SURROUNDING AREA
Durango
Approximately 23 miles from Blue Spruce RV Park & Cabins, is a community with a Victorian downtown filled with shops, galleries, restaurants and local breweries. Several whitewater rafting companies are headquartered here. The Henry Strater Theatre is located in the Strater Hotel where you can attend a melodrama or vaudeville show. Pamper yourself at the Trimble Hot Springs.
The Durango Mountain Ski Resort is located 25 miles north of town. Durango is the southern terminal of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The train is a coal-fired steam locomotive that makes a daily roundtrip between Durango and Silverton.
Durango hosts a number of music festivals. For those interested in classical music, please visit Music in the Mountains. The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College offers year round events.
Silverton
The northern terminal of the Durango-Silverton Railroad. Silverton was once a booming mining town. Today, Silverton is loaded with great places to shop, eat, hike, sight see and just enjoy being in the mountains. Located at over 9,000 feet elevation, Silverton was one of the mining hubs of the late 1800’s and many old mining structures still can be seen right in town and via four-wheel drive trips.
Mesa Verde
Located approximately 60 miles west of Durango, this National Park encompasses 80 square miles. It contains some of the world’s larger and best-preserved cliff dwellings. Cliff Palace is the largest and most famous of the Cliff dwellings. Experience the world of those early inhabitants of Mesa Verde. Ponder why people came here, and how they flourished within this challenging, high desert environment. Learn how social and religious structures developed into the ways still followed by contemporary Puebloan peoples across the Southwest. Compliment your understanding of today’s cultures with valuable insights about the past. Be sure to leave time to visit the Far View Visitor Center, which is open during the summer (early June through Labor Day Weekend) or the Chapin Mesa Museum which is open 8 am-6:30 pm during the summer and 8am-5pm during the rest of the year.
Ignacio
You can view the rich cultural heritage of the Southern Ute Indians. Visit the Sky-Ute Casino for a little gambling, bingo and goood food.
Dolores
McPhee Reservoir, the second largest lake in Colorado offers fishing, camping and boating. The Anasazi Heritage Center is located here. It was built as a place to preserve and display the extensive collection from the archaeological sites identified during the reservoir excavation. The Dolores River is known as one of the top rivers in the nation for excellent fly-fishing!
Hovenweep National Monument
Approximately 40 miles west of Cortez. The monument contains the remains of many-roomed pueblos, small cliff dwellings and towers. Stop at the Ranger station for directions before attempting to explore this Monument. Visit Hovenweep National Monument to learn more.
Pagosa Springs
Located approximately 50 miles east of Bayfield. This community is the home of the largest natural hot springs in the United States. The water is claimed to have healing powers and comes out of the earth at 153 degrees. Visit The Springs Resort to learn more.