ccb213

Hi. Thanks to all who have helped plan our family vacation to Southern Colorado so far. We are leaving in two weeks and I'd like some help with driving directions.

Any suggested routes from the ABQ airport to Mesa Verde and suggestions of where to stop along the way to break up the drive (with three kids age 7,8,8,)? This is the drive we'll be making directly after a flight from DC.

I've seen a couple of threads on directions from Durango - Co. Springs - if we want to stop at Sand Dunes National Park - is the best way 160 to 25? Is there a way to visit Ouray and Sand Dunes on the drive from Durango to Colorado Springs or is that too much? If there are other suggested routes, please let me know.

As a side note, if we have two days in Durango and one is taken up by Silverton Railroad (train up, bus back) - is it worth a drive up to Ouray on the other day?

Thanks again for all your help - you input is really appreciated.

Ackislander

Well, the Google maps route is the shortest, but it takes you through some real empty country. Real empty.

US 84 is significantly longer but takes you through Chama, where there are narrow gauge trains to wander through, gas stations, and plenty of food.

I hope DebitNM and others will hop in with advice. This is just to keep you near the top.

emalloy

We've done that route a couple of times. It is about 300 miles, so depending on what time you leave ABQ, you might want to spend the night along the way. We take i 25 to NM 550 and then continue north, either to 160 via Durango then west to MV or on another road that goes a bit northwest to Cortez and then east on 160. If it's late when you leave look for a place in Bernallilo area. If you want to bo a bit farther, then look in Bloomfield area. These would be ordinary, chain places, no five star.

550 goes right past the road in to Chaco Canyon. This is fantastic, but the road in is 15 or 20 miles of gravel and if it has rained recently will be impassible for most cars. If you do this, continue to Bloomfield for the night. North of Bloomfield is Aztec ruin which is worth a stop and another comparison to MV and not out of the way at all.

DebitNM

emalloy is pretty spot on. We drive this route almost monthly as we have homes in ABQ and near MV.

Mileage from ABQ Sunport to entrance of MVNP is just under 250. Time once you get on I 25 at airport to entrance is a shade under 4 hours.

If you feel you need to stay, you can hotwire a motel in Bernalillo, [put in Santa Ana Pueblo as the location] and 2.5 stars and get the Holiday Inn Express for about $48 most times.

[more to come]

DebitNM

As far as a stop -- how far off the road do you want to go and how much time do you want to take? After a long flight, and drive, I am thinking you want something easy and not very time consuming. For that reason, I would say that Chaco would really not work. It is a long way in and out and it will be hot with no shade and no services and if you are there late in day, it's monsoon season, so you could get caught in heavy [albeit short] downpours and a very bad road to drive out of.

Aztec Ruins is small and close to the route and is about midpoint. That would be my suggestion.

the_scarecrow_in_oz

In answering some of your questions, I'm going to try to be real specific, so bear with me.

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YES. If going from Durango to Colorado Springs with a stop at Great Sand Dunes the fastest and most direct route is US Hwy 160 to Alamosa, then up Colorado Hwy 150 (about 14 miles east of Alamosa) to the Sand Dunes. After seeing the Sand Dunes, Come back down Hwy 150 to U.S. Hwy 160 again and head east to I-25, then up to Colorado Springs.

An alternative route from the Sand Dunes that would be longer, but more scenic, would be to take Hwy 150 out of the park for about 4 miles to County Road 6N. Turn right (west) onto 6N and go about 15 miles to Colorado Hwy 17. Turn right (north) onto Hwy 17 and go north for about 37 miles to where Hwy 17 ends at its junction with U.S. Hwy 285. Take Hwy 285 north over Poncha Pass (easy schmeezy) to its intersection with U.S. Hwy 50 at Poncha Springs. Turn right (east) onto Hwy 50, skirt past the town of Salida, and then follow the Arkansas River through some pretty little canyons to Canon City and Penrose. At Penrose, take Colorado Hwy 115 north into Colorado Springs.

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There's ALWAYS a way.

Unfortunately, it is long and convoluted and would take you most of the day to just get to the Sand Dunes. I can detail it if you really want me to, but for now I'll let it lay.

>

That depends on how bad you really want to see Ouray and the Million Dollar Highway between Silverton & Ouray. Although very pretty, the drive from Silverton to Ouray will only be marginally more scenic than what you saw from the train and the bus back to Durango. If you have absolutely nothing else to do on that second day other than stay in your hotel room (or someone in your party is just absolutely dying to drive the Million Dollar Highway or see Ouray), then sure.....go ahead and drive up to Ouray.

ccb213

Thanks all for your replies and a couple of follow-up questions and comments:

Scarecrow-in-oz (love that by that way) - I think based on your feedback we will skip Ouray and head straight to sand dunes. thanks for the detailed driving directions. If we take the scenic route from sand dunes to colorado springs - how long does that leg of the trip take?

DebitNM - thanks as always for your input. we will be getting into ABQ at around 12:30 p.m. so we will have most of the day. let me know if we're crazy to stop in aztec ruins and then drive to MV.

ackislaner and emalloy - thanks for your input as well.

You all may have answered this - but how do we get to aztec ruins from ABQ?

Also, where is the best place to stop along the way for water, snacks, etc. en route?

Thanks again.

emalloy

For Aztec, go right on up 550 and follow the signs into the ruin.

DebitNM

When you get into Aztec, SR 550 will make a right turn at a traffic light; make a LEFT instead and the road to the entrance will be on the right side of the road, a very short ways after the3 left. There is a small visitor center with a short movie, then it's out to the ruins, It is small and won't take a lot of time.

There's an A&W Root beer drive just past the entrance to the ruins, it's on the left hand side of the road - stop in for a great Root beer float, perfect for quenching a thirst garnered while walking among the ruins.

the_scarecrow_in_oz

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Figure almost 4 hours.

The faster way would be about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

chezjill

Ouray is definitely worth the trip - it's so beautiful. You should do Silverton and Ouray on the same day (and Ouray is much more gorgeous and interesting, in my opinion)...and the drive on the 550 is amazing. Rand McNally ranks it one of the most beautiful roads in America, and I agree. I was just in Colorado last week.

I also camped out at Mesa verde which was a wonderful way to experience the park. It is so well run and clean and pretty. It has great facilities and every night under the stars they have a different lecture you can go to in an outdoor ampitheatre. Definitely fun.

Why not stay in Mesa Verde, then go up 550 through Silverton to Ouray (I stayed at a nice place called the River's Edge Lodge). That drive can be done comfortably in one day. Then take the 50 over the Rockies and up 25 to Colorado Springs?

The Sand Dunes could be on the way back to ABQ from Colorado Springs, and from there, you can drive through Taos and Sante Fe which will offer good history for the kids and make great places to stop for lunch or dinner. Those towns are small enough to enjoy in a few hours and are really unique.

The kids are going to love this trip. And so will you!

-Jill