We hit the road around 8 a.m., aiming for Trinidad, with La Quinta booked for the night. Things went smoothly until after Amarillo—then the engine started overheating. Not ideal when you’re staring down hours of highway. We limped into Trinidad and straight to an auto shop, worried about what the rest of the drive might bring.
La Quinta didn’t help the mood. The room smelled off and looked tired. At least dinner redeemed the day: Sunset Bar & Grill, an Indian fusion spot, was surprisingly good.
Sunday Aug 10 – Waterfalls & Sand Dunes
Another 8 a.m. start. First stop: Alamosa, to pick up something Grandpa left at the RV park. Then a short detour to Zapata Falls. The trail was just half a mile each way—perfect for kids—and ended at a waterfall tucked inside a box canyon. We waded the creek, got our feet chilled, and loved it.
Ten minutes later: Great Sand Dunes National Park. We rented a board and a sled, full of excitement. Hiking in sand, though? Way tougher than it looks. Add wind whipping sand into our skin (ouch!) and sun baking the dunes, and suddenly it felt like survival training.
The board flew; the sled, not so much—it just got stuck. Lesson learned: rent two boards next time, and be ready to wax them constantly. Still, sand dunes next to a waterfall? Unreal.
The car almost gave us a heart attack—temperature flirting with 270°F—but we made it. After a few hours we reached Crested Butte. Our place, across a little walking bridge, was old but cozy. We cooked dinner, then took a long evening walk to scout spots for December. Later that night, I went ahead and reserved a place in town on Airbnb.
Monday Aug 11 – Legendary Rafting & Mountain Tennis
Morning adventure: rafting the upper Taylor River with Three Rivers Rafting. It ended up being just the four of us plus a guide—Veto, a legend in the valley. He’s been rafting here 45 years, started guiding on this very river, and at 68 might soon retire. The water was fast, fun, and full of stories. We spotted a brown bear, birds, billion-year-old granite cliffs, and even let the kids “ride the bull” at one of the rapids. Pure magic.
Lunch was at Three Rivers Resort—just as I remembered, their smoke chicken was quite tasty.
Afternoon: family card games, then tennis at the prettiest courts I’ve ever seen—pristine, ringed by mountain views, with a wedding happening just uphill at City Hall. The kids ran off to the playground while we played.
After dinner, we hiked Snodgrass Trail. The loop rewarded us with a herd of gorgeous horses and a fox trotting by with prey in its mouth. Norah was enchanted by the horses—so much so that horseback riding might be on the agenda soon.
Morning adventure: rafting the upper Taylor River with Three Rivers Rafting. It ended up being just the four of us plus a guide—Veto, a legend in the valley. He’s been rafting here 45 years, started guiding on this very river, and at 68 might soon retire. The water was fast, fun, and full of stories. We spotted a brown bear, birds, billion-year-old granite cliffs, and even let the kids “ride the bull” at one of the rapids. Pure magic.
Lunch was at Three Rivers Resort—just as I remembered, their smoke chicken was quite tasty.
Afternoon: family card games, then tennis at the prettiest courts I’ve ever seen—pristine, ringed by mountain views, with a wedding happening just uphill at City Hall. The kids ran off to the playground while we played.
After dinner, we hiked Snodgrass Trail. The loop rewarded us with a herd of gorgeous horses and a fox trotting by with prey in its mouth. Norah was enchanted by the horses—so much so that horseback riding might be on the agenda soon.
Tuesday Aug 12 – The Epic Hike
We tackled a monster hike: eight miles, climbing nearly 2,000 feet. Getting there required a rough Jeep road, two miles of bumping and jolting just to reach the trailhead. From there, we hiked the Daisy Pass loop, about 6.7 miles. The views were spectacular—sweeping valleys and ridgelines—though shade was scarce. We suspect miners cleared out the trees long ago. Along the way, we found wild raspberries, which Norah later turned into jam for sandwiches—delicious! Lunch was beside a rushing creek, gorgeous but with zero shade.
Norah battled altitude sickness, so she and Mom stopped short while Dad and Jackson pushed on to the top of Cascade Mountain, just 200 feet higher but looking scary steep. Along the way, we passed a snow cave and even two old mine shafts. At one cave, four miles up, we stopped to rest and shout into the echoing darkness, wishing we knew how to yodel. Exhausting, but unforgettable.
Wednesday Aug 13 – Horses & Bikes
We split up for the day. Mom and Norah went horseback riding at Fantasy Ranch, with their guide Josie. Norah’s horse was Windsor, while Mom’s was Chubbs. They meandered peacefully through the Snowgrass valley. Fantasy Ranch owns 400 acres, and it felt like riding through a private kingdom.
Meanwhile, Dad and Jackson braved downhill mountain biking at the CB resort. Both were a little intimidated by the steep descents, but they came out grinning.
We reunited for lunch at Thai Smile (a rafting-guide recommendation—spot on). In the afternoon, we hiked the Three Lakes Loop: Lost Lake Slough, Lost Lake, and Dollar Lake. At Lost Lake we played with some dogs and chatted with fellow Dallas travelers.
Thursday Aug 14 – Boulders & Big Skies
Before leaving town, we squeezed in one more adventure. We hiked 1.5 miles along the Upper Loop Trail to reach Skyland Boulders, a rock field perfect for climbing. The kids scrambled over giant rocks like it was nature’s jungle gym, while we picnicked on sandwiches with our homemade raspberry jam.
Afterward, we drove two hours to Montrose to meet the grandparents and drop off the kids. Dinner was at a BBQ joint right by their campground, then onward to Lake City.
We checked into the Alpine Moose Lodge—a tiny, eight-room family place at the edge of town. That night, stepping outside before bed, we were stunned by the Milky Way. Millions of stars lit the sky—more than we’d seen in years.
Friday Aug 15 – Cataract Lake & Moose Encounters
We thought Cataract Lake Trail was eight miles… but it turned out to be eleven. Five hours of hiking took us through shady forest and sunny meadows before finally reaching the alpine lake. Other hikers pointed out three moose across the lake. On the way to Lake San Cristobal, we spotted another one—our moose luck was strong.
After the hike, we drove the Colorado 30 loop toward American Basin but turned back at a crossroads due to car worries. Dinner at Southern Vittles was good with hearty, family-style food.
Evening brought wildlife magic: at Deer Lake, we saw two cow moose in the pond. As we drove out in heavy rain, a bull moose splashed and played right in front of us.
Saturday Aug 16 – The Grand Finale
Our last hike: Wetterhorn Basin. Remote, quiet, and wild. We saw no one the entire time. The first stretch required bushwhacking, and the trail was faint, but with Will’s hiking app we stayed on course. The payoff: a breathtaking basin surrounded by towering peaks. Easily the best hike of the trip.
Afterward, we drove straight toward Raton, New Mexico. Along the way we stopped in Creede, Colorado, to explore the quirky town and eat at Kip’s Grill (Tex-Mex, tasty). At the edge of town, the box canyon cliffs made for a dramatic backdrop.
We reached Heart’s Desire Bed & Breakfast around 8:30 p.m.—an 1816-era building filled with antiques and character. The climb there pushed our car hard, but it survived. Breakfast the next morning was homemade by the owners, a couple who bought the place after their kids grew up. It had been run by a woman named Barbara for 25 years before they took over. The food (and the story) made the stay special.
Then came the long drive home on Sunday —10 hours, one bathroom break, no kids in the car. We rolled into the driveway at 6:45 p.m., tired but glowing from a week of adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment