We are on our way to Arizona with the expectations of some beautiful nature, cool history, and the promise of a 10 day stay in Tucson.
Our journey to Tucson is going to take us two days, instead of the marathon drive of 13 straight hours. We normally take the interstate the entire way, but have decided to meander through Colorado, rural New Mexico, and eastern Arizona.
Day one has taken us to St. Elmo, a Ghost Town in the Collegiate Mountain range area. The drive from Denver to Buena Vista is varied and beautiful. Just past Buena Vista, we turned towards Mount Princeton, and drove the 19 miles to St. Elmo. As it was October, the shimmering golden aspen leaves against the blue sky was magical.
The journey to St. Elmo was the prettiest drive of the day. We passed Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, and the many cabins and resorts that surround this touristy spot. Not far from here, the road turns to gravel and dead-ends at St. Elmo, where you can park along the road, and explore this small, deserted ghost town, whose only local residents are chipmunks.
We were the only people there. The buildings throughout this old town are shut tight, but we were free to explore and imagine what life must have been like living in this remote mountainous town. To be honest, it looked like a set from an Old Western movie. But much more authentic.
St. Elmo was most certainly worth the detour from the main road, with both the remote town, and the stunning drive offering amazing mountain vistas.
From St. Elmo, we continued driving south towards the main attraction for day one: a visit to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Once we left highway 285, the landscape changed rather dramatically. Dry, arid, harsh. And in the distance, rising out of nowhere, are the massive sand dunes. The Great Sand Dunes are the tallest dunes in North America, rising over 750 feet. It is hard to grasp the size and scope of these dunes, and in all honesty, photos can not capture their grandeur. On this pleasant October morning, the sand was already quite hot to walk on, but there were quite a few people hiking, sledding, and sand-boarding. Many other people were enjoying a unique Colorado mountain beach picnic.
From the park, we drove towards our overnight spot for the evening - Durango. It was a surreal drive, leaving the arid desert surrounding the sand dunes, through the town of Alamosa, across through Pagosa Springs, and up and over stunning Wolf Creek Pass. Along the way, we stumbled across Chimney Rock National Monument, an ancient native Pueblo settlement. Unfortunately, we arrived just as the park was about to close, so we were unable to go all the way to the top, but we could at least take in the stunning views.
Once in Durango, we were tired of being in the car, and were anxious to get out and stretch our legs. Signs on the street warned of Covid-19 and recommended social distancing. In true Colorado style, the signs suggested we stay ski-length apart. We ended our day sitting back, enjoying the beautiful weather and some bourbon tasting at the local Distillery.
Comentários