Orey/Silverton/Durango/Mesa Verde Visit?

[snarlingcoyote]

For various reasons, I'm considering changing from a Disney vacation to a trip to Colorado in September. It's just. . .I'm changing dates due to work and due to inviting a friend along and I can't get stable dates from anyone, meanwhile the window for me booking everything is getting narrower and narrower. I'm a half-step from chunking it all and going back to school full time to become a poorly paid archaeologist somewhere and telling my friend to either show up or not!

Okay that rant over. Could folks who live or vacation in Colorado help me out?

I'm thinking of flying into Gunnison, renting a condo or at least a resort with a kitchenette. I took some family vacations in this area as a kid, but haven't been back since I graduated high school.

So far, I've got the Silverton Durango Railroad, Mesa Verde, Hiking and renting a Jeep or four wheelers (we've played on these in mountains before) as possible activities.

Any suggestions on things to do and/or places to stay? September is low season, yes? When are the fall colors the prettiest?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

We were there last year. We stayed at a campground. Some things we did include: The Durango Silverton train, a tour of a mine, flying gliders over the valley, and several short hikes.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

They do mine tours now? Back in the 1970's and 1980's it was all about "Don't go into the mines! Don't go near the mines! Don't even think about the mines!" when we would go hiking. My brother once took a picture of a mine that came out with glowing red eyes peering back from the gloom. . .which pretty well settled the idea of me even going NEAR a mine as child. . .

Of course, my mom still has all these mimeographed sheets from way back in the day telling where the remote archaeological sites are - you know the ones they don't want tourists going to?

Not so hopped up on the gliders though. Major fear of the heights involved. I'm thinking about doing a zipline though.

 

[tar heel]

We stayed onsite in the lodge at Mesa Verde and had dinner in the restaurant there. This is truly one of the most amazing places I've ever been. Make sure to take one of the tours where you walk down to a site. It's been 12 years since we were there, so it may have changed, but then they let you go to a place where you climbed to get out -- and it was really, really high. Still can't believe my 4-year-old was allowed to do it.

Do you mean Ouray? We spent the night in a Best Western there as were traveling. I still can't believe the roads -- our mountains in the east are a LOT shorter.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

This mine was a cool touristy thing.

This is the steam train to Silverton

From inside the train

If you are afraid of heights, the glider thing is probably not for you.

Here are a few other shots of the area.

 

[Kirby]

My sister just got back a week or so ago from there. They did the zipline and loved it. You ride up on the train, they drop you off and then pick you up on the way back. From what she says, that's the only way to get to the zipline. It's a little on the expensive side though.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Do you mean Ouray? We spent the night in a Best Western there as were traveling. I still can't believe the roads -- our mountains in the east are a LOT shorter.

No wonder I couldn't find it on the map!

The mountains in NH and VT are smaller too, I think. . .at least it feels that way. Of course, I was a grown woman the first time I saw those mountains and a kid when I saw the CO mountains.

I hadn't thought about staying at Mesa Verde. (we always did things on the cheap when I was a kid. OTOH, I got to spend two weeks every summer in NM and CO, so I can't complain.)

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Those photos are great. I've looked up the railroad. I see they have all these options on car. Ya'll did the standard gondola right? It has plenty of room?

This mine was a cool touristy thing.

This is the steam train to Silverton

From inside the train

If you are afraid of heights, the glider thing is probably not for you.

Here are a few other shots of the area.

 

[monsterkitty]

You are talking about my favorite place in the world to visit! Unfortunately it has been quite some time since I have been there.

I would not stay in Gunnison if you want to go to Durango as it is about a 3 1/2 to 4 hour drive. I used to fly into Durango all the time when my sister went to school there. So, I would fly in there and stay in that area.

 

[hopemax]

I have done this area a couple times. We stayed in Durango, and did the train and Mesa Verde. Then we drove up to Montrose and then did Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and Curecanti National Recreation Area. The train is fabulous. You have a choice of inside or outside cars, outside is better for views.

 

[browneyes106]

I have relatives who live in the Farmington, NM area and when I visited them two years we do the mine tour in Durango and it was pretty fun.

 

[NMAmy]

I have relatives who live in the Farmington, NM area and when I visited them two years we do the mine tour in Durango and it was pretty fun.

I lived in Farmington for 15 years and DD was born in Durango.

The Strater Hotel is a great place to stay in Durango. We used to stay whenever they'd have specials for locals. Louis L'Amour used to stay there to get into the mood for writing his books. http://www.strater.com/

Aztec Ruins is near Farmington (which is about an hour from Durango) and is similar to Mesa Verde but much more accessible. We used to take visitors who weren't up to all the hiking up and downhill at Mesa Verde in the hot summer sun.

Driving the San Juan Skyway can bother people with a fear of heights (and even some people without a fear of heights!) Make sure the driver is someone who won't freak out. Here's some information: http://www.rmpbs.org/byways/sjs_intro.html

Have a great trip!

 

[jsmith]

1) you really dont want to fly into Gunnison-Gunnison is down in a hole and the ride will be bumpy-extremely bumpy on a good day.
2)Gunnison is frequently the coldest place in the nation-seriously-its beautiful but brrrrrrrrrrrr. Its also not at all Central to the things you say you want to see. I agree with the poster's who say to stay in Durango-much more central to the things you have planned and very very pretty. Distances are father in the west than on East coast and the driving is very mountainous-so take that into consideration. I would also investigate the cost of flying to Denver, Colorado Springs or Albequerque and getting a rental car and driving to Durango-especially if you are uncomfortable on small prop commuter aircraft-because thats what you will get flying into either Gunnison or Durango.
September is a shoulder season-"low" season in colorado is from the end of Hunting season to the bigging of ski season-usually mid Nov and the end of Ski season-early April-til mid May. If you are planning to be here after the second weekend in Sept and do any playing in the woods check the hunting seasons where you will be and be sure you have the appropriate blaze orange "i am not a deer/elk/moose/sheep/etc garb-we do have incidents of over enthusiatic hunters shooting people instead of animals every fall.
The aspen are usually the nicest from the second weekend in Sept to about the 1st weekend in October-but an early snow or frost-or a dry fall can shorten that season.