Please pick 2 for me.
Feb 16th, 2008, 05:45 AM
#21
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Thank you Furledleader, Maureen and Bill and everyone else! You really helped a lot with our itinerary for our first trip to Colorado.
Denver 2 nites
Estes Park 2 nites
Manitou Springs 3 nights
Ouray 3 nights
Mesa Verde - Far view 2 nites
Glenwood Springs 1 nite
Vail 2 nites just to sleep with a day trip to
Leadville, Aspen, & Crested
Butte.
If anyone is still reading this thread, I have one small question,
From Montrose to Glenwood, which is more scenic, 348 to 65 to 70,
Or 50, 92, 133. We don't care about
distance, we want to see the best
Colorado has. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Denver 2 nites
Estes Park 2 nites
Manitou Springs 3 nights
Ouray 3 nights
Mesa Verde - Far view 2 nites
Glenwood Springs 1 nite
Vail 2 nites just to sleep with a day trip to
Leadville, Aspen, & Crested
Butte.
If anyone is still reading this thread, I have one small question,
From Montrose to Glenwood, which is more scenic, 348 to 65 to 70,
Or 50, 92, 133. We don't care about
distance, we want to see the best
Colorado has. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Feb 18th, 2008, 09:42 AM
#22
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Hwy 348 is a spur route between Olathe & Delta that provides access to farms and ranches in the area and offers little scenic value IMHO.
Hwy 65 will take you up & over the Grand Mesa - a HUGE plateau that overlooks the Colorado River valley to the north, and the Gunnison River valley to the south. It dominates the distant skyline in front of you as you drive north from Montrose to Delta; and out of the passenger side windows as you drive from Delta to Grand Junction.
The top of the Grand Mesa is forested in pine and dotted with many lakes and National Forest campgrounds. It reminds me of my boyhood vacations spent in the northwoods of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. At the top of the mesa, a 10 mile spur road (Forest Service Road 100 - aka Lands End Road) will take you to a picturesque point at the end of the mesa overlooking the semi arid valleys of the Colorado and Guinnison below.
The remainder of this route up I-70 is really rather non-descript, with the trip up and over Grand Mesa being the real highlight.
Your other route (50 to 92 to 133) will take you across the semi-arid flatlands from Montrose to Delta, and similar landscape from Delta through the fruit growing region around Hotchkiss & Paonia, and the old coal mining towns of Bowie & Somerset. Only after passing through Somerset on Hwy 133 does the scenery start to pick up as you pass by the Paonia Reservoir and head through aspen & pine forest up to the summit of McClure Pass. Cresting the pass places you in a totally different world than the one you came from. Gone are the ranches and farms of the Gunnison Valley, and in front of you are the snow-capped mountains of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.
At the bottom of the east side of McClure Pass, a spur road (County Road 3) heads off to the southeast for about 5 miles to the town of Marble. Mined from the mountains surrounding this hamlet was the white marble used for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetary, and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. If you go to Marble, ask a local how to get to the Crystal Mill (an old mill along the banks of the Crystal River just east of town that is one of the most photographed sights in Colorado), and of the feasibility of getting to it with the vehicle you are driving.
After visiting Marble, backtrack west on County Road 3 to Hwy 133 again and take it north, hugging the curvy bank of the pretty Crystal River for most of the way to Carbondale. Between Marble & Carbondale, take some time to stop and explore the hamlet of Redstone. It is an old coal mining village that has morphed into an arts & crafts community. Just south of town is the Redstone Mansion (built by the coal mining baron of the region, for his wife). Most of the buildings of the town itself were built for his workers, at the demand of his wife who it is said was appalled at the conditions the workers were living in. The small houses that line the main street were for the married miners & their wives; and at the souhtern end of town a large communal dorm was built for the single workers. This dorm is now the Redstone Inn, offering quaint rooms, a nice bar, and a rather excellent dining facility.
Which route should you take?
I don't know.
They both offer scenery that is uniquely Colorado, yet the second route offers some Colorado history along the way.
Hwy 65 will take you up & over the Grand Mesa - a HUGE plateau that overlooks the Colorado River valley to the north, and the Gunnison River valley to the south. It dominates the distant skyline in front of you as you drive north from Montrose to Delta; and out of the passenger side windows as you drive from Delta to Grand Junction.
The top of the Grand Mesa is forested in pine and dotted with many lakes and National Forest campgrounds. It reminds me of my boyhood vacations spent in the northwoods of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. At the top of the mesa, a 10 mile spur road (Forest Service Road 100 - aka Lands End Road) will take you to a picturesque point at the end of the mesa overlooking the semi arid valleys of the Colorado and Guinnison below.
The remainder of this route up I-70 is really rather non-descript, with the trip up and over Grand Mesa being the real highlight.
Your other route (50 to 92 to 133) will take you across the semi-arid flatlands from Montrose to Delta, and similar landscape from Delta through the fruit growing region around Hotchkiss & Paonia, and the old coal mining towns of Bowie & Somerset. Only after passing through Somerset on Hwy 133 does the scenery start to pick up as you pass by the Paonia Reservoir and head through aspen & pine forest up to the summit of McClure Pass. Cresting the pass places you in a totally different world than the one you came from. Gone are the ranches and farms of the Gunnison Valley, and in front of you are the snow-capped mountains of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.
At the bottom of the east side of McClure Pass, a spur road (County Road 3) heads off to the southeast for about 5 miles to the town of Marble. Mined from the mountains surrounding this hamlet was the white marble used for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetary, and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. If you go to Marble, ask a local how to get to the Crystal Mill (an old mill along the banks of the Crystal River just east of town that is one of the most photographed sights in Colorado), and of the feasibility of getting to it with the vehicle you are driving.
After visiting Marble, backtrack west on County Road 3 to Hwy 133 again and take it north, hugging the curvy bank of the pretty Crystal River for most of the way to Carbondale. Between Marble & Carbondale, take some time to stop and explore the hamlet of Redstone. It is an old coal mining village that has morphed into an arts & crafts community. Just south of town is the Redstone Mansion (built by the coal mining baron of the region, for his wife). Most of the buildings of the town itself were built for his workers, at the demand of his wife who it is said was appalled at the conditions the workers were living in. The small houses that line the main street were for the married miners & their wives; and at the souhtern end of town a large communal dorm was built for the single workers. This dorm is now the Redstone Inn, offering quaint rooms, a nice bar, and a rather excellent dining facility.
Which route should you take?
I don't know.
They both offer scenery that is uniquely Colorado, yet the second route offers some Colorado history along the way.
Feb 20th, 2008, 05:18 AM
#23
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Again thanks Furledleader,
the second route sounds more interesting and it will be the route we go. A LIFE book of "the
most scenic roads in the US", listed
the first route, but not the second,
even though the second shows a lot
more dots on the map as being scenic. After your awesome descriptions, you made our decision
easy. THANK YOU ! ! !
the second route sounds more interesting and it will be the route we go. A LIFE book of "the
most scenic roads in the US", listed
the first route, but not the second,
even though the second shows a lot
more dots on the map as being scenic. After your awesome descriptions, you made our decision
easy. THANK YOU ! ! !
Feb 21st, 2008, 06:55 AM
#25
Join Date: Oct 2005
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I agree about the Hot Springs Pool. Here's something I wrote, intended for another website:
Hot Springs Lodge & Pool (Glenwood Springs):
http://www.hotspringspool.com/
If coming to Glenwood Springs from either the east or west via I-70, get off at exit 116. Turn north at the end of the exit ramp and go a block and a half to 6th St. Turn right (east) onto 6th St and follow it through the stoplight at Pine St./Grand Ave. (the beginning of Colorado Hwy 82). The hot springs complex will now be on your right. Follow 6th St. to North River St., turn right and drive past the front entrance of the hot springs to the parking lots that will be on your right. There is usually ample parking on site in these several lots.
If you are coming into Glenwood via Hwy 82 from the likes of Aspen, Basalt, or Carbondale, stay on Hwy 82 (Grand Ave.)as it passes through the downtown area, goes over the bridge spanning I-70, and then intersects with 6th Street. Turn right on to 6th St. to N. River St. and turn right again onto N. River Street. This will then take you past the front entrance and on to the parking lots.
The Glenwood Springs hot springs is the patriarch of Colorado hot springs areas. It can be seen from the expressway and the Hwy 82 bridge that spans the expressway. It has attracted people for over 120 years, including the likes of such disparate celebrities as President Teddy Roosevelt, and Wyatt Earps’ OK corral sidekick, Doc Holliday (who actually died in Glenwood Springs and is buried in the town’s cemetery). The Yampah hot springs on the eastern end of the property spills over 3 million gallons of 122 degree F. water daily into two large pools. The “therapy pool” (the small pool) is about 100 feet long, and contains 91,000 gallons of hot spring water that has been cooled to 104 degrees. The “large pool” is 405 feet long (over 100 feet longer than a football field), 100 feet wide at its widest, contains over a million gallons of water cooled to about 90 degrees F., and is billed as the largest hot springs pool in the world. It’s huge, and theoretically could hold several thousand people at one time.
About 5 times a year the pools are closed for a day or two for maintenance - check the websites “pool FAQ” section to avoid any disappointment.
There are separate men’s & women’s heated locker/changing/shower areas and an array of on-site spa amenities that is too exhaustive for me to expound upon. At present (Jan 2008), the spa facilities are undergoing a major renovation and I'm not sure how much is being offered.
The price of admission drops by about 3 bucks after 6 p.m. in the summer, and by about 6 bucks after 9 p.m. all through the year, so even if you arrive in Glenwood late in the day, it’s still affordable.
Lodging in Glenwood Springs runs the gamut from well known chains to small mom & pops. Some may offer discounts to hot springs admission. Across 6th St. from the hot springs is the associated Hot Springs Lodge. Admission to the hot springs is included in any overnight lodging there. Also across 6th St (and next to the Hot Springs Lodge) is the historic Colorado Hotel. This beautiful late-Victorian hotel sports an eye-catching lobby & courtyard, bar, spa, and fine dining restaurant. For 3 weeks in 1905 the Colorado Hotel was home to then-president, Theodore Roosevelt who was visiting on a bear hunting expedition. Legend has it that after one particular day of fruitless hunting, the hotel staff decided to try to cheer the president by sewing together a small stuffed bear out of material found around the hotel. The president was heartened by the gift, and his daughter decided to name the stuffed bear “Teddy” – and thus the origin of the “Teddy Bear”.
Yampah Hot Springs Vapor Caves (Glenwood Springs)
http://www.yampahspa.com/
Just east of the Hot Springs Lodge & Pool complex, at the eastern end of 6th Street.
Three adjoining natural underground rock chambers provide the setting for these interesting steam rooms used by the Ute Indians for hundreds of years. Hot springs water at 125 degrees F. flows through channels in the caves, warming them to a constant, steamy 110 -112 degrees F.. Slab marble benches in the caves provide a place to sit or stretch out and relax.
There are separate heated men’s & women’s dressing rooms and showers, massage rooms, mineral baths, and a salon.
Admission to the vapor caves is seperate from admission to the hot springs pools.
Hot Springs Lodge & Pool (Glenwood Springs):
http://www.hotspringspool.com/
If coming to Glenwood Springs from either the east or west via I-70, get off at exit 116. Turn north at the end of the exit ramp and go a block and a half to 6th St. Turn right (east) onto 6th St and follow it through the stoplight at Pine St./Grand Ave. (the beginning of Colorado Hwy 82). The hot springs complex will now be on your right. Follow 6th St. to North River St., turn right and drive past the front entrance of the hot springs to the parking lots that will be on your right. There is usually ample parking on site in these several lots.
If you are coming into Glenwood via Hwy 82 from the likes of Aspen, Basalt, or Carbondale, stay on Hwy 82 (Grand Ave.)as it passes through the downtown area, goes over the bridge spanning I-70, and then intersects with 6th Street. Turn right on to 6th St. to N. River St. and turn right again onto N. River Street. This will then take you past the front entrance and on to the parking lots.
The Glenwood Springs hot springs is the patriarch of Colorado hot springs areas. It can be seen from the expressway and the Hwy 82 bridge that spans the expressway. It has attracted people for over 120 years, including the likes of such disparate celebrities as President Teddy Roosevelt, and Wyatt Earps’ OK corral sidekick, Doc Holliday (who actually died in Glenwood Springs and is buried in the town’s cemetery). The Yampah hot springs on the eastern end of the property spills over 3 million gallons of 122 degree F. water daily into two large pools. The “therapy pool” (the small pool) is about 100 feet long, and contains 91,000 gallons of hot spring water that has been cooled to 104 degrees. The “large pool” is 405 feet long (over 100 feet longer than a football field), 100 feet wide at its widest, contains over a million gallons of water cooled to about 90 degrees F., and is billed as the largest hot springs pool in the world. It’s huge, and theoretically could hold several thousand people at one time.
About 5 times a year the pools are closed for a day or two for maintenance - check the websites “pool FAQ” section to avoid any disappointment.
There are separate men’s & women’s heated locker/changing/shower areas and an array of on-site spa amenities that is too exhaustive for me to expound upon. At present (Jan 2008), the spa facilities are undergoing a major renovation and I'm not sure how much is being offered.
The price of admission drops by about 3 bucks after 6 p.m. in the summer, and by about 6 bucks after 9 p.m. all through the year, so even if you arrive in Glenwood late in the day, it’s still affordable.
Lodging in Glenwood Springs runs the gamut from well known chains to small mom & pops. Some may offer discounts to hot springs admission. Across 6th St. from the hot springs is the associated Hot Springs Lodge. Admission to the hot springs is included in any overnight lodging there. Also across 6th St (and next to the Hot Springs Lodge) is the historic Colorado Hotel. This beautiful late-Victorian hotel sports an eye-catching lobby & courtyard, bar, spa, and fine dining restaurant. For 3 weeks in 1905 the Colorado Hotel was home to then-president, Theodore Roosevelt who was visiting on a bear hunting expedition. Legend has it that after one particular day of fruitless hunting, the hotel staff decided to try to cheer the president by sewing together a small stuffed bear out of material found around the hotel. The president was heartened by the gift, and his daughter decided to name the stuffed bear “Teddy” – and thus the origin of the “Teddy Bear”.
Yampah Hot Springs Vapor Caves (Glenwood Springs)
http://www.yampahspa.com/
Just east of the Hot Springs Lodge & Pool complex, at the eastern end of 6th Street.
Three adjoining natural underground rock chambers provide the setting for these interesting steam rooms used by the Ute Indians for hundreds of years. Hot springs water at 125 degrees F. flows through channels in the caves, warming them to a constant, steamy 110 -112 degrees F.. Slab marble benches in the caves provide a place to sit or stretch out and relax.
There are separate heated men’s & women’s dressing rooms and showers, massage rooms, mineral baths, and a salon.
Admission to the vapor caves is seperate from admission to the hot springs pools.
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