This summer hubby and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary. Since retiring from education and becoming a travel advisor, I’ve been thinking of great ideas to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. I excitedly went to hubby to tell him about all-inclusive resort options in the Caribbean I could get on my travel agent rate, flights from Denver to Cabo San Lucas on points and even floated the idea of going back to the Pier House in Key West to celebrate where we had our destination wedding. Instead, he told me that what he really wanted to do was get a cabin in the mountains with a secluded hot tub. This man has traveled all over Europe with me, taken red-eye flights and walked 25,000k steps a day to see a European neighborhood in a day… I figured I could relax in a cabin in the woods for a few nights for him. We found a great cabin rental outside of Durango, Colorado with an awesome back deck and hot tub right on the edge to watch the stars at night. The cabin was well stocked, had a hammock and screened in porch that we ate dinner in while listening to a rain storm outside. Email me at WanderlustwithLaura.agent@gmail.com for full cabin details and contact. We will have to bring the whole family next time, dogs and all! This trip opened Southwestern Colorado to us and we had a great introduction to the San Juan Mountains.
Pagosa Springs
Pagosa Springs is a small town in the southwest of Colorado best known for its hot springs. The Mother Spring aquifer is over 1002 feet deep and has been certified as “The World’s Deepest” by Guinness World Records. This water flows into the The Springs Resort, The Overlook Hot Springs and Healing Water Resort & Spa, each with their own culture and can be experienced by the public. Healing Waters has been open since 1950 and accessible year round. They boast filling their pools with only 100% natural mineral water. The newest hot springs in Pagosa has a Victorian feel with both indoor and rooftop tubs. They also offer a private tub room and massage to add to your tranquility. The Springs Resort has 24 hot spring pools that vary in temperature and offer the most beautiful scenery any time of year. This resort also has three categories of accommodations that include 24-hour access to the soaking pools, robes and towels. Pagosa Springs is certainly well named and a great place to relax after a fun day on the trails or at the river.
Pagosa Springs is surrounded by the San Juan Mountains and River that runs through town. Hiking in the area is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in the high country and the summer wildflowers and waterfalls should not be missed. Those who enjoy fishing love the river for catching trout and the tourists like to float down it in the summer in rafts. In the winter months, Wolf Creek Ski Area offers skiing and cross-country trails just to the northeast of Pagosa Springs. Hot air balloon rides are common in the area and offer unique views of Pagosa county. There is a week in September called ColorFest with lots of hot air balloons on display. Chimney Rock National Monument is only 20 minutes west and allows access to the ruins of ancient Ancestral Puebloan dwellings. We stopped at a pizza restaurant called Rosies for lunch and it ended up being the perfect choice. The decor is ski chic and had great patio seating since it was a sunny summer day. This place had pizza, salads, sandwiches and even craft beers and would make a great stop for a quick bite or large group meal.
Mesa Valley & the 4 Corners
Another home of the Ancestral Puebloans is in Mesa Verde National Park. There is over 700 years of history in this park, displayed by the cliff house built by a thriving community all those years ago. The park protects the cultural heritage of 27 Pueblos & Tribes. Cliff Dwellings can only be accessed by tours and there are a few options to choose, including Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Backcountry tours. These tours are only offered in the summer and early fall and fill up quickly. Visitors can watch a short film called Footsteps of Our Ancestors, to understand more about the history of this National Park. Mesa Valley is a World Heritage Site and is home to over a thousand species, including a few found nowhere else on earth. The park was the 100th location to become an International Dark Sky Park, and provides visitors with lessons in astronomy. Only 90 minutes away, the Four Corners Monument is the only place you can stand in 4 states at once, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. This is a great opportunity to see the geographic wonder and also purchase native artwork directly from the artisans in the newly created market.
Durango
Durango has 2,500 preserved archeological sites, four National Monuments, 13 historic sites and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites all providing access to the nation’s best-preserved history. However, it is not all Native history, there is Victorian architecture and Western history to see downtown. Durango is a surprisingly elevated town in southwestern Colorado in the San Juan Mountains and surrounded by miles of forests. Durango is called “The Hollywood of the Rockies” because it has been the set of over 30 movies and films. In this Nationally Registered Historic District you will find historic boutique hotels, award-winning restaurants, art galleries, brewpubs, museums and shops. One of the best shops in Durango is a chocolate shop called Animas Chocolates & Coffee. A former soda shop that has been restored to sell their drinking chocolate and a chocolate counter full of little delights. The in-house chocolate makers create a delicious product and offer the best service, especially for their sit-down guests. So plan to stop in, relax and enjoy some time in a chocolate shop instead of a coffee shop in this town.
Durango is much more of a foodie stop then anyone would imagine. I didn’t eat a bad thing the whole time I visited. In the historic downtown there is a place called Jean Pierre Bakery and wine room with lovely breakfast and lunch plates situated like a French brasserie. There are numerous food trucks at 11th Street Station if you want to get a group of friends together, but leave the menu up to individuals. Two restaurants that are more formal in the area are Eolus Bar & Dining and Mahogany Grill, inside the Strater Hotel. The Strater Hotel has been kept authentic and true to the time period in its lobby, restaurant and saloon (the saloon girls wear a flapper inspired barmaid’s outfit from the era). The best restaurant award in Durango, year after year, goes to the James Ranch Grill, for their elevated take on grass-fed burgers and other ranch favorites. Just 15 minutes north of downtown, you’ll find the sign and inviting property of the James Ranch. Head to the order window first, even if you’re not a big burger fan, this is the burger to try! Plus there are salads, kids meals and their specialty cheeses too. You’ll choose a seat inside, on the porch or on the lawn sitting at picnic tables located throughout the property. While you wait for the food, walk around the ranch and visit the cows by the fence-line. After enjoying your amazing meal, stop in the market on the way out for produce, breads, cheese and of course frozen beef. The people ahead of me in line were smart, they brought a cooler in the car with them!
Durango Hot Springs is located 8 miles north of downtown Durango in the Animas Valley. Don’t let the sign at the main street turn you off, it’s not a great presentation, but go back to the actual hot springs resort and you will be greeted with a more tranquil welcome, surrounded by beautiful mountain views. The Durango Hot Springs are the only natural hot spring infused with nano-meter and micro-meter oxygen bubbles for increased health benefits and absence of the sulfur smell, which is a real treat. There are 32 different hot springs pools (both family friendly and adult-only), 2 cold plunges, a resort style pool, 5 optional private Japanese-inspired cedar “Ofuro” soaking tubs, a reflexology walking path and mineral water rain tower. Recently renovated, the Durango Hot Springs Spa also offers relaxation massages and spa treatments. Reservations are required, but the peaceful relaxation will be worth it!
Purgatory Ski Resort
One of the best places to consider for outdoor fun is about 45 minutes north of Durango at Purgatory Resort. The name originated from the difficulty of crossing the rusty red mountain facades, but today is a world class ski and summer sport mecca in the San Juan Mountains. Their slogan is Close to Heaven, fun as Hell, and this place certainly has fun all year round! In the summer, come to spend a day with their summer day ticket, including unlimited scenic chairlift rides, alpine slide, mountain coaster, treasure panning experience, kids go-kart track as well as boating and boarding on Twilight Lake. There are also separate reservations for mountain biking adventures. The chairlift takes about 30 minutes, so it’s a perfect place to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a scenic walk or take the long way back down and hike the mountain side. Winter is the season most people visit Purgatory Ski Resort for the first time. There is great skiing, lessons and kids under 12 ski free, which is a huge savings. Other winter activities available include snowcat scenic tours, snowcat skiing or dining experiences, snowmobile adventures, snowshoeing tours and snow tubing. This is a great place for fun with the whole family, year round and less touristy and congested than many of the Front Range mountain resorts.
Colorado Outback Adventures is a fantastic company for thrill rides and exploring the beauty of Southwest Colorado. Many of their adventures are out of Purgatory Resort including their 4-hour guided ATV tours of Scotch Creek and Bolam Pass. Hubby and I signed up for this adventure when we first booked our anniversary cabin in Durango, knowing this would be so fun and filled with incredible views and we were not disappointed. We had two awesome guides for a group of 7-8 cars, of 2, 4 and 6-seater machines that could handle any of the rugged terrain the San Juan trails offered. We powered through creeks and huge muddy puddles, up rocky trails and through a waterfall at the end. There is also the option to rent the ATV’s on an hourly basis and now that we’ve gone with the guide and know where to go, I think we’d really enjoy getting out ourselves in the future. Word of warning, you will get wet and the altitude changes from sunny and warm to cold, windy and rainy at a moment’s notice. Bring rain gear and clothes/shoes that can get wet or muddy, you will get dirty! If you want to see the mountain sites inside a temperature controlled car, consider renting a Jeep for a 10-hour day and take it out on the trails. Colorado Outback Adventures also does rafting tours in the summer as well as wakeboard, water skiing or leisure cruises on Lake Nighthorse.
Silverton
Take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a trip back in time and beautiful scenery. The historic train has been giving passengers views of Colorado’s rugged landscape and snowy peaks since 1882. The round trip ride takes 3.5 hours to travel from Durango to the historic mining town of Silverton. The observation windows of the vintage locomotive offer panoramic views of nature for the duration, while passengers unplug from the modern world. There is a 2-hour stop in Silverton to enjoy the sights, restaurants, bars and shopping in this miniature western town that has a main street only 3 blocks long. Then hop back on the train before the steam whistle blows, to ride back to Durango after this full day. Be sure to check the website, since weather does prevent rides in icy and muddy conditions.
Silverton is nestled in at 9,318 feet above sea level, but is surrounded by 13,000 foot peaks in every direction. This National Historic Landmark is found within the San Juan Skyway. The authentic downtown will make you wonder if you have stepped back in time or onto an old western movie set. Be sure to schedule lunch or dinner in this old western town, there are a few breweries, a couple saloons and a chuckwagon spot to enjoy meals, but lines swell in the summer when this miniature town sees hundreds of visitors a day and has just over 700 full time residents. Gold mine tours, jeep rentals, snowmobile rentals and historic hotels can all be enjoyed with breathtaking natural scenery all around.
The Million Dollar Highway
Another great way to see the scenic San Juan Mountains is by driving the Million Dollar Highway. This strip of highway (route 550) is a 25-mile stretch from Silverton to Ouray, Colorado. The highway was originally constructed for wagon trails to transport minors and supplies to the gold and silver mines. Today, the Million Dollar Highway offers breathtaking mountain, valley and gorge views, as long as the driver can handle the stressful hairpin turns, steep grates and lack of guardrails. There are guardrails in some areas, but not all because of how they have to plow snow off the side of the cliff in the winter. On the way, visitors can stop at scenic overlooks and alpine lakes, hike to take in the stunning mountain views or see cascading waterfalls. Some claim its name comes from the million dollar views, while others report it from the million dollar per mile it cost to build the highway. Either way, this drive is not to be missed for its beauty and views. In the summer, it is a beautiful ride, but in the winter a dangerous drive!
Ouray
Ouray is the starting (or ending) point for the Million Dollar Highway and about an hour drive (around the mountain, it looks closer on a map) from Telluride. In the summer hiking, riding an ATV or renting a Jeep are great ways to see the San Juan Mountains and Animas River. Another area to drive to is Animas Forks, a Ghost Town located by the Animas River. The one thing in Ouray not to miss is Box Canyon Falls! At the base of the Million Dollar Highway a park with a small entrance fee is located over a rickety single lane bridge. Once parked, explore the metal walkway back to the falls viewing area and hear the roar of the water pressure. The cool mist provides needed relief on hot summer days and the power of the waterfall gorge is ten times better than the two falls on the highway pullover just south of Box Canyon Falls.
In the winter, Ouray is a winter wonderland, just waiting for its snow-covered scenery to be explored. The winter season takes Ouray through a transformation for outdoor enthusiasts. It has an ice park, featuring frozen waterfalls and snowshoeing or cross-country skiing trails. It offers a small, western town feel and lots of hot springs options without the sulfur smell. Ouray Hot Springs Pool is similar to a public pool with 4 different depths of pools, family pool, activity pool and an adults only pool. Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs, Twin Peaks Lodge & Hot Springs and Wiesbaden (named after a famous German Spa area). There are also cozy, rustic accommodations and dining locations in the 1-mile long town. Ouray claims the name “Switzerland of the West,” but I think anyone who has been to Switzerland would disagree. I was expecting wildflowers, Bavarian architecture and snow capped mountains and found it to be a typical Victorian, western town with beautiful mountain views from every angle.
Telluride
Even though Telluride is a 6-hour drive from Denver, there are flights into TEX airport (Telluride’s regional airport) from Denver and Phoenix or into MTJ airport in Montrose (only a 2-hour drive). Once in Telluride, the town features gondolas as a part of its free, public transportation and shuttles visitors between Telluride and the Mountain Village above it, you get two mountain towns in one location. In only 13 minutes you are in Mountain Village, a town at the top of the world and basks in the glow of snow-capped peaks all winter long. There is a European-inspired plaza to walk through for shopping, eating or just to relax with a drink at one of the many fire pits.
Telluride is a European-style mining town tucked in a box canyon, surrounded by 13er and 14er mountain peaks in the San Juan Mountains. Telluride has ranked #1 ski resort in the nation by Conde Nast Traveler and it is perfect for hitting the slopes. Telluride is an uncrowded mountain filled with exceptional terrain for all ability levels. It has tons of winter fun off the slopes, from fat biking, Nordic skiing and sledding, exploring the alpine on snowshoes or finding a spot for winter fly fishing. One thing Telluride offers that other mountain towns don’t is ice climbing. If you’re up for a real unique experience give it a try or for a calmer experience on the ice try skating at an outdoor rink. Then end your day with a hot chocolate and a cozy sleigh ride.
In addition to the many condos and vacation rentals Telluride has to offer guests, it also has some of the most spectacular resorts and hotels in the entire southwest region. These places won’t be described as rustic or victorian in this town, it’s all ski chic in Telluride. For those who want slop-side convenience, the Mountain Lodge Telluride is perfect and for someone wanting a boutique chalet with a European feel in authentic downtown, the Hotel Telluride will be a great fit. The Peaks Resort & Spa is the premiere full-service resort in town and offers all the bells and whistles. But for the best location in town, the Camel Garden Hotel (sounds like it should be in the Arabian desert somewhere) claims this title, due to its view at the base of the mountain. A client of mine recently came back from an anniversary trip there and said that it really was the best location in all of Telluride! This might need to be next year’s anniversary location.
Needless to say, the Myers family will be back in Colorado’s southwestern mountains to show the kids what we’ve enjoyed and discover more fun outdoor activities and sulfur free hot springs. We need to get back to ride some horses, jeeps and ATV’s in the high country and enjoy the summer wildflowers. I’d also like to explore this area during peak leaf season in fall and we will need to do the winter activities and some snowmobiling in the snowy season. This area of Colorado is not as accessible from Denver and needs a 4×4 vehicle in the winter. However, that also makes it a hidden gem for those traveling around the southwest of the country and getting to spend some time in any of these great locations in southwest Colorado.
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