pulled over to take a closer look and some cool pictures. No matter what you're doing though, Durango is sure to please!

Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Pagosa Springs is a beautiful, quaint town seated at the base of the San Juan Mountains and just west of the Continental Divide. With stunning views of the Rockies and the San Juan River running through the heart of the town, Pagosa offers the best of Colorado.

Outdoors:

Treasure Falls

Let's start with the mountains. Just thirty minutes through the San Juan National Forest is Wolf Creek Pass and Wolf Creek Ski Area. We took a drive up US 160 to the ski area, but didn't do any skiing. The trip was still well worth it. Just before heading up the mountains is Treasure Falls, easily seen from 160. It was a stunning and unexpected view to see it completely frozen. If you're looking for ice climbing (which assumes you know what you're doing), Treasure Falls might be of interest. Across the street is the West Fork Trail, where we did some cross country skiing later in the week. If you find yourself on that trail, keep in mind it starts off through private property so be respectful.

With many of the Colorado passes you'll need to make they're open for driving in the winter. Even if they are open, be aware that many of the pull offs aren't. You can still pull off the road in a lot of places, just be extra careful. You really don't need to know where you're going to find amazing views. Just drive around and see what you find.

Along with the ski area, there are plenty of places to cross country ski or snowmobile - and plenty more places to rent equipment. Snowmobile rentals are expensive, and we didn't end up renting any. For more information on tours check with Wolfcreek Snow Mobile Tours or Third Generation Outfitters. If you're looking for ski or snowboard rentals head to Summit Ski and Sports. Very friendly people, good prices, wonderful shop for your winter clothing and rental needs. I probably went to the store five or six times throughout my trip.

Skiing West Fork Trail

We did rent skis and go cross country skiing. My first time ever. It was a lot of fun, but also pretty tiring. It's a lot of feet shuffling and you can actually work up a pretty good sweat. For some beginners practice we headed to the Pagosa Springs Golf Club where trails are groomed for skiing. Later in the day we hit West Fork which was a beautifully groomed trail through the woods...and actually easier to ski. You can find a list of trails and some information about each here.

If you're in Pagosa in the summer I can only imagine how beautiful a horseback ride or bike ride would be. Your tour options and company options are varied, so shop around and find your preference. In the summer you also have the added fun that the San Juan River brings - like tubing and kayaking.

The way to spend your vacation in Pagosa is outside, and the ways to spend that time are endless and varied depending on the season. You'll definitely have to do a little of your own research before heading out to see what's available for your time of year and interests.

Hot Springs/Spas:

The Great Pagosa Hot Springs

After a long day of hiking or skiing I am convinced there is nothing better than a soak in the famous hot springs of Pagosa. The Great Pagosa Hot Springs is located about in the parking lot of the The Springs Spa. Water directly from this spring reaches 145 degrees F. The waters are said to be healing waters due to their high mineral content, which subsequently also makes them smell like rotten eggs (sulfer). Three surrounding spas tap into the underground aquifer that feeds the Hot Springs. They use this water to fill their soaking pools and are then able to have better control over the temperature.

The Springs and the San Juan River

The Springs Resort and Spa sits on the San Juan River and directly beside the Hot Springs. They have 23 outdoor pools ranging in temperature from 83 degrees to 114 degrees. Each pool has its own little name and a placard displaying the temperature. We bounced around from pool to pool - if you're doing this at night like we did bring some flip flops. The ground gets unbearably cold between pools. The Golden Pond in the middle of the property features a submerged boardwalk to the pool The Cliffs. While soaking in the large pool, Clouds in my Coffee, we even watched two raccoon walk up from the river and fish for goldfish out of the Golden Pond. If you're feeling very brave visit the Lobster Pot, 114 degrees. Two pools, Waterfall and Serendipity, feature waterfalls (Serendipity even has a bench behind the waterfall). For a slight additional cost you gain access to the 5 adult only pools.

Towels can be rented and lockers are available. The locker room features showers and even a bathing suit dryer (nice touch!). With renting the towels and lockers it was around $52 for two people. Full pricing information here.

From The Overlook's Site

The Overlook is a spa across the street from the San Juan River, but still tapping into the same healing waters of the hot spring. Much smaller (in size but certainly not quality), this spa features three rooftop pools and five indoor pools. I was a little hesitant about being inside and missing the scenery, but the inside of the Overlook is elegant and beautiful, creating a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere. The staff was amazing, always checking to see if we needed temperatures adjusted, a drink, or anything else. The indoor pools are unique - one features two lounge-chair type seats to lay back on, and a cold pool sits between two of the other tubs (hot to cold is supposed to be good for circulation). The spa also has a private tub room and massage rooms.

The locker rooms are even beautiful at the Overlook, and also include showers. Towels are available for rent as are lockers. The cost is just $10 a person (plus towel/locker), and we picked up a 2 for $18 coupon at Summit. Full pricing information here.

The third spa is Healing Waters Resort and Spa, but I didn't visit so I can't say much about the facility. All 3 spas are open to the public. My Hot Springs advice is to bring water (or buy it as the spa...The Overlook and The Springs also serve alcohol) and flip flops and if it's the middle of the winter don't hold your towel close to you as you walk between pools - you'll get it wet and it will freeze. Better yet, bring a couple of towels with you. Lastly don't wear silver jewelry, the minerals will turn it black. I think you can polish it back, but why risk it. Maybe just take off all your jewelry to be safe.

Food, Food, Food
Food is expensive...but yummy! There's definitely a southwest flair to the food, including plenty of spice. Chorizo is a staple like ketchup as far as I can tell...and it's spicy. Also beware hatch chile if you're not a big fan of the spice. Both are yummy though, so maybe grab a loaf of bread and glass of milk and try them anyway.

Bear Creek Saloon

A small, local spot for some good food is Kip's Grill. Tacos, burritos, and burgers. Elk burgers. Try the elk, it's nothing like beef...or chicken. There isn't a whole lot of seating, so be ready to wait or get there early. Great atmosphere though, just a bunch of people having fun. For a good breakfast (specifically a burrito)  head to Pagosa Baking Company or Higher Grounds Coffee. If you're wanting to take in some sports, play pool, and have a good supper head to Bear Creek Saloon. Delicious!




Shopping Time
Downtown Pagosa features some small boutique and souvenir shops that sort of open when they feel like it and close around 5 or 6:00. Further up the road is The Rainbow Gift Shop. Primarily a rock shop, it also features American Indian art and jewelry and touristy bits like t-shirts and magnets. If you want a gift from Colorado that is not made in China, visit the Made in Colorado Shoppe. Very few items in the store are from out-of-state, and those that are are marked. This store has a wonderful selection of jewelry, pottery, candles, and cards as well as t-shirts and other unique gifts. I enjoyed what both of these stores had to offer, and found employees at both to be very friendly.

I think I've about covered what I did in Pagosa Springs, but there's no way to cover all the possibilities. There are an endless array of ways to keep busy and beautiful sights to see. For some general Colorado tips check out an earlier posted blog here.

Random, Unorganized Thoughts on Colorado

While I was in Colorado I made several observations based on experience...and I mean beyond "That's a lot of snow," and "Wow it's a bit chilly." I visited three areas, Pagosa Springs/Wolf Creek, Durango, and Mesa Verde and I feel like my observations led to fairly concrete conclusions. For your knowledge and entertainment, here are those observations and conclusions, which I'm going to attempt to translate into Colorado travel tips.

Observation #1 - Everything opens when employees feel like it.
I actually read posted hours signs reading "11ish - 6:00." I guess this leaves owners and employees open for a great day of skiing right after a good snow, or maybe if the roads are bad they figure they'll at least make it in by 11:00...ish. Another sign "Open most every day Monday-Saturday." Guess you just have to show up, give the door a good tug, and see if you get in.


Observation #2 - Food is almost too expensive to bother eating every meal.
None of our meals were cheap. Breakfast on average for two people was $12-$16, and the lower end of that spectrum came from a coffee shop. Dinner for two was more around the $30 range. I'm not sure about grocery store prices, but chances are good you're better off shopping and cooking meals if you're able.


Observation #3 - Colorado has burritos out the yin yang and everything is spicy.
Burritos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Literally. If you don't like hot and spicy then watch what you're eating. Chorizo and hatch chilies are particularly hot. Yummy, but hot.


Observation #4 - Drivers like the passing lane.
If you're not doing the speed limit, or even if you are, prepare to be passed. Never seen so many people driving in the left hand lane short of England.


Observation #5 - You might at times think you're actually in Texas.
Southern Colorado caters to Texans. The best food I had was from Serious Texas BBQ. A lot of restaurants are decorated with Longhorn memorabilia and there are a lot of people driving around with Texas plates.

Observation #6 - Wildlife isn't as hard to spot as I thought.
I saw a few dozen elk on the side of the road (and only 2 of them were dead...), plus 3 raccoon (all alive - 2 at the Springs and 1 going for a jog down the double yellows), a bald eagle, an owl that nearly t boned our car, a red tailed hawk, and some mule deer. All I was missing was a cougar and a big horn sheep.


Observation # 7 - It wasn't actually as cold as I expected.
Ok, yes, it was an average of about 20 degrees in February, but the sun is quite hot.  When I saw skiing I ended up taking off my gloves, earmuffs, and coat. I really hated wearing my coat in the car, since the small space heated up pretty quickly. The lesson here is to wear lots of layers.

Observation #8 - Everyone is really friendly.
Most everyone I had contact with was friendly and bubbly - all the way from Pagosa to Mesa Verde. It's nice to have people act like they want you in their town!

Observation #9 - Colorodo is high
I actually don't mean what you think I mean! I'm talking elevation. So if you live at sea level, take your first few days easy. If you're doing something strenuous like hiking or skiing you'll probably lose your breath faster than normal. There is less oxygen in the air at high altitudes...so be prepared.

Those are my generalizations for Colorado, or at least the southern part of the state. I'm going to get into some more specifics of my trip - what I did, some places to go - in later blogs. So come back soon!