Arizone - New Mexico
Mar 24th, 1998 | 01:53 PM
#1
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Arizone - New Mexico
We are planning a trip for 2 weeks next summer. The first week we will stay at Sedone Ar and then we plan to go to Taos/Santa Fe to stay there a couple of days. Do you have suggestion to scenic roads between those cities. We can go to Utah and Colorado. Thank you in advance. Line
Mar 24th, 1998 | 02:52 PM
#2
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We suggest you telephone the Sedona Chamber of Commerce; their toll-free number is (800)288-7336 and ask them to send you their free "Experience Sedona" booklet. You will find it to be full of good information about Sedona and surrounding area.
When you arrive, be sure to visit the Sedona Visitors' Center, at the corner of Hwy. 89A and Forest Road in uptown Sedona; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer. Lots of ideas and helpful people there. Use Sedona as a base, unpack once, and visit such wonderful places as the Grand Canyon, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Tuzigoot National Monument, the Meteor Crater, Oak Creek Canyon, the ghost town of Jerome, Prescott, Walnut Canyon National Monument, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, plus Sedona's two state parks and 20 hiking trails.
When you arrive, be sure to visit the Sedona Visitors' Center, at the corner of Hwy. 89A and Forest Road in uptown Sedona; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer. Lots of ideas and helpful people there. Use Sedona as a base, unpack once, and visit such wonderful places as the Grand Canyon, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Tuzigoot National Monument, the Meteor Crater, Oak Creek Canyon, the ghost town of Jerome, Prescott, Walnut Canyon National Monument, the Petrified Forest, the Painted Desert, plus Sedona's two state parks and 20 hiking trails.
Mar 25th, 1998 | 05:43 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
There's way too much to see & do for just one
week (excluding your week in Sedona) but here are some ideas:
Head on up I-17 past Flagstaff & US-89 North to Cameron (a spot in the
road but a turnoff to Grand Canyon. If you want to detour, head west
into GC Nat'l Park and stop at a viewpoint or so. Then back out to
Cameron & North on US-89 to US-160 & head East thru Tuba City & on
towards Kayenta but stay on US-160 to Cortez, CO. You will pass by the
'Four Corners Monument' but not worth a stop to see a cement pad?
Continue East on US-160 and you'll pass the entrance to Mesa Verde Nat'l
Park - well worth the visit if you have time. On to Durango where the
Durango-Silverton Narrow Gage RR starts but thats a whole day trip?
Continue East on US-160 to Pagosa Springs & then head South on US-84 to
Chama, NM. Note: If you continue East on US-160 you will go over Wolf
Creek Pass, a very scenic but steep pass. Heading South on US-84 is
very scenic but not so steep. On to Chama, NM where the Cumbres &
Toltec Narrow Gage RR begins. Also a full days ride but some very
scenic views of train in morning along highway 17 North of Chama. Train
departs about 9:30AM & reaches Cumbres Pass about 11:30AM. That's about
as far as you can view train from road.
>From Chama, continue South & East on US-84/US-64 - very scenic mountain
drive to Tres Piedras & then flat until Rio Grand Gorge Bridge a few
mile outside of Taos. While in that area, there is white water rafting
and Bandiler Nat'l Mon (near Los Alamos). Here are some site to check
out:
(AZ/CO/NM/UT) Four Corners: The "CENTER OF THE SCENIC SOUTHWEST".
Only location in US where you can place your hands & feet in four
different States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah). Not much to
see here but is a point of interest (can see Native Americans 'scalping'
everyone else - financially). On the map draw a circle with the Four
Corners as the center with a radius of about 250 miles - include
Albuquerque & Colo Spgs. Within this circle lies the most spectacular
scenery in the southwest! You can spend years trying to see everything
within this circle.
(AZ) Grand Canyon Nat'l Park:
http://www.nps.gov/grca/ Grand Canyon National Park Service pages
http://www.kaibab.org/gc_home6.htm The "unofficial" Home Page on the
Grand Canyon
http://www.thecanyon.com/nps/index.htm Grand Canyon Association site
http://www.gorp.com/gcjunkies/canyon.htm Grand Canyon hiking and
backpacking
Too vast & spectacular to describe. Southern & Northern rims offer
different views. South rim very busy - expect difficulties in parking
at view points (crowded). North rim (Visitor facilities closed Oct 15 -
May 15; Open for day use only Oct 15 - Dec 1 or until heavy snows close
road) limited lodgings - reservations necessary even for campground.
Mule trips booked up to a year in advance. Hardy hikers can hike to
bottom for overnight trip - also booked far in advance. Scenic views
along drive. (MUST SEE)
(CO) Durango-Silverton:
http://durango.org/ Some of most scenic views in CO. Start point
(Durango) for Durango - Silverton Narrow Gage Steam Railroad:
http://durango.org/durango/train.html All day trips through canyons
along Animas River. Reservations recommended. Phone: (907) 247-2733..
Drive from Durango to Silverton & Ouray highly recommended. Campgrounds
& motels available. Also close to Mesa Verde Nat'l Park. (MUST SEE)
(CO) Mesa Verde Nat'l Park:
http://www.nps.gov/meve/ and http://mesaverde.org/ and
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/US...rk/co_mesa.HTM
The best examples of early Native American cliff dwellings. Views from
cliff rims and several Ranger-guided tours through ruins. Balcony House
& Cliff Palace require tickets purchased at Visitor's Center - about 15
miles before ruins. Expect waits in line and difficulties in getting a
time you want. Balcony House tour requires climbing ladders & exit via
hands & knees through narrow 'tunnel'. Do it if you can stand the
heights & climb. Very large campground with hikes & Ranger programs.
Commercial Laundromat & showers by campground. Knife Edge Trail an easy
walk. Prater Ridge Trail longer and on top of mesa. Hike up to Lookout
Point strenuous but views worth it (no guard rails). Motels available
nearby. (MUST SEE)
(NM) Bandelier Nat'l Monument: http://www.nps.gov/band/
Native American ruins northwest of Santa Fe, NM. Combination of stone
dwellings and caves in soft stone. Small park subject to close due to
overcrowding on weekends. Nice quiet walk through Main Ruins Loop.
Moderately strenuous climb to 'Ceremonial Cave' 140 ft up series of
ladders & steps. Falls Trail below Visitor's Center to view falls and
on to Rio Grande. Frey Trail to/from campground. longer back country
hiking available. Nice but small campground. Flush toilets but no
showers. Evening campfire talks by Rangers. Recommend one full day.
Motels in nearby Los Alamos.
(NM) Chama:
http://www.viva.com/nm/nc.chama.html and
http://www.rmii.com/slv/alamosa/ccs/antonito/train.html
One of the most beautiful valleys (8,000 ft altitude) in New Mexico.
Start point for NM end of Cumbres-Toltec Narrow Gage Steam Railroad:
http://www.xpert.net/wedgwood/cumbres/index.html
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...hter/focts.htm
Phone for reservations: (505) 756-2151. Day trips into mountains with
stop over for lunch - begins at 8,000 ft and climbs to just over 10,000
ft Cumbres Pass. Also starts from Antonito, CO. Departs at 10:30 daily
(Chama)/ 10:00 (Antonito); come early to watch train preparations.
Reservations recommended. Campgrounds & Motels available. Recommend
one day to ride train & another to film train from highway points.
(MUST SEE)
(NM) Rio Grande Gorge Bridge: Located on highway 64, northwest of
Taos. Drop of over 600 ft to Rio Grande River at bottom of gorge.
Drive along highway 64 from Taos to Chama very scenic. Also, white
water rafting around Taos.
Native American Music: Check at Park Visitor Centers for music by R.
Carlos Nakai. Wonderful wood flute music (sometimes accompanied by
William Eaton on strings). Some of my favorite albums are: Canyon
Trilogy, Desert Dance, Carry the Gift, Sundance Season, Feather Stone &
Light and Changes. Also available through Canyon Records:
http://www.canyonrecords.com/artnakai.htm and some local music stores.
week (excluding your week in Sedona) but here are some ideas:
Head on up I-17 past Flagstaff & US-89 North to Cameron (a spot in the
road but a turnoff to Grand Canyon. If you want to detour, head west
into GC Nat'l Park and stop at a viewpoint or so. Then back out to
Cameron & North on US-89 to US-160 & head East thru Tuba City & on
towards Kayenta but stay on US-160 to Cortez, CO. You will pass by the
'Four Corners Monument' but not worth a stop to see a cement pad?
Continue East on US-160 and you'll pass the entrance to Mesa Verde Nat'l
Park - well worth the visit if you have time. On to Durango where the
Durango-Silverton Narrow Gage RR starts but thats a whole day trip?
Continue East on US-160 to Pagosa Springs & then head South on US-84 to
Chama, NM. Note: If you continue East on US-160 you will go over Wolf
Creek Pass, a very scenic but steep pass. Heading South on US-84 is
very scenic but not so steep. On to Chama, NM where the Cumbres &
Toltec Narrow Gage RR begins. Also a full days ride but some very
scenic views of train in morning along highway 17 North of Chama. Train
departs about 9:30AM & reaches Cumbres Pass about 11:30AM. That's about
as far as you can view train from road.
>From Chama, continue South & East on US-84/US-64 - very scenic mountain
drive to Tres Piedras & then flat until Rio Grand Gorge Bridge a few
mile outside of Taos. While in that area, there is white water rafting
and Bandiler Nat'l Mon (near Los Alamos). Here are some site to check
out:
(AZ/CO/NM/UT) Four Corners: The "CENTER OF THE SCENIC SOUTHWEST".
Only location in US where you can place your hands & feet in four
different States (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico & Utah). Not much to
see here but is a point of interest (can see Native Americans 'scalping'
everyone else - financially). On the map draw a circle with the Four
Corners as the center with a radius of about 250 miles - include
Albuquerque & Colo Spgs. Within this circle lies the most spectacular
scenery in the southwest! You can spend years trying to see everything
within this circle.
(AZ) Grand Canyon Nat'l Park:
http://www.nps.gov/grca/ Grand Canyon National Park Service pages
http://www.kaibab.org/gc_home6.htm The "unofficial" Home Page on the
Grand Canyon
http://www.thecanyon.com/nps/index.htm Grand Canyon Association site
http://www.gorp.com/gcjunkies/canyon.htm Grand Canyon hiking and
backpacking
Too vast & spectacular to describe. Southern & Northern rims offer
different views. South rim very busy - expect difficulties in parking
at view points (crowded). North rim (Visitor facilities closed Oct 15 -
May 15; Open for day use only Oct 15 - Dec 1 or until heavy snows close
road) limited lodgings - reservations necessary even for campground.
Mule trips booked up to a year in advance. Hardy hikers can hike to
bottom for overnight trip - also booked far in advance. Scenic views
along drive. (MUST SEE)
(CO) Durango-Silverton:
http://durango.org/ Some of most scenic views in CO. Start point
(Durango) for Durango - Silverton Narrow Gage Steam Railroad:
http://durango.org/durango/train.html All day trips through canyons
along Animas River. Reservations recommended. Phone: (907) 247-2733..
Drive from Durango to Silverton & Ouray highly recommended. Campgrounds
& motels available. Also close to Mesa Verde Nat'l Park. (MUST SEE)
(CO) Mesa Verde Nat'l Park:
http://www.nps.gov/meve/ and http://mesaverde.org/ and
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/US...rk/co_mesa.HTM
The best examples of early Native American cliff dwellings. Views from
cliff rims and several Ranger-guided tours through ruins. Balcony House
& Cliff Palace require tickets purchased at Visitor's Center - about 15
miles before ruins. Expect waits in line and difficulties in getting a
time you want. Balcony House tour requires climbing ladders & exit via
hands & knees through narrow 'tunnel'. Do it if you can stand the
heights & climb. Very large campground with hikes & Ranger programs.
Commercial Laundromat & showers by campground. Knife Edge Trail an easy
walk. Prater Ridge Trail longer and on top of mesa. Hike up to Lookout
Point strenuous but views worth it (no guard rails). Motels available
nearby. (MUST SEE)
(NM) Bandelier Nat'l Monument: http://www.nps.gov/band/
Native American ruins northwest of Santa Fe, NM. Combination of stone
dwellings and caves in soft stone. Small park subject to close due to
overcrowding on weekends. Nice quiet walk through Main Ruins Loop.
Moderately strenuous climb to 'Ceremonial Cave' 140 ft up series of
ladders & steps. Falls Trail below Visitor's Center to view falls and
on to Rio Grande. Frey Trail to/from campground. longer back country
hiking available. Nice but small campground. Flush toilets but no
showers. Evening campfire talks by Rangers. Recommend one full day.
Motels in nearby Los Alamos.
(NM) Chama:
http://www.viva.com/nm/nc.chama.html and
http://www.rmii.com/slv/alamosa/ccs/antonito/train.html
One of the most beautiful valleys (8,000 ft altitude) in New Mexico.
Start point for NM end of Cumbres-Toltec Narrow Gage Steam Railroad:
http://www.xpert.net/wedgwood/cumbres/index.html
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...hter/focts.htm
Phone for reservations: (505) 756-2151. Day trips into mountains with
stop over for lunch - begins at 8,000 ft and climbs to just over 10,000
ft Cumbres Pass. Also starts from Antonito, CO. Departs at 10:30 daily
(Chama)/ 10:00 (Antonito); come early to watch train preparations.
Reservations recommended. Campgrounds & Motels available. Recommend
one day to ride train & another to film train from highway points.
(MUST SEE)
(NM) Rio Grande Gorge Bridge: Located on highway 64, northwest of
Taos. Drop of over 600 ft to Rio Grande River at bottom of gorge.
Drive along highway 64 from Taos to Chama very scenic. Also, white
water rafting around Taos.
Native American Music: Check at Park Visitor Centers for music by R.
Carlos Nakai. Wonderful wood flute music (sometimes accompanied by
William Eaton on strings). Some of my favorite albums are: Canyon
Trilogy, Desert Dance, Carry the Gift, Sundance Season, Feather Stone &
Light and Changes. Also available through Canyon Records:
http://www.canyonrecords.com/artnakai.htm and some local music stores.
Mar 26th, 1998 | 11:42 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks a lot, Larry. This quite a lot of info you
provided.Since I will be joining Line on this trip
I can assure you that not only will we follow your
advice but we will provide you with feedback when we
return (late July). I have one question. When you
recommend we make reservations at National Parks,
are you talking about campsites, lodges, or do we
need no make reservations to enter the park. We do
not intend to stay overnight in any park but we
would be greatly disappointed if, after travelling
all the way from Montreal, we were turned down at
the gate of the Grand Canyon.Thank you again.
Mar 27th, 1998 | 06:03 PM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Again, Forgot to mention that you can 'activate' those sites I referenced by copying the info and emailing it to yourself. I tried sending it direct to Line but it came back undeliverable. On reservations, I meant for motels and/or camping, especially on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Some Parks do not take reservations for camping but is a good idea when possible. Enjoy your trip. I'll be out that way again this summer too.
