Seeking advice on things to see-Colorado/4 corners?

I'm going to have a few days in Colorado toward the end of March. I don't have anything doing on, just need to kill 4-5 days. I'll be starting out in the Vail/Aspen area. I'm wary of the weather, of course. Another time I was doing something similar and spent time in the Yellowstone area. I did see Ken's pics on Yellowstone in the winter. I was also considering seeing what's interesting in either the Bryce Canyon area and/or the 4 corners area. What's that like this time of year? Any other suggestions?

Curt

Curt.........Mesa Verde Naitonal ParkCO outside Cortez CO in the 4 corners area is a must see.......Monument Valley UT at last count....41 movies filmed there......Clint Eastwood's Eiger Sanction....Thelma and Louise.......A huge number of John Ford's John Waynes movies were filmed there at Monument Valley. There's a trading post at Monument Valley that the original builder convinced Ford to film movies there. The original trading post buildings were actually in some of the John Wayne movies. The same trading post has a very modern motel and restaurant now, however. Silverton Colorado if you can get there this time of year. Take the tour bus up from Durango CO and ride the narrow gauge railroad back to Durango ............Moab Utah.......Arches National Monument.........Becareful this time of year driving. Most people have a serious misconception of living in the desert. This time of year....even March/early April, you can have 2 feet of snow appear quickly. Check the local weather forecasts before going on any extremely long drives.

Here's a couple of photos....the first is Monument Valley ...the 2nd scenery on the bus ride from Durango CO to Silverton, CO ....beware that Silverton is at an extremely high elevation and you might not be able to drive there this time of year.

Attachment 58960

Attachment 58961

I have to agree with Mesa Verde, and while it may sound silly, standing in 4 states at the same time is kind of cool. Also, Glen Canyon and Lake Powell are worth the extra driving time if you can go that far west.

You're not TOO far from Shiprock there, and that's an impressive sight.

We've been out that way the last three years, and we've tried and failed to get to Mesa Verde three times. The first time my daughter got the flu and we spend two days in a hotel room in Cortez. The next time we totalled my van before we got ther. Last year we got a call from home and had to drive straight back without getting up there. If we go out west this year, I'm not planning to go NEAR Mesa Verde. I'd probably get hit by a meteor or something like that.:eek:

If you want to get away from the crowds and such, Esclante / Grand Staircase is wonderful. Very pretty and the Scenic Backways (roads) are stunning and tons of fun.

Brian :)

[QUOTE=Ken Fitzgerald]Curt...[snip]Be careful this time of year driving. Most people have a serious misconception of living in the desert. This time of year....even March/early April, you can have 2 feet of snow appear quickly. Check the local weather forecasts before going on any extremely long drives.[snip]

Thanks Ken. I found out about mountain weather last year. I was trying to drive from Eagle to Denver to catch a flight out the next morning. Eastbound on I-70 in a snowstorm a pickup started to slide sideways, I swerved to get out of the way and a totaled rental car & 2 broke ribs later I decided day VFR only in the mountains from now on.;)

Curt

Ken has you on the right track-- another great site is in Page, AZ. Take a tour of a slot canyon. There are two on Indian land, Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon. These have been in many commericals. Well worth it.:) I will dig out a picture and post it, if I can find one.

Curt....here's a photo of one of the pueblos at Mesa Verde....Also in Cortez, CO....check out what's going on at the local civic center. In 2003 when we were there, we got back from doing the Silverton thing and I wanted some rest. My wife and in-laws went to a free presentation at the local downtown civic center. They got to see a Native American family do cultural dancing and my FIL got to talk to one of the "Wind Talkers" a Navajo translator/talker who served with the Marine Corps during WWII. Turns out they both served at the sametime and fought at Guadacanal. All this stuff was free.......

Attachment 59005

It can be rough in the Rockies during March. Denver has be rocked with snow this season but surprisingly enough, the ski resorts are only at about average snowfall.

The whole Western Slope of the Rockies has much to see: 4-corners and Mesa Verde are popular but look into the Great Sand Dunes, too. Being winter, you'll get to see a different side of things compared to the hot, dry summer when most of us see these things.

Telluride can be nice but again, you might be dealing with snow...hard to say.

You are leaving Aspen but do you need to return to fly out of Denver or can you fly out of somewhere else...like Albuquerque or Phoenix or Salt Lake City...Vegas?

Utah has Arches and Zion...neat places to see.

The folks have the weather pegged, and have given you the sites. Oddly none of them said to bring a fly rod and catch a few fish. The San Juan River in NM is quality and several guides serve it. There are a lot of other streams and lakes in the Durango Cortez area. You might catch some late season skiing also.

The San Juan in Utah used to be pretty good fishing too in the 50's IIRC.

I take it you don't ski, or you wouldn't be asking. :-) Zion and Bryce Canyons are amazing. Four Corners is an amusing stop if you're driving by, but not worth a special trip.

Ken, the San Juan when it hits Utah is a muddy mess and not a trout fishery as far as I know. The good fishing is on the tailwater below Navajo Dam

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chris Padilla

It can be rough in the Rockies during March. Denver has be rocked with snow this season but surprisingly enough, the ski resorts are only at about average snowfall.

The whole Western Slope of the Rockies has much to see: 4-corners and Mesa Verde are popular but look into the Great Sand Dunes, too. Being winter, you'll get to see a different side of things compared to the hot, dry summer when most of us see these things.

Telluride can be nice but again, you might be dealing with snow...hard to say.



You are leaving Aspen but do you need to return to fly out of Denver or can you fly out of somewhere else...like Albuquerque or Phoenix or Salt Lake City...Vegas?



Utah has Arches and Zion...neat places to see.

---

Hi Chris

Thanks for the info. The boss & airplane are staying at Eagle so I need to go back there for departure. I'll have to what the weather gods have in store when I get there. Arches & Zion appeal to me but I have to be certain of getting there & back in the allotted time.

I've flown into Telluride a few times. Interesting airport--big ol' dip in the middle of the runway and and land east and take off west if at all possible. Leadville is the highest airport in the lower 48 but Telluride has to be in the top 5.

Curt