We finally flew back to hike more of Colorado after last being there in 2020. We took this trip at the beginning of October for our anniversary and in hopes of seeing beautiful fall foliage. It sure did not disappoint!
This was a tough trip to plan out because 1) in October, you lose daylight
2) These 2 parks are not close, and there is lots to see in between and all around
3) you never know what the weather is like!
It really was tough planning. All said and done, I think my itinerary was perfect (I may be a bit bias) and here it is:
Oct 3 tues evening
fly into Durango
flight 545 pm to 1035 pm, get rental car 11 pm
Drive to mesa verde motel and check in
Oct 4 Wednesday
Check out
7 am Breakfast- absolute bakery and cafe
Drive 50 minutes
Mesa verde National Park
Cliff palace 9 am
Balcony house 11 am
This is the steep ladder you climb.
Mesa verde loop
Lunch- far view terrace cafe
Travel to telluride 2.5 hours
Gondalo ride for sunset. It was so beautiful!
Dinner on the mountain
21 minutes to
Stay at Bivi hostel telluride
Oct 5 Thursday
Breakfast
Check out
hike lower blue lake 4.5 hrs
Lunch on trail
Travel to ouray-
-upper box canyon
-crystal lake on million dollar Highway
Dinner-
Colorado boy
Stay at box canyon lodge
Oct 6 friday
Breakfast at mineshaft
Drive to altitude rental
Rental 8:30 to 1215 pm, go to Yankee basin from camp trailhead
I would do this again! But if you see snow then you don't go !
Drive the million dollar highway
Travel to silverton 1 hour
Get there around 115
Get lunch- Avalanche brewery
Durango train ride - Silverton express 245 pm. Starts in Silverton. 3.5 hours to Durango.
45 minutes in durango. *check out steamworks brewery, beers to go
Be back at van 7 pm
Return back to silverton 8 pm
I enjoyed the train ride the way we did it- ride the train from silverton to durango then ride in a van back, otherwise its a longggg day
Dinner at goldmark bbreweryin silverton
Drive back to ouray
Oct 7 Saturday
Breakfast at box canyon lodge
Use hot springs
Check out
Travel to :
Black canyon of gunnison
South rim
Warner point nature trail 1.5 mi
painted wall .2 mi
Drive down to East portal road for trail
Lunch-horsefly brewing
Travel to grand mesa national forest - hike mesa lakes and lost lake
Travel
Check in aspenalt lodge
Dinner - woody creek tavern or tipsy trout
Oct 8 sunday
Check out
Travel to maroon bells from aspenalt-
Be there 7 am aspen highlands parking
Absolutely loved these beautiful mountains but did not love how touristy it was ! I can only imagine what it be like without reservations!
Travel to Denver:
White river national forest
Independent pass
Lunch at twin lakes
fly home Denver, drop rental off 530
Flight 730 to midnight $345
I love Colorado! I think we really lucked out with the weather on this trip. I hope this helps someone plan their next adventure !
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