Rocky Mountain
Colorado Is A Gun Sling’n Good Time
America’s “Alps” are commonly celebrated to be the Colorado Rockies, and the skiing in winter compares quite favorably with that in Switzerland and Austria. The Colorado Rockies are residence to numerous world-class ski resorts and the state is dotted with historic mining towns from the 19th Century as well as some of the most stellar scenery in North America. Colorado is a large state with many miles separating each ski resort or vacation destination. Depending upon the length of your vacation time, you may want to consider this when deciding on an area of Colorado to visit.
Southwestern Colorado is a stunning location to go to see with gorgeous mountain views and abundant outdoor activities in the winter and summer months alike. Durango in particular, near Purgatory Ski Resort, has excellent ski runs, snow mobile trails, cross country skiing trails and accommodations with views of the majestic San Juan Mountain Range. Purgatory Ski Resort itself has great dining choices, but a excursion into town for shopping and more great dining options are close by and transportation is easily accessible.
The town of Silverton is close to Durango, which you can get to via the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which takes you through a winding beautiful mountain track. You can also take Hwy 550, which by automobile, is also a gorgeous drive. Silverton is an old mining town, packed with old west flavor including saloons with piano players, gun fights, horse back riding, hiking and old fashioned ice cream parlors. Mining is no longer operational in Silverton, but a few shops sell all the fools gold and mining accessories a person could ever hope for.
Mesa Verde National Park is near to Durango as well and has amazing cliff dwellings of Native Americans over 700 years old. See the hieroglyphs engraved into walls, ancient artifacts, and numerous dwellings preserved. There are quite a few vacation lodges surrounding Mesa Verde. For information on vacation lodging, contact Mesa Verde National Park.
Four Corners National Monument is also in Southwestern Colorado, the only place in the U.S. where you can be in four states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah) at once. Navajo Indians promote their turquoise and silver jewelry all throughout this area along with their handsome weaving. If you haven’t ever tasted Navajo flat bread, you are in for a delight as it is all hand made fresh that day.
Heading northward along U.S. Highway 550 along the Uncompaghre River, you will come across a number of scenic and historic towns including Telluride, Ouray and Ridgeway. You and your family might easily spend several weeks in this part of the Centennial State, and luckily, there is no lack of Colorado vacation rentals all along the way, many of which are bed and breakfast houses in scrupulously restored Victorian-style properties, giving you a taste of what life might have been like in the heyday of Colorado’s mining trade and the “Robber Baron” Era.
Southwestern Colorado is a astonishing place to visit for tourists who take pleasure in an energetic life style in the great outdoors. Camp sites are everywhere, RV campgrounds are throughout this great state, as well as beautiful Colorado condo rentals. Any vicinity west of the Rocky Mountain Front Range in Colorado is spectacular scenery with all types of outdoor activities from river sports to rock climbing to just sitting around a camp fire.
Rocky Mountain High: John Denver
