Rock ‘N Roll In The Rockies
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 quarters to many world-class ski resorts and the region is dotted with historic mining towns from the 19th Century as well as some of the most outstanding scenery in North America. Colorado is a sizeable state with many miles separating each ski resort or vacation destination. Depending upon the extent of your vacation time, you may want to consider this when deciding on an area of Colorado to visit.
Southwestern Colorado is a magnificent location to go to see with amazing mountain views and numerous outdoor activities in the winter and summer months alike. Durango in particular, near Purgatory Ski Resort, has first-rate ski runs, snow mobile trails, cross country skiing trails and lodging with views of the spectacular San Juan Mountain Range. Purgatory Ski Resort itself has great dining options, but a journey 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 travel 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 vehicle, is also a gorgeous drive. Silverton is an old mining town, filled 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 Mining is no longer active in Silverton, but a few shops sell all the fools gold and mining accessories a person could ever hope for.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 close to Durango as well and contains amazing cliff dwellings of Native Americans over 700 years old. See the hieroglyphs impressed into walls, ancient artifacts, and many 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 one time. Navajo Indians promote their turquoise and silver jewelry all through this area along with their quality weaving. If you haven’t ever eaten Navajo flat bread, you are in for a treat 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 could easily spend several weeks in this segment of the Centennial State, and fortunately, there is no lack of Colorado vacation rentals all along the way, many of which are bed and breakfast houses in carefully restored Victorian-style homes, giving you a taste of what life might have been like in the prime of Colorado’s mining industry and the “Robber Baron” Era.
Southwestern Colorado is a breathtaking place to visit for tourists who take pleasure in an enthusiastic life style in the great outdoors. Camp sites are everywhere, RV campgrounds are all through this great state, as well as beautiful Colorado condo rentals. Any region west of the Rocky Mountain Front Range in Colorado is spectacular scenery with all sorts of outdoor activities from river sports to mountain climbing to just sitting around a camp fire.
Lake Norman Tuscan Estate
