Colorado National Monument June 2010

Our next stop in the Colorado exploration was the Fruita/Grand Junction area on the western border with Utah about the middle of the state line. The main attraction here is the Colorado National Monument which has an amazing display of canyons and formations. We loved the hikes and walks to lookouts especially since every stop had tons of wildflowers. There were purple and lavender; fuchia and soft pink, flaming orange and apricot, buttercup and pale yellow, and multiple shades of white and green everywhere you looked. So pretty.

More at House Creek & SW Colorado

May 2010 - House Creek Campground was a favorite and we stayed here for 9 days while exploring the SW region of Colorado. The scenery and wildlife was terrific. Views from the front window of the coach.

A great hike in the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument is Sand Canyon. It is a beautiful trek through red sandstone canyons with cliff dwellings that are tucked away in places that you “discover” as you go. We felt like the first people to find these places since they were remote and no one else was there. A surreal experience.

We did come upon a resident who wasn’t too happy to see us.

Before we left the area we took a very long day trip into Utah to see the Valley of the Gods which is a miniature version of Monument Valley. It was a crude, dusty road with the most spectacular views of sandstone monuments.

Mesa Verde National Park - May 2010

Mesa Verde is the highlight of the ancestral pueblan ruins and the national park has done a fantastic job of displaying the ruins while preserving them. The information and viewpoints set off the ruins and the lovely scenery at its best. We even saw these wild horses just across the meadow from the Visitor Center.

At Spruce House there was a pretty trail down to the ruins. You could walk around, through and underground to the kiva. The whole area is fascinating and pretty at the same time.

House Creek, Telluride, San Juan Mtn Skyway

After Canyon de Chelly we continued into SW Colorado which is still part of the 4 corners region. We found another terrific campground near Cortez, CO on the McPhee Reservoir. We liked it so much we stayed 9 nights. It must have something to do with the bluebird of happiness that perched nearby.

We also had hummingbirds that continually buzzed us at the campsite. One day trip was a drive on the San Juan Mountains Skyway. Spectacular views for hours including multiple 14K ft mountains and 3 10K ft passes. Lizard Head Pass was almost 11K and had the loveliest little lake.

Stopped in Telluride to view the waterfall and had a picnic lunch by the river.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

Canyon de Chelly NM is in the NE corner of Arizona very near the four corners. It has a wonderful campground in the middle of Cottonwood trees. The scenic drive of the canyon and the ruins is spectacular.

Our last evening, we went to a ranger program conducted by two Navajo men. They told stories of the creation, the legend of the spider woman (rock formation in picture), and how the coyote put the stars in the sky. They also sang Navajo songs accompanied by drums. Loved it!

Petrified Forest NP & Painted Desert

The Petrified Forest National Park was a surprise. The variety of things to see was terrific. We took a ranger tour of ancestral pueblan ruins and also one of the Painted Desert Inn. The tour of the Inn was our favorite. It was renovated by the CCC in the 30s and a famous Hopi artist painted several murals that are still lovely today.

The scenic drive had great vistas of the painted desert and then further south there were trails to colorful petried wood areas. Then we hiked the Blue Mesa which was a surprising mix of blue and lavendar layers in the Mesa.

Acoma Pueblo aka Sky City

Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America. The mesa-top settlement is known worldwide for its unique art and rich culture. (pictures from John, text from website)