Our recent road trip started at the Denver Airport and took us to Ouray Co., Mesa Verde N.P., Chaco Canyon N.M., Jemez Springs N.M, and Taos N.M. before returning to Denver. Here we are starting out on the first full day as we drive from Colorado Springs to Ouray.

We arrived in Denver on Friday at 9pm, grabbed our rental vehicle. We’d booked a Jeep Grand Cherokee but they ended up giving us a Chrysler Pacifica. That pretty much eliminated any possibility of trail driving but what can you say to the rental agent, “How are we supposed to go off road in this thing?” The Pacifica was large, fast and luxurious so it was a lovely ride all in all.

We left the airport and found the 470 toll road that bypasses the Denver Metro area. They sure hammer you with the tolls though…it seemed like we were stopping to pay a buck and a half every five miles or so. We finally hooked up with I-25 south and drove an hour or so to Colorado Springs to spend the first night. This was the only night we hadn’t booked a room in advance and that was too bad since there was a huge hot rod show in town and the only room to be had was one at a Hilton so we ended up spending $100+ on a suite. It was very nice but far more than we needed for a few hours of sleep after a late arrival and before an early departure. A very nice breakfast was included so that saved us some time and got us off to a pleasant start.

Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado



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Then we went past the Blue Mesa Reservoir; a brilliant splash of blue in a desolate, arid landscape.

We stopped for lunch in the town of Gunnison at what seemed to be a popular local Mexican joint. I forget the name but it was the kind of place where you stand in line to order and then they call your name when your order is up. As expected, the food was great. We both thought that Gunnison seemed to be a nice little western town and we enjoyed our brief visit.

Desert Photographer


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Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado


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Twisted juniper, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

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Twisted juniper, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
We continued long Rt.50 to Montrose. We decided that it might be nice to have a beer when we arrived at Ouray so we stopped for gas at a convenience store. This is where we learned that you need to go to a beverage center to get beer and the clerk directed us to one that happened to be on Rt. 550, the road we needed to go on to reach Ouray. The fellow in line behind us was glad he overheard us since he needed beer and they won’t sell it to you on Sunday (it was Saturday). When we got to the beverage center, there he was stocking up. We left Montrose and headed on down 550 toward Ouray.

Ouray, Colorado

Ouray, Colorado vapor cave
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Ouray, Colorado vapor cave
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Ouray, Colorado vapor cave


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Road to Yankee Boy mine Ouray, Colorado

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Road to Yankee Boy mine - Ouray, Colorado

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Main Street - Ouray, Colorado
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Main Street Ouray, Colorado

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Main Street - Ouray, Colorado

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Ouray, Colorado Main Street

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Box Canyon Ouray, Colorado
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Ouray, Colorado Home on a back street
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Ouray, Colorado Cabin in town
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Ouray, Colorado Main Street
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Vapor Cave Ouray, Colorado
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Ouray, Colorado Weisbaden Inn

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Million Dollar Highway Colorado

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Million Dollar Highway Colorado

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Cliff Palace Mesa Verde National Park Colorado

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Mesa Verde National Park ruins
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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings
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Mesa Verde National Park, Balcony House
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Mesa Verde National Park early 1960's shot
peterb is on the right
with his trusty canteen


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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings
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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings

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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings

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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings

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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings


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Mesa Verde National Park cliff dwellings
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Unimog
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Mesa Verde National Park hiking


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Mesa Verde National Park hiking

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Mesa Verde National Park sunset
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Mesa Verde National Park sunrise

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Mesa Verde National Park sunset

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Campsite at Chaco Canyon
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Chaco Canyon ruins

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Chaco Canyon ruins
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Chaco Canyon ruins
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Chaco Canyon , Pueblo Bonito

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Chaco Culture National Historic Site

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Chaco Canyon lizard

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Tumbleweed and sandstone
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Chacoan doorway

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Chaco Cultural National Historic Site
Chaco Canyon , Pueblo Bonito

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Chaco Canyon ruins
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Chaco Canyon metate
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Chacoan wall

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Chacoan wall Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito
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Chaco Canyon corner window
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Chacoan doorwayChaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito,
Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonitos

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Chacoan doorway
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Chaco Canyon ruins
Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito

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Chaco Canyon ruins

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Chacoan Masonry

Chaco Canyon ruins
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Chacoan masonry, Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito

Chacoan masonry, Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito

Casa Rinconada Chaco Canyon
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Casa Rinconada Chaco Canyon

Casa Rinconada Chaco Canyon

Casa Rinconada Chaco Canyon

After lots of strong coffee and some nut bread we hopped in the car and drove to the trail head. The first part of the hike is the worst with a short but steep section that gets you to the top of the canyon. It requires hands, feet AND knees. I think this is where Sharon awoke fully with a fair amount of muttering and cursing. Chaco is at 6200 feet so that adds to the strain some.

Here's the view looking back at where the trail starts behind the ruins of another of the Great Houses that you can see here at the base of the cliff. It is called Kin Kletso.

Chaco Canyon ruins
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Chaco Canyon Pueblo Alto trail
Chaco Canyon Pueblo Bonito Overlook

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Chaco Canyon Pueblo Bonito Overlook
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Chaco Canyon Pueblo Bonito Overlook
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Chaco Canyon Pueblo Bonito Overlook
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Chaco Canyon Pueblo Bonito Overlook
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After viewing Pueblo Bonito from the overlook, we hiked away from the rim up to Pueblo Alto. Pueblo Alto is where the roads coming in from the north terminate. All the pilgrims from Anasazi communities to the north would have come down these roads to participate in the religious rites and trading that took place, they believe, at regular intervals at Chaco Canyon.

We walked out the North Road a bit to an unexcavated ruin called Rabbit Run. Here's the view from that road looking back toward the ruins of Pueblo Alto. There was no one else around at this point and we only saw three other hikers on top of the mesa.

Chaco Canyon ancient potsherds
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Of the couple of dozen shreds we found along the roadway, this was the best. It was about 2" on a side and still had lots of the design. We could tell from the shape (convex or concave) whether a sherd was from a bowl decorated on the inside or a jar decorated on the outside. The dark areas were painted on by the artisan using a yucca fiber brush before the pot was fired. For me finding and handling these sherds gave me a stong feeling of kinship to these ancient people and their daily lives. Naturally they don't want you to remove these sherds from the park so, as much as I wanted to keep one or two, we tossed them back for others to enjoy and hopefully leave behind as well.

Our first glimpse of the Jackson Stairs.

Jackson Staircase - Chaco Canyon
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Jackson Staircase - Chaco Canyon
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Cliff swallow nests, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
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Cliff swallow nests, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
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Chacoan doorways, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Chacoan doorway, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Chacoan doorway, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Chacoan doorway, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Chacoan room, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

A uniquely Chacoan doorway...a doorway deep inside Pueblo Bonito with the late day sun bouncing off the wall that is out of sight in the next room. It almost seems as though there might be Chacoans in the next room warming themselves by a fire.

Chacoan masonry detail, Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

Trail to McCauley Hot Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio Bed and Breakfast, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio Bed and Breakfast, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Canon del Rio Bed and Breakfast, Jemez Spring, New Mexico

Rabbit Brush Flowers
Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Stairs and caves
Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Stairs and caves
Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Stairs and caves
Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Stairs, Bandelier National Monument
New Mexico

Stairs, Bandelier National Monument

Stairs, Bandelier National Monument

La Dona Luz Inn - Taos New Mexico
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Old Chevy Pickup in New Mexico

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Taos, New Mexico

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Taos Pueblo

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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo

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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo

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Taos Pueblo pottery
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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Taos Pueblo
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