Durango Bound for a week (Cortez, Sheridan: rental, house, college)

[eddie cantrell]

I have a rental in the Durango area for about a week, beginning the first of November. I need any suggestions you might have on what locals recommend to do.
Does the Durango Silverton train run that late in the season?
What about day trips of 1-2 hours one way
thanks

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by eddie cantrell

I have a rental in the Durango area for about a week, beginning the first of November. I need any suggestions you might have on what locals recommend to do.
Does the Durango Silverton train run that late in the season?
What about day trips of 1-2 hours one way
thanks

Google the Durango train, it may still run on weekends, not sure.

There's a casino south of Bayfield, and a huge lake south of that just over the NM line. Drive out to Four Corners and stand in four states at one time, visit the indians with their craft fair stands at four corners. If the roads are open, drive up to Silverton, the scenery is awesome, and if you want an amazing trip over a high mountain pass, with no guardrails, drive up 550 to Ouray.

[CosmicWizard]

Go east on US 160 to Pagosa Springs and soak in the fabulous Pagosa Hot Springs. The hot water will feel good in November! There is another hot springs near Durango called Trimble Hot Springs, but it doesn't comapre to the Pagosa Hot Springs over in Pagosa Springs. It is well worth the drive ( approx 1 hr ).

[stoymonkey]

Cosmic, good to know. i've gone to Trimble a few times but never springs in Pagosa.
What about Mesa Verde? also hike/bike horse gulch or around Colorado Trail?

[DOUBLE H]

Mesa Verde is doable in the first week of November, tourist wise and weather wise. It can get a pretty good snow down there at that time but it will still be open. The park employees are cut back somewhat as they employ more rangers and other employees in Spring and Summer. NOTE: In 2001 and 2002 some of the worst fires in this states history hit this part of the state hard. Fortunately the "hotshot" crews stopped the fires short of the key dwellings in the park, like Yucca House and Spruce House. It got close, though, missing the ruins by just less than a mile in some spots. The trees are black, black, black. But the crews done yeomans work down there. You had to be down there and see it to believe it. I was up there a couple months ago; had company come in from Omaha and they always wanted to see the park. Another devastating area was Missionary Ridge, north of Durango.

I'm not sure if Hovenweep National Monument is open in November or not, but it is well worth a look see as is the Anazasi museum near Cortez.

They will be running the train at that time of the year. Check out the Durango/Silverton train website for more info.

[Idunn]

The last train, according to the web site of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, runs on October 31. So you would miss this by a single day, and if important you might wish to arrive a day or two earlier, and confirm availability.

There are some fine options presented here. I would certainly second an excursion north on US 550 to Silverton, CO, continuing on to Ouray, CO. An absolutely magnificent drive. But not necessarily advisable in inclement weather, so you may wish to decide this in the moment once in Durango. If it is snowing, or likely to, such a trip should only be made with the proper vehicle, experience with winter driving, and a good appetite for adventure. Taking the train would allow you to see part of such a route, indeed scenery not visible or accessible from the road, quite possibly in a more serene fashion.

If you do make such a drive, know that round trip it will take longer than you proposed, even to no more than Silverton. If the weather fine, and you feel like going somewhere, you might extend such an excursion through Ridgeway, CO, on over to Telluride, CO. From there, over Lizard Head Pass to pass through Rico, CO, towards Cortez, CO, and at last back to Durango. It would make a lovely, if somewhat long drive. The most spectacular portion, if wishing to abbreviate things, is between Durango and Ouray. One needn't pass through Cortez, but take CO 184, just south of Dolores, CO, to intersect US 160. But, probably faster to pass through Cortez if visiting Mesa Verde National Park, which is worthy of a visit all on its own.

I should also mention such ancient Anasazi sites as Hovenweep National Monument (far southwestern corner of Colorado) and Chaco Canyon National Historic Park (northwestern New Mexico). Both are interesting, either somewhat remote, in each instance perhaps exceeding your adventure quotient. In this respect Mesa Verde NP would not only be closest, but easiest to visit, and perhaps most interesting as well.

Something you might do very easily from Durango is visit Fort Lewis College, which resides on a plateau of sorts directly above town. If perhaps no interest in academics, a brief visit warranted simply for the view afforded, which is nothing less than great. One might look to the west and north over Durango, and the peaks of the San Juan mountains to the horizon. Getting there is simplicity itself: simply find E 8th Avenue, then north up the hill, this being the main entrance to the campus. At the top, veer to the left to take the rim road, that follows the edge of the plateau, in a clockwise direction until satisfied with your vantage point. Don't forget the camera.

[eddie cantrell]

Thanks folks, looking forward to trip. Any other thoughts would be appreciated. Do you know of a Hot Springs type water park with slides, etc that is open in winter, and also how far is the drive from Durango to Moab and Arches. thanks

[SheridanL]

Ouray has a large slide, lap pool, diving, area for volley ball,etc. It also is free of the sulphur smell!! It is very beautiful!!!

[DOUBLE H]

SheridanL is right. It's just right off 550. I recommend it!

[eddie cantrell]

Thanks, hope to go to Ouray, do you think the weather will be fine first week in November