Ruth

We're scheduled to stay 2 nights at the Far View Lodge at Mesa Verde in a couple weeks. We're debating whether to spend the second night in Durango instead. We like good food. The lodge tells me that their fine dining room will be open. Does anyone have experience with it? I think that we'll have seen all we want of Mesa Verde in 1/2 to 3/4 of a day, so we could go on to Durango for the second night. Thanks.

howard

I don't remember the restaurant there. However, in response to your comment about spending time at Mesa Verde, you may find that 1/2 to 3/4 of a day may not be enough. It wasn't for us!

ellen griswold

Hi Ruth - we stayed there several years ago. While we didn't eat in the FINE dining room, I vividly remember the scumptious aroma! While we make every attempt to stay in the Nat'l Park Inns, we try to conserve on food, prefering to put our travel dollars into more nights on the road. However, when we do enjoy their dining rooms, we have always been plesed with the quality. (Bryce and Glacier in particular!)

JMHO, but if you think 1/2-3/4 day is enough time there, then certainly go on to Durango. (Purgatory is incredible!) However, I do think you will need at least a full day there...again, JMHO!

gb

While I've never had a meal at the dining room, I think you can see quite a bit of the park in 3/4 o a day. You just can't see all of the park in 1 day. And have you checked to see if all sites are open after the fire. Although none of sites sustained fire damage, some areas might have limited access. I think a second night in Durango might be interesting. We enjoyed the Strater Hotel.

Sara

We stayed at Far View Lodge a year ago, and we ate dinner in the dining room. We had a delicious meal, and thought the dining room was very nice. We only spent 1 night at the lodge, and drove into Durango (where we were staying for several days) after touring the park all day - it's not that far. Durango's a neat town with lots of good restaraunts, galleries, etc. At Mesa Verde I recommend taking a tour - we took the full day tour, and thought it was great. You get so much more out of it, with all of the information you get about the history, culture, environment, wildlife, plants, etc. - I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much on my own.

Ruth

Thanks for all the input. How far a drive is Durango--I'm estimating about an hour, but some actual experience would be great.

gb

I don't think it will take an hour to the park entrancefrom Durango -seems more like 30 minutes. However,(at least last summer) you had to buy tickets for tours at the Visitor's Center which is near the park entrance. The ruins are a good twenty minutes from the visitor center on slower roads.