Granted, I have been to Colorado before, but in recent years my forays into the state have been to run Pikes Peak and return home sore and sunburnt. I have neglected the lower part of the state, which is beautiful. Even though we only spent about a week there (it’s insanely expensive on the whole), we loved it. Here are some highlights:
National Parks:
We made it to Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde. Both were good to see again, but, alas, most of the National Parks we hit are decidedly not dog friendly. (I mean, you can have your dog in the campground, but nowhere else in the park…)
Colorado cider:
Given the climate you might not think of Colorado as cider country (and it probably isn’t), but we did find an excellent spread of dry ciders, including a delectable prickly pear flavor, at Apple Valley Cider Company in Penrose.
Trains:
Colorado is known for its narrow gauge trains and there’s just something about these great chugging machines that feels romantic. Maybe my buddy, Dustin, could put a finger on what it is about these machines…
Misc:
Durango was a beautiful, laid-back town full of shops and, yes, trains. The hotel pictured below is where Louis L’Amour did some of his writing about the west.
On the Road with Adie 