Back from the Colorado trip to Silverton

[Superdawg]

Just got back from the 2100 mile trip to Silverton, Colorado. We went through Gallup, Albuquerque, rode the Cumbres & Toltec at Chama and into Durango. The Toltec was nice but I am undecided as to if the Silverton has better scenery. In Chama, we stayed a night at Sky River campground on the river. Nice people, beautiful property and off the road a little bit.

Seems that all the campers in Northern New Mexico and Colorado are Texans getting out of the heat.

Stayed a couple nights at a nice little campground near Durango called Junction Creek. Very nice, lots of space between sites. Took the kids to the pool at the Durango Recreation Center. The giant indoor pool is heated to 89 degrees and has a 3 story waterslide, lazy river and other amenities. The kiddos 6, 9 and 13 are swimmers and they had the best time.

Now to the real camping. From Durango, we went up 550 to just past Silverton. Took a dirt road 4 miles to South Mineral campground at 10,700'. No hookups but there are two water spigots in the campground fed by a spring. This is probably the most beautiful campground we have ever been to. A small creek with wild brook trout (6-7") running through and 13k peaks all around. Every day, a lighting and thunder show and a little rain to keep the dust down. Even the tall peaks got a little dusting of snow.

Spent 5 days there, doing day trips partway up the Alpine Loop from Silverton to Animas Forks. I enjoyed that but my family has a thing about steep dropoffs on the side of the road. We also went into Ouray (nice) and Telluride. Telluride is pretty but you have to pay to park on the street (They lost me there) and it seems to cater to the wealthy crowd (not me). I am more a Ouray or Silverton guy. One of our best trips.

South Mineral Campground

Animas Forks ghost town 11k elevation

South Mineral Campground

 

[Grizzly]

Great trip. I'm glad you enjoyed it. We've been to all those places you mentioned many times. I love Northern New Mexico and Colorado Rocky's.



george

 

[Superdawg]

George,
My wife wanted so bad to go to Telluride. So, we took a day trip from the Silverton area to there, visited the town and rode the gondola. We decided the Silverton/Ouray side was much more scenic and more my budget.

Tom

 

[Grizzly]

Tom, We road both trains two or three time. We liked the Cumbres and Toltec train better, especially the second half from Osier to Antonito.



We love Telluride. Been there a dozen times or more. How did you like Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray? We also like Ouray, Silverton, Montrose, Gunnison, Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Pagoda Springs, Wolf Creek Pass, South Fork. You name it, we like all that country as well as Northern NM. We visited most of those places in late June. We also love the Rocky's in Wyoming and Montana.



george

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Telluride has gotten a lot more money oriented in the last 25 years. I notice you didn't tow your trailer down Black Bear Road, lol.

 

[Superdawg]

My 4 passengers gave me enough trouble on the dirt road from Silverton to Animas Forks ghost town. It didn't help that we came across a bad accident where someone went off a dirt road a day or two earlier. Black Bear Road and the other trails like it are out for me. I would like to borrow someone else's Jeep to do it though. I noticed a Land Rover Club go past and those extreme Jeep trails are getting a lot of Rhinos and Razors now.
Taking the trailer from Durango to Silverton was easy. It would be nice to have an exhaust brake though.