Mesa Verde & Silverton Co..........

[capt_joe]

My nephew and I will be in Mesa Verde and Silverton Co. the first & second week of June. We plan to atv the mountains and take in the local sites..... Any advice?? Anybody in the area?  Thanks............

 

[Wendy]

Mesa Verde is an amazing place. Be sure to stop FIRST at Far View Visitor Center and buy tickets for the tours. I recommend Cliff Palace. And if Rebecca sells you your tickets, be nice, she's my goddaughter . The loop drive is also fantastic - you stop and look across the canyons at the ruins, a different aspect than being in the ruins.

The train from Durango to Silverton is incredible and is absolutely worth the money. Take the train up and the bus back down so you see different things. If you can't do the train, then for sure do the Million Dollar Highway drive.

Hovenweep National Monument, 45 miles west of Cortez, is a very special place. Much less developed than Mesa Verde and more like you might accidently come across the ruins on a hike or ride.

If you've got a 4WD, do the Alpine drive, into the San Juan mountains from Silverton. You can not belive the scenery on this drive. And you can easily climb a 14er (14,000-foot mountain) since you're over 12,000 feet in many places.

Any other advice you're looking for just shout out. We've lived in the area for over 20 years (Hovenweep National Monument and Cortez).

Enjoy
Wendy

 

[capt_joe]

Thank you vary much for your advice..... I'll look for Rebecca and tell her, her God Mother sent me................ I plan for my Nephew to stay in mesa Verde for 2 days and hope to take all the tours we can in that time. (My nephews 11 and never really been anywhere.)

As it stands right now I don't have time to take the train. I have a 4wd truck with cab-over and plan to bring my Honda Atv to ride the Alpine loop and tour the mountain trails. But well just have to see when we get there, I know I'll regret it if we don't take the train trip...................

Looking into Hovenweep............ Thank you again..............

 

[maddog348]

Watch Out for the little black gnats!! They bite like Badgers.  Made the mistake of NOT wearing spray or long sleeves at Hovenweep a couple of Springs ago. They are miserable.  JM2?  K

 

[Wendy]

Watch Out for the little black gnats!! They bite like Badgers.  Made the mistake of NOT wearing spray or long sleeves at Hovenweep a couple of Springs ago. They are miserable.

They're pinon gnats and, yes, they are nasty little buggers. But they're usually out in the spring and should be gone by June.

Wendy

 

[cpeters]

The high passes will still be snow packed. If you plan to go like to stoney, imogene, taylor etc, you might wait a few weeks. We never go til after July 20th. The rafting will be better in june, but the 4 wheeling is better later. Have fun.

 

[capt_joe]

Thanks again for the info and advice................. Will make sure I got bug spray.......... I understand it might be still a little early for all the passes and stuff to be free of snow, but this was the only time I could make the trip.. We'll make the best of it............. Thanks again guys....

 

[zmotorsports]

Another must see is the little town of Ouray.  It is north of Silverton and the scenery is breathtaking.  This is one of our favorite little towns to visit.  It gets somewhat steep from Silverton north on hwy 550 but well worth the drive.  Mike.

 

[82corvette]

Up by St Elmo there is Hancock pass & Tincup pass but I'll bet there is still lots of snow. Make sure you get your atv permit sticker or the ranger will fine you. And remember you can't ride on most county roads out there.

 

[Wendy]

Up by St Elmo there is Hancock pass & Tincup pass but I'll bet there is still lots of snow. Make sure you get your atv permit sticker or the ranger will fine you. And remember you can't ride on most county roads out there.

Trust me, no one is going 4-wheeling up Tincup Pass right now - snowmobiling, yes, driving, no. There's record snowfalls up in them-thar mountains.

Wendy

 

[82corvette]

Trust me, no one is going 4-wheeling up Tincup Pass right now - snowmobiling, yes, driving, no. There's record snowfalls up in them-thar mountains.

Wendy  We were up there 3 years ago about Sept,1 and it had never stopped snowing at the pass & the gate was closed. Sure was pretty till the hail & lightning started!

Fixed quote

 

[beaverfever]

just left moab to mesa verde we came thru ouray and over 550. the snow pack is record high (so i was told ) they have 550 clear but not anything else.
be sure to visit mesa verde as words and pictures can not do justice to this wonderful park

 

[Wendy]

Mesa Verde is spectacular. So is Hovenweep and much less developed. Our snow pack here in the San Juans is at 105% of average....not record but a whole lot better than we've had most of the last decade. Now, further northeast of here, they have had some record snowpack. This is all good, especially for the folks downriver from us.

Wendy

 

[Larry N.]

Much of the northern part of Colorado is at 150% (some parts are listed at over 170%), or more, of normal snowpack. Many are concerned about possible flooding with warm weather. Avalanches are becoming a bigger problem, too, as things warm up. The TV said last night that some places still have over 13 feet (yes feet) of snow still on the ground.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Larry

>>The TV said last night that some places still have over 13 feet (yes feet) of snow still on the ground.<<

Mammoth Mt., Ca. snow pack is 19 feet & it is snowing now.....

 

[Larry N.]

Larry

>>The TV said last night that some places still have over 13 feet (yes feet) of snow still on the ground.<<

Mammoth Mt., Ca. snow pack is 19 feet & it is snowing now.....

Definitely an odd year for weather...

 

[Jeff Brown]

Thomas the Train shows up at the Silverton Railroad sometime in June every year.  If you have kids it's a pretty fun thing!

Jeff