isabel

I'm trying to plan the last four days/nights of an almost three week long trip. By this time we will have done Vegas-Bryce-GCNR-Zion, and then three nights in Mesa Verde/Durango. So, I have a plan but not sure if I'm trying to cram too much in.

Tuesday - Drive Durango to Silverton, look around, then back via Durango and Pagosa Springs to Santa Fe. I think it's about an hour each way Durango to Silverton, then 4 to 4 1/2 hours to Santa Fe. If we left around 9am and didn't feel the need to get to Santa Fe till dinner time would we have time to enjoy Silverton, and maybe lunch in Pagosa Springs?

Wednesday - Santa Fe. Is one full day (plus two other evenings) enough to do the Walking Tours (found in guide books, on line), maybe a little shopping, eating of course. Don't need to do any museums.

Thursday - High Road to Taos. Google maps says it's 77 miles and 2 hr for the high road and 71 miles, 1 1/2 hr for the other way. Does that sound accurate. We would want to stop, at least briefly in most of the towns to take photos. Do we have to do that plus look around Taos itself and also Taos Pueblo?

Friday - Turquoise Trail to Albuquerque. Google maps says 75 miles, 1 3/4 hr. We'd want to stop in Los Cerrillos and Madrid. About how long should we plan. We'd like to get to Albuquerque in time to check into our hotel (near the airport) but then have a few hours to look around the Old Town area (and have dinner). We fly out early Saturday morning.

happytrailstoyou

If you have the time to drive to Ouray, it is a more interesting town than Silverton.

In Santa Fe we took the walking tour given by the History Museum; it was a highlight of our three-night stay there.

The little church in Chimayo is the highlight of the High Road to Taos. We thought the highway between Taos and Santa Fe was as (or more) beautiful than the High Road.

Taos has much to offer. The tour of the Taos Pueblo is very worth while.

Another New Mexico highlight for us was the ruins of the Salinas Pueblos Mission at Quarai--south of Albuquerque. If you are there at lunch time, check out the 1923 Pueblo Deco restaurant in the Shaffer Hotel in the little town of Mountaiair. We had delicious Mexican food there (and we are not fans of Mexican food).

Old Town in Albuquerque, with hawkers trying to get us into restaurants and shops, was a tawdry place that didn't appeal to us. The restaurant scene in the Nob Hill neighborhood was much more interesting.

HTTY

BigRuss

Spend more time in Santa Fe and not ABQ. You can get to the Sunport easily enough from Santa Fe -- takes about 90 minutes down I-25.

BeachGirl247

Your info on Taos to Santa Fe is correct on timing. You will likely want to stop along the high road in Chimayo at Sanctuario de Chimayo and other picturesque spots. For me, the highway is not appealing until you get a few miles south of Taos to see the Rio Grande River. The High road with the small towns is very pretty especially in the fall.

I, too, recommend visiting the Taos Pueblo. Check it's website for hours as they close for religious holidays. Also, drive out about 15 minutes to the Rio Grande Bridge for a breath-taking view of the river and canyon below.

DebitNM

Not sure what there is to see in Los Cerrillos. Madrid is some funky shops, can be through there in less than an hour, and can just drive through without stopping and not miss anything if you don't stop.

There are much better places to eat dinner than in Old Town - Nob Hill area near UNM for one.

I would skip Silverton, that adds a lot of backtracking for no real reason. Better to head to Santa Fe earlier, to have more time there. Ouray is nicer than Silveton, but the scenery is what is most impressive and you will have nice views on the drive to SF.

DebitNM

I would drive from Durango to Santa Fe, via SR 550 on Tuesday. I would stop at Chaco Canyon. This is a better option than driving to Silverton, and lunch in Pagosa.

happytrailstoyou

Having read what the others have written, I agree that you should stop in Taos and spend at least one night there before going on to Santa Fe. Albuquerque is a big city which lacks the charm of Taos, Santa Fe, and other towns and cities on your itinerary.

HTTY

Michael

The real appeal of Durango to Silverton is the train ride. You can take it one way and take a bus back, its all part of the RT ticket. But it will take more time than you allocated.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622636845987

isabel

Thanks for all the replies. Most of you seem to agree that Albuquerque is not that interesting so we won't plan to spend any extra time there. We are spending that last night there because our flights are at 7 am.

So is the Turquoise Trail worth while? And if so how much time should we allow for it? Deb, Los Cerrillos is listed on the websites and guidebooks as one of the 'charming' towns along the Turquoise Trail? Not so?

So then our other decision is whether or not to do Silverton. According to google maps going to Chaco Canyon would add about three hours of extra driving to the Durango-Santa Fe trip - so that's more than the round trip to Silverton. I think my interest in doing Silverton was to just get a little taste of the mountains of Colorado. The vast majority of this trip is the 'southwest', and that's the way we want it. I was just thinking that since we were so close a few hour detour would give me my fix of Colorado (I went to college in Ft Collins many years ago). So Silverton itself is not the draw, it's the mountain scenery. Is there some other detour we could take on route from Durango to Santa Fe that would provide that?

Thanks for your help.

DebitNM

Drive from Durango to Taos; that will get you through Pagosa and through some pretty mountains views. Then head to Santa Fe and then down to ABQ.

And for the record, ABQ is NOT " not that interesting". There is lots to see and do here and isn't the big "meh" that most people espouse it to be. There are some wonderful things to see and do here. We have a first class zoo and botanical garden, Indian Cultural and Hispanic Cultural Centers, to name just a few.

I kind of get tired trying to sell people on spending time here and there is a strong sentiment that you have to spend your time in SF and Taos. It is their loss for not exploring what is here in this city.

roguemckenzie

good info! planning a colorado trip in October and hoping to do a side trip down to SF. thanks for giving me food for thought!

ElendilPickle

>>And for the record, ABQ is NOT " not that interesting". There is lots to see and do here and isn't the big "meh" that most people espouse it to be. There are some wonderful things to see and do here. We have a first class zoo and botanical garden, Indian Cultural and Hispanic Cultural Centers, to name just a few.

OCdogsmom

We had a lot of fun in Albuquerque while at a convention. We stayed at a hotel right by old town and loved the different restaurants and bars there. Our favorite dinner was at High Noon. We rode bikes down by the river and were pleasantly surprised at the fun goofiness of the town (respectfully) and the great food.

I do wish we could have spent more time in Santa Fe though. Been to Durango Silverton many times and it is great. Train is soooo pretty but long if you do round trip. There is an option to take a van back from Silverton to Durango. I would check into that.

sylvia3

I think Albuquerque is a fascinating, real place (love old town, great museum); and there's a terrific trail of petroglyphs outside town that few tourists seem to take.