Saturday, September 29, 2018

Day 94 of 117 on our “Go West, Young Man” Two Lane Adventure – Friday 9/28/18


Today was our trip from Durango Colorado to Chama New Mexico. Since it is just over 100 miles, we relaxed at the campground in the morning … we have until 11 am to vacate. We departed Lightner Creek Campground, about 10:30 am. What a great stay we had here. We are going to share the information about the campground with Rod & Helen Coe, it is much closer to Durango than the park we stayed at in Bayfield on our SW Caravan.

We crossed over the Animas River. From Durango the Animas River flows south into New Mexico through the town of Aztec to its convergence with the San Juan River at Farmington. The only major tributary of the Animas River is the Florida River which joins just north of the Colorado–New Mexico border. Kind of a unique name, well, Spanish explorer Juan Maria de Rivera of Santa Fe recorded the name "Rio de las Animas" (River of Souls) in 1765. One theory is that the full name of the river was once "Rio de las Animas Perdidas" (River of Lost Souls), although this idea may indicate confusion with the Purgatoire River of southeastern Colorado.

We are traveling on US 160 E toward Pagosa Springs. Which is also park of Tracks Across Borders, Colorado’s newest Scenic Byway. This byway offers access to dramatic mountain scenery and layers of history. Including the storied pasts of our earliest American Indian inhabitants to the golden age of railroad travel and the rise of Wild West towns bustling with gold-seekers. The greatest significance of this corridor today, is the connection of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Durango Colorado to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama New Mexico and the fact that it connects the sovereign nations of the Jicarilla Apache in New Mexico and the Southern Ute in Colorado. 

The Utes are the oldest continuous residents of Colorado. Two of the seven original Ute bands, the Mouache and Capote, make up the present day Southern Ute Indian Tribe. They reside on approximately 800,000 acres in southern Colorado. The Jicarilla Tribe consists of two bands: the Llaneros, or plains people, and the Olleros, or mountain valley people. They once roamed a large part of northeastern New Mexico and southern Colorado. In 1887, they were given a permanent reservation in north central New Mexico, which now encompasses one million acres.

San Juan National Forest covers 1.8 million acres in the southwestern corner of Colorado. The San Juan National Forest abounds with natural and cultural treasures. Terrain ranges from high-desert mesas to alpine peaks, with thousands of miles of back roads and hundreds of miles of trails to explore. Five distinct life zones range from elevations near 5,000 feet to above 14,000 feet.

We passed by the entrance for Beaver Creek Ranch and Charlie made a comment that the house we could see was nothing special and they must have spent all their money on the entrance. Well, little did we know … it is the exclusive Beaver Creek Ranch, a private gated ranch community of minimum 35 acre lots. The ranch is gated, well maintained, and includes a homeowners association. They say it is the absolute best Colorado has to offer, 3 rivers, 2 lakes, private access to the 1.8 million acres of National Forest. Elk and mule deer over 200 inches are regular visitors to the property to take advantage of their private wildlife areas. The area is known for its abundant elk herd with over the counter tags, and mule deer that regularly make the record book.

Chimney Rock National Monument, is a must-see. The monument, known for its twin rock structures, was once home to the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians and boasts more than 200 ancient homes and ceremonial structures. Chimney Rock National Monument is a protected archaeological site with limited access through tours only.  Guests then drive in their own vehicles to the high mesa.  Only people on tours may drive to the mesa top.  The drive is 3 miles up a steep, winding gravel road to the upper parking lot at an elevation of 7,400 feet. This is where both Guided Tours and Kiva Audio-Guided Tours begin.  The ancient structures are not visible from the mesa top.  Tours do not climb Chimney Rock nor Companion Rock.

Navajo State Park is Colorado's Answer to Lake Powell. Navajo Reservoir Extends for 20 miles South into New Mexico. Resplendent Navajo Lake, the chief attraction in Navajo State Park, is nestled on the border between Colorado and New Mexico. The 15,000-acre reservoir’s sapphire waters hug flat-topped buttes and canyons, and the picturesque expanse is a prime fishing, boating, camping and wildlife-watching destination. The park facilities opened in 1964, two years after completion of Navajo dam in New Mexico by the federal Bureau of Reclamation. The dam, built on the San Juan River, backed the water up 35 miles into Colorado. The dam was constructed as part of the Colorado River Storage Project.

Located within the San Juan National Forest amid the majestic San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs offers visitors a rich geological and cultural history to explore. Known for its world-famous hot springs, "Pagosah" is the Southwestern Ute word for "healing waters".

We stopped at Wal-Mart so I could grab a few things and Charlie could listen to the Kavanaugh vote on the Sirius radio. There was an interesting chain saw carving across the street. Love those eagles!

After we got through the downtown portion of Pagosa Springs, we turned onto US 84 S. Driving on US 84, there is not much but ranches, farms, trees and a few watering holes.

We started to get out of the evergreens and into a bit more leaf changing color trees.

I love the way the scenery changes, every time we turn a corner. Love the cliffs and the lone tree!

Outside of Chromo, Colorado we found this unique home and a second home? It looks more like a space ship has landed.

We came to the Colorado and New Mexico State Line. I looked at my pictures from our caravan is 2016 and this is a different New Mexico welcome sign.

We are heading into the Chama Valley. Towering mountain peaks, scenic vistas and deep, colorful gorges grace every direction, Chama is a diverse valley region famous for its art treasures and natural beauty

While Tracks Across Borders Scenic Byway ends in Chama, your journey doesn’t have to. Ours does, as this is our overnight stop at Sky Mountain RV Resort.

See you tomorrow!

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