Durango to Silverton
by randy - September 18, 2007
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We booked the Alamosa car on the Narrow Guage Durango to Silverton Railroad for a family reunion (sort of). There were 22 of us, 8 (of 14) siblings with 7 spouses, our mother, 2 double first cousins and spouses (their dad and our dad are brothers and our mothers are sisters) and a couple who are close family friends. It takes 3 1/2 hours up and 3 1/2 hours back with a couple of hours layover in Silverton. Special thanks to Garth for getting it organized, researching hotels, reserving the train, etc.
We left about 10:30 Thursday morning for a beautiful 7 hour drive through southern Utah, north eastern Arizona and south western Colorado. Most of the drive featured red earth highlighted with sage green brush punctuated with red rock formations. It is a beautiful dirve until you get to the Colorado border. Then the earth is white and the landscape barren. It’s almost like that’s how they decided where to place the border. I can see it now, as they are surveying for the border: “Oh, it’s ugly now. Let’s call this Colorado”. I noticed it again on the way back. As soon as we crossed the border into Arizona it got pretty again. As you climb into the Colorado mountains, towards Cortez, it gets green and becomes a nice, scenic drive again.
We passed through the “Four Corners” where you can stand in four states at the same time (Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico).
We had dinner that night at Randy’s Restaurant. We were lucky to find a place that could accommocate all 22 of us without advanced reservations…very nice restaurant.
The Alamosa car. There were actually 2 others on the car. They had their tickets before we booked the rest of the car so they had to put up with us for 7 hours. It was nice to spend so much time surrounded by beautiful scenery and good company. We don’t get enough opportunity to visit.
A few of us stayed in Durango Friday evening for dinner at Francisco’s while the others went back up to Silverton.
We had lunch at Grumpy’s, in the Grand Imperial Hotel, in Silverton where they feature a Honky Tonk piano player. They make a nice Reuben sandwich.
Some of the group went back up to Silverton on Friday night and stayed at the Grand Imperial.
Saturday, on the way back to St. George, we stopped at Mesa Verde National Park and Monument Valley.
We stayed at the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde on Friday night and toured the Cliff Palace on Saturday. The Puebloan people inhabited the sites from about A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Living in such concentrations (relatively) they eventually used up all the scarce resources (trees) and thereafter abandoned the sites. We used to refer to them as Anasazi but they find that term offensive because it is a Navajo (not one of the Puebloan tribes) word meaning Enemy.
Mesa Verde National Park
Po Box 8, Mesa Verde, CO 81330-0008
One of the few places where it is possible to see the long-deserted homes of the Ancient Pueblo people, Mesa Verde Na...
One of the few places where it is possible to see the long-deserted homes of the Ancient Pueblo people, Mesa Verde National Park celebrates both the beauty of southwest Colorado and the long-gone culture that built their dwellings in the area between 600 and 1300 C.E. Archaeological wonders at the park include hundreds of cliff dwellings created by these people as well as old tools, decorative items and other materials left behind and collected in the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. Miles of hiking trails lead to both these ruins and stunning vistas of the surrounding area; stay overnight in the Far View Lodge or at the park's campground. The park is located about 37 miles to the west of Durango, near the one-of-a-kind Four Corners.
Monument Valley is spectacular with the wide open spaces interrupted periodically with impressive red rock towers. You almost get a reverent feeling looking down on it from the visitors center. They offer guided tours – in the back of a pick up truck with some kind of platform attached with bench seats. They did have a roof to keep the direct sun off of the passengers. The wind was blowing and the incredibly rutted and washed out dirt road had 2 inches of fine dust on it. Most of the riders had either their shirt pulled up over their nose and mouth or a scarf or handkerchief wrapped around their head. We chose to drive and I’m glad I had an all wheel drive vehicle. I wonder if they keep the road in such poor repair so they can sell more guided tours. If that’s the case they should think about upgrading their “tour” vehicles. I wonder what it would be like when it’s 110 degrees out. When it’s raining I doubt even their 4 wheel dirve trucks could negotiate the roads.
Far View Lodge
Mesa Verde, Mile Marker 15, Cortez, CO 81330
Far View Lodge consists of 13 clusters of lodge buildings located 15 miles inside Mesa Verde National Park, at 8200 f...
Far View Lodge consists of 13 clusters of lodge buildings located 15 miles inside Mesa Verde National Park, at 8200 feet elevation. Rustic exteriors compliment this wonderous national park, and the road to the lodge switchbacks 1500 feet through lush valleys and canyons displaying spectacular views and photo opportunities of snow capped peaks and wildlife. Purposely the lodge does not have in room televisions or phones to preserve the tranquility of this natural setting. All rooms have balconies with views into three states and awesome stargazing opportunities.
Fredonia is a town in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,036 at the 2000 census. It was se...
Fredonia is a town in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,036 at the 2000 census. It was settled in 1885 by Mormon pioneers from Kanab, Utah.
Kanab is a city in Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,564 at the 2000 census. It is the county se...
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Big Water is a town in Kane County, Utah, United States. The population was 417, at the 2000 census.a modest increase...
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Page is a city in Coconino County, Arizona near Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. The population was 6,809 at the 2000...
Page is a city in Coconino County, Arizona near Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. The population was 6,809 at the 2000 census.
Kayenta (Navajo: Tó Dinéeshzhee) is a census-designated place which is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo Cou...
Kayenta (Navajo: Tó Dinéeshzhee) is a census-designated place which is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo County, Arizona, USA. The population was 4,922 at the 2000 census. Kayenta is located immediately south of Monument Valley (some of the buttes of which are visible from Kayenta's streets) and contains a number of hotels and motels which service visitors to the valley. Like other places in the Navajo Nation, it is illegal to serve alcohol in Kayenta.Kayenta Township is the only incorporated municipality in the Navajo Nation. It is managed by a five-member elected town board, which hires the township manager.Kayenta is the name for the Chapter, as well as the township. Kayenta Chapter (a political division within the Navjao Nation that is analogous to a county within a state) encompasses land in both Utah and Arizona. Thus, the Navajo Nation's census figures for Kayenta Chapter are significantly different from those of "Kayenta CDP." For more information on the Navajo Nation political organization and census data, visit its official web site, listed below in the links.
Four Corners
At this point you can stand in four states at the same tiem (Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico)
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Durango (Navajo: Kinłání) is a city in La Plata County, Colorado (USA). The population was 13,922 at the 2000 census....
Durango (Navajo: Kinłání) is a city in La Plata County, Colorado (USA). The population was 13,922 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of La Plata CountyGR6.Durango is located at 37°16′N 107°52′W at an elevation of 1988 meters (6523 feet). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.6 km² (6.8 mi²).
Silverton is a town in San Juan County, Colorado (USA). The population was 531 at the 2000 census. It is the county s...
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