how to get free info for colorado

[huckster]

we are going to see my son this summer ,he lives with my sis , but would like to try to plan a few things before we get there . san juan skyway area any one have ideas?
thanks

 

[POB14]

Try here:

http://www.colorado.com/

 

[NMAmy]

If you don't mind me asking, what town do they live in? I used to live in the area (northwestern New Mexico) and could maybe give you some info or point you in the right direction. You can PM me if you'd like and I'll be happy to assist.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I am a native Coloradan. What are your interests? How far do you want to travel away from your destination?

 

[huckster]

they live in Durango so we heard of a san juan skyway and maybe some ghost towns . and stuff?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Enjoy, huckster, and hope your son is doing well. A very Happy New year.

 

[chyam]

The San Juan Skyway is awesome, so is the Durango area, try and take the Silverton railroad from there to Silverton, it's an old steam locomotive, and the scenery is breathtaking, you can also go to Mesa Verde National Park, the ruins there are very interesting, and many you can get right into. Ouray is not far from Durango either and has some hot springs. I also enjoyed the Pagosa Springs area. If you have access to a 4 wheel drive vehicle or can rent a jeep for the day, some of the back roads bring you to some interesting old mines, but before warned that just because they say a road is say 20 miles long, it will take you 3 times as long as normal to do that 20 miles. That part of Colorado is beautiful.

 

[NMAmy]

they live in Durango so we heard of a san juan skyway and maybe some ghost towns . and stuff?

Well, I used to live in Farmington which is about an hour away from Durango. We used to go up there all the time for dinner and shopping. It's a great town.

Here's a website where you can request a free visitors guide: http://www.godurango.com/ Here's a site for the San Juan Skyway: http://www.coloradobyways.org/ByWay.cfm?byWayIDpar=SAN20011203091122 It doesn't have a visitors guide but does have phone numbers and links. It's a great drive but it does require nerves of steel at times if you're nervous of heights. Sometimes parts of the roads have washed away. The train up to Silverton from Durango is a fun trip.

Mesa Verde is great but does require a lot of driving and then some hiking once you get there. Particularly in the summer, it can be pretty darn hot. One place I used to take visitors who may have had issues with all the walking involved was Aztec Ruins. It's in New Mexico, right in the town of Aztec. It was great for my dad who got to see the kiva and buildings without a lot of hiking in the heat (which he couldn't do.) The website is http://www.nps.gov/azru/ It's smaller than Mesa Verde but gives a nice overview. We also took my in-laws from England there--they arrived when Mesa Verde was in the middle of a wildfire one year.

Just let me know if you'd like info on hotels/restaurants/etc. I lived in the area for 15 years and it's beautiful there. You'll have a great time!