isabel

We will be arriving at ABQ airport on Saturday, August 20th. We will have just had 10 days doing a loop from Las Vegas to Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon. We arrive midday on Saturday and this was my original itinerary:
Sat - arrive midday and drive to Durango (about 4 hours)
Sun - Mesa Verde - we have reservations at Far View Lodge
Mon - Mesa Verde - spend night in Durango
Tue - daytrip to Silverton via train - night in Durango
Wed - drive to Taos - night in Taos
Thur - Scenic drive to Santa Fe
Fri & Sat - Santa Fe
Sun - fly home

However, now my traveling companion finds she needs to come home on Saturday and her flight is at 7 am.

So - my questions - what do we cut out? I guess the train trip to Silverton and also the last night in Santa Fe, spending the last night in Albuquerque near the airport. Can anyone see any other options?

What is the drive from Durango to Taos like? There is an option to take a shorter version of the train trip (bus back) which would mean we were back in Durango by 4pm. I was wondering if we could drive to Taos then or if that would be too much for one day.

Are two full days in Mesa Verde a good idea, or might we be ready to leave by mid day on the second day? That might mean we could overnight somewhere other than Durango that night.

If we gave up the train to Silverton, is there a drive that would take less time that we could do to give us a taste of the Colorado mountains and still let us get from Durango to Taos in one reasonably long day?

Thanks for your thoughts.

emalloy

The drive from Durango to Taos is a little over 4 hours so if you left at 4 pm part of it would be after dark.

If you plan to do the Ranger led tours in Mesa Verde, and visit the Wetherill mesa part of the park then you will probably need two days there. You will have beautiful views of the mountains on the ride to MV and there are wonderful mountains in New Mexico too.

Have a great trip.

DebitNM

Here's my input as a local [I have homes in both Mesa Verde and ABQ area] - skip the train. Yes, it is scenic but it is a big time consumer, even taking the bus one way. You can drive along the Million Dollar Highway and see a lot of the same sites and views as seen from the train. And you can go as far as you want and turn around at your convenience.

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/million.htm
http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/A...on_Highway.htm

The drive from Durango to Taos is a bit more than 4 hours, close to 4.5 to 5 hours [there are some single lane roads and if there is traffic, you can be on the longer side of time frame.] It has some wonderful scenery. Drive on 550 to 160, on to 84 then to 64. The area around Pagosa Springs is scenic and the stretch around Tierra Amarilla has really nice views.

You can do Mesa Verde in a day and a half, although 2 days is better. You can easily do the main sites [Spruce Tree, Balcony and Cliff Palace] in combination with Wetherill Mesa in that time frame.

I would do the 3 main sites the first day, stay over night at Far View and then head to Wetherill the first thing the next morning. Only 10% of visitors go there, so it isn't crowded, especially that early in the morning. The drive out from Wetherill to exit will take well over an hour, so plan on that. I would then head to Taos.

Stay the night at airport hotel in ABQ. You can Priceline/Hotwire a hotel - pick the airport zone only.

One last thing, on the drive down from Santa Fe to ABQ, stop at Tent Rocks. You can do a slot canyon hike, or a loop hike or go a bit further down the road for a nice, flat, smooth paved loop path.

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/rec...ent_rocks.html

https://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/TentRocksNov2010

IF you don't want to stop at Tent Rocks enroute to ABQ, take the Turquoise Trail instead, stop in Madrid [MAD -rid, not MA- drid] and have lunch at the Mine Shaft Tavern.

http://www.turquoisetrail.org/

Where are you planning on staying in Durango?

DebitNM

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...od-to-keep.cfm

These are from a hike we did at Mesa Verde:
https://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/MesaVerdeMay2009

isabel

Thanks for the info. I've read many of your posts while researching the trip and they are all very helpful. But now you have given me MORE to want to do, not less!

But seriously, thanks for confirming that the train to Silverton is probably not worth the time. My thoughts are now to leave Durango and drive (up and back) to Silverton and then drive to Taos. Google maps says it's only one hour each way, although one of the links you gave says it's 90 min. But still, it seems we'd have time to drive up there, spend an hour or so looking around, then drive back past Durango and on to Taos (possibly stopping briefly in Pagosa Springs) in one day. Does this sound reasonable. We don't need to get to Taos at any set time. I just would really like to just see a little of the Colorado mountains since most of the trip will be AZ, UT, and NM. I went to CSU but haven't been back to Colorado in decades (makes me sound very old doesn't it).

emalloy - are you saying it would be bad to get to Taos after dark, or just that we might miss some scenery? With my new plan it seems like we'd be there before dark anyway.

So my new itinerary would be
Tuesday - Durango to Silverton/back, on to Taos
Wed - morning in Taos, High Road to Santa Fe
Thurs - Santa Fe (Wed and Thurs nights there)
Fri - leave Santa Fe midday and drive to Albuquerque

Does this sound like adequate time to do the areas mentioned justice?

I have no hotels lined up for Durango, Taos, or Santa Fe. Budget is the low side of moderate ($100 a night or so). Any suggestions?

starrs

Okay. I'll be the dissenting opinion here. I've refrained from saying something before, but your last commments have convinced me.

" I just would really like to just see a little of the Colorado mountains since most of the trip will be AZ, UT, and NM. I went to CSU but haven't been back to Colorado in decades (makes me sound very old doesn't it)."

You want mountains, but you are cutting out the day that is the most beautiful mountain scenery of all on the trip. You have a plan that gives you just a few hours (if that many) of a drive thru of mountain scenery. I wouldn't do it. I'd go on the train ride.

It's a narrow gauge railroad and "narrow gauge" because they carved out only a narrow path above the Animas River to lay the track. The route is spectacular. Absolutely spectacular. Another consideration - you are doing a LOT of driving. This is a day to sit back and just enjoy the ride. There are a few railroads still running through the mountains (that I know of) but not one that has a route as amazing as this one - IMO anyway. AND it's going through the mountains. You want to see mountains. To me, it's a no-brainer.

My memory bankds must be failing me because I can't remember a road route that gives you the same view. I LOVE the drive to Ouray - and have driven in on ice covered roads during the winter because I love the drive so much. That drive is spectacular - but I don't remember the drive from Silverton to Durango being the same view as from the train. It's just hard to imagine that. As I said, maybe my memory is really failing me, but...

I don't see a problem driving in to Taos in the late afternoon in the summer. It will be August. The days are long. You MAY miss some of the scenery coming into Taos if you come in after dark - but you've been in the desert of days/weeks by that time. The kids missed the views of Monument Valley because we left the Grand Canyon too late on one trip, and that was a shame. But, personally I don't think you're going to miss too much if you get into Taos after dark.

So, IMO you could drive to Taos (or Santa Fe) after the train ride on Tuesday night. That would give you Wed/Thurs/Fri in Taos/Santa Fe. Definitely drive to Alb. on Friday night for the early Sat am flight out on Saturday.

While I'm giving the dissenting opinion, I'll offer up another one. I think I'd drive from Pagosa Springs directly to Santa Fe. If you ARE coming in after dark, you'll be missing less. Splurge and stay somewhere near the Plaza in Santa Fe. That way, you'll start that part of the trip slowly...waking up, strolling the Plaza, enjoying Santa Fe, etc. If you can stay there for two nights do it. In any case, go from there back up to Taos and just spend those 3 days enjoying the area before getting to an airport hotel on Friday.

After THAT much time in the desert, I wouldn't cut out a great "mountain day". And yes, I like the train ride Do the train ride up, bus ride down if you want. But, I'd go on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

isabel

starrs - you do make a very good point. I'll have to think about it. Although I have to say I'm still leaning towards just driving it - almost the same scenery and less time plus more flexibility as wouldn't need the reservations. But you are right about the amount of driving and the 'experience' of the train.

One idea you did bring up is to go straight to Santa Fe and do three nights there. We could do Taos as a day trip, the total amount of extra driving would be negligible and staying in one hotel for three nights feels more laid back.

spirobulldog

Do the zipline with the train. It is expensive but worth it. And since you are cutting off a couple of days, the money saved there could be spent on the zipline.

www.soaringcolorado.com

the train fee is included in the price.

You will not be bored and this does only the first half of the train ride.

The only access to the area where the zipline is located is via The Train or Helicopter.

This is great for any age. The first zip is scary, but after that you will love it.

iamq

bookmarking

DebitNM

Groupon has a deal on zipline in Durango, ends at midnight tonight. $72 for $145 ticket.

If you need to find deal, email me.

Digbydog

DebitNM--is it possible to get tours of Balcony House and Cliff Palace on the same day? The last time we were there in the summer, you could do one or the other but not both.

DebitNM

You should be able to do both on the same with no problem; best to get there early the rangers selling the tickets will be able to arrange it so that you have enough time between the tours to see both.

I have no idea why you were not able to do so last year, unless the tour times were sold out.

You can also do Spruce Tree House, on your own, no ticket required.

Digbydog

Maybe I am remembering incorrectly, but I thought that because the summer is so busy, they only allow one of the tours so that lots of people will have a chance to do a tour.

DebitNM

I have not ever heard that as being a rule.

cookbound

I have to add my two cents here since I'm a local New Mexican born and raised! We did Mesa Verde last year, we drive ABQ to MV via Farmington and back the same way. We have been to all of these destinations many times, the narrow gauge train is amazing and I think something to see and experience. If you want to do it one way it is much shorter and you still experience the train.

Since we drive back the same route I don't know how much longer it is going via Taos, but ABQ Durango is about a 4 hour drive, Taos will be longer.

I think two days Mesa Verde is a good time frame. Santa Fe will be fine for one day.

Of course I don't know what interests you.

Good luck and no matter you will enjoy our mountains.

spirobulldog

debit, The Zipline is over $400 isn't it?

starrs

$439
http://www.soaringcolorado.com/pricing.php

DebitNM

not sure spiro, just quoting what was on the Groupon.

Digbydog

Just checked the NP website to make sure I wasn't completely crazy, which I am all too often. it says that in the summer you may be asked to choose between the Cliff Palace and Balcony House tours.

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisi...activities.htm

DebitNM

I saw that, it says "you MAY be asked to choose" but honestly, we have done more than 1 tour on a day and seen many others do the same. They sell timed tickets, so you need to space the tours out so you can get from one to the other as they are a distance apart. I have been there many, many times, and never seen this - maybe I was lucky, I don't know.

If in fact you only can get one tour, you can still see Step House and Long House on Wetherill Mesa and Long House may be even better than Cliff or Balcony!! And only 10% of visitors go there! There are also drives that you can take and you can see dwellings. There are also hikes to do.

There is plenty to do, a day really isn't enough. So IF you have come this far, do an extra day or half day and see the tour you didn't get.

I am not sure, but you used to be able to buy tickets for the next day late afternoon.

Although these were taken in winter, this is what you can see on the drive around, without going on a tour:

https://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/MesaVerdeInWinter