Colorado to Wyoming

Van Briggle Art Pottery
Pikes Peak Ghost Town
Miramont Castle
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Olympic Training Center
Colorado Springs Pioneer's Museum
Pikes Peak Center
U.S. Air Force Academy
Western Museum of Mining and Industry
Garden of The Gods Visitor Center
Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum
Seven Falls
American Numismatic Association of Money Musem
The Broadmoor Hotel

Pikes Peak Cog Railway
We're talking Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City, Downtown Colorado Springs, the Broadmor, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls, the caves, Air Force Academy, Cripple Creek... and a whole bunch of other things. You could even take a side trip from the Springs and see the Royal Gorge. You could do a driving loop where you go from Co Springs to Canon City to Salida to Buena Vista

http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm

Day One
From Montrose, follow Colorado 347 about 15 miles to the South Rim Visitors Center at Gunnison Point, where you can grab all the material you'll need on park history, weather updates, route-finding and camping, plus new interactive exhibits on area flora and fauna. Reserve your campsite (first come, first served) at the office so you'll have a spot when you're done for the day.

Hiking the canyon is a wonderful way to take it all in, and the south rim offers no shortage of walks. Most of them are easy to moderate in difficulty, so people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the sites. From the visitors center you can catch Rim Rock, a flat, sunny, one-mile jaunt through sagebrush that overlooks the Gunnison River to the South Rim Campground. Oak Flat Loop, also accessible from the visitors center, is a more strenuous two-mile hike that takes you to below-rim aspen forests and offers remarkable views downstream on the return.

These two trails should give you a great introduction to park. After you finish your hikes, head back to camp and get some sleep. It's a full day tomorrow.

Day Two
Hop in the car and follow the South Rim Road, past the visitors center and into the heart of the park. Spend a leisurely day along the main road and have a picnic lunch. There are two additional hiking trails and about a dozen overlooks along the route, starting with Pulpit Rock on the right. Cedar Point Nature Trail is an easy, 2/3-mile walk featuring signposts on area plants. From this vantage point you can also see Colorado's tallest cliff, the 2,250-foot Painted Wall. At the end of the South Rim Road is 1.5-mile Warner Point Nature Trail, a moderate trail offering sweeping views both north (West Elk Mountains and Gunnison River) and south (San Juan Mountains, Uncompahgre Valley and Bostwick Park).

Details:
Entrance fee: $8 (for up to 7 days); $15 annual permit; National Parks Pass or Golden Age Passport accepted.
Camping: $10/site per day; $15 on South Rim Loop B (electrical hookups)
More information: call 970-641-2337 or visit www.nps.gov/blca.

Box Canyon Falls trail
Maybe take a walk along the walking trail between Ridgway and Ridgway State Park. Take a carriage ride, walk Main Street, visit the museum, soak up the scenery. Maybe take a half day jeep tour or drive up to Red Mountain Pass if steep dropoffs don't bother you.

christ of the mines shrine

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/visitcliffdwelling.htm

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/things2do.htm




IF YOU HAVE ONE HALF DAY OR LESS...

Plan to spend at least four hours at Mesa Verde. Two hours of this time will be spent driving in and out of the park.

*
Your first stop should be at the Far View Visitor Center (15 miles from the park entrance) for information and orientation.
*
Visit the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and Spruce Tree House -or- drive the Mesa Top Loop Road (six-mile loop).



IF YOU HAVE ONE DAY...

* Stop at the Far View Visitor Center to purchase tickets ($3.00) to visit Cliff Palace or Balcony House.
* Drive the Cliff Palace/Balcony House Loop Road. If you plan to visit Cliff Palace or Balcony House, be sure to purchase your tickets at the Far View Visitor Center first.
* Visit the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, take a self-guided tour of Spruce Tree House, -and- drive the Mesa Top Loop Road (six-mile loop).
* Hike the Far View Sites Complex.



IF YOU HAVE ONE DAY (alternative)...

* Stop at the Far View Visitor Center to purchase tickets ($3.00) to visit Long House on Wetherill Mesa.
* Take the Wetherill Mesa Drive, hike the trails to the mesa top sites and cliff dwelling overlooks, and enjoy the tram service.
* Join a ranger for your ticketed tour to Long House. Be sure to purchase your tickets ($3.00) at the Far View Visitor Center before driving to Wetherill Mesa.
* Take a self-guided tour of Step House.

canyon of the ancients national monument

http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm
http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/horseshoecanyon.htm
http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/needles.htm
http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/islandinthesky.htm


chesler park trail
quick look on internet - people think this is too big for a quick visit. better for lookout at Dead Horse.

http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/programs.htm

http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

camp stargazing