Colorado and the High Rockies

A week ago, we visited Mesa Verde National Park and its numerous Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.  The South West is full of these fascinating and ancient structures and Mesa Verde's are some of the most famous.

 

We were forced to spend a few days in Durango for a minor van repair.  All agreed that there are much worse places to be stranded - the weather was lovely, the town is surrounded by the high mountains of Colorado and the girls particularly enjoyed the leisure centre with its pool and climbing wall.  Durango's main tourist attraction is the Silverton train which steamed through our campsite several times a day. However, seeking more excitement, we opted for a raft trip down the Animas river instead.  Swollen by snowmelt, it proved rather wetter and even more exciting than we had expected.

Tracing the northerly route of the train, have spent the last few days enjoying the solitude of the high San Jaun Mountains before the Memorial Day tourist rush next week.  Our campsites at nearly 10,000ft were a little chilly at night, and snow blocked our aspirations to walk much higher, but the gorgeous weather and total isolation more than made up for it.