Spring Trip 2015: Cortez, Colorado

Saturday 5/22 and Sunday 5/23

Saturday:  272 miles and camped at the Mesa Verde/Cortez KOA in Cortez, Colorado.

Torey, Utah to Cortez, Colorado

Mesa Verde/Cortez KOA, site 27

As we left the campground 9:00 AM, it was 36 degrees and raining.  Shortly after leaving Torey, we passed through Capital Reef National Park.  We did not take time to explore the park.  That will be for another trip.  We did stop for a few quick photos in the rain.

As we approached Moab, Utah about noon we were met with a line of cars about a mile long waiting to get into Arches National Park.  And downtown Moab was mobbed.    I have been to Moab four times, and have never seen anything like this.  Must be the Memorial Day Weekend.  I can't imagine how crowded Arches National Park must have been.

Leaving Moab, we did run across Wilson Arch on public lands. And would you believe, no one was there.  Sometimes it pays to go off the beaten path.  :-)

We arrived at the KOA in Cortez, Colorado about 3:00.  It is a large park adjacent to a lake with a two mile walking path around it.  The dogs will love it.

Judy discovered, on the Internet, that there was a micro brew pub in town called Main Street Brewery. So we went there for a brew and dinner.  It was very good.

Sunday:  First thing Sunday I took the dogs for a walk around Denny Lake, which is adjacent to the KOA.  It is a beautiful small lake and a great hiking trail.

We started the day at Mesa Verde National Park.  We got there about 9:30 and the visitor center was all ready a zoo.  We decided to not drive up on the mesa and fight the traffic.  I guess that's what you get for visiting a National Park on a Holiday Weekend.

Park Headquarters.  Photo from NPS.

We had read about the Anasazi Heritage Center located in Dolores only 10 miles away, and so that was our backup plan.  Boy, did we get lucky.  What an amazing find, and there were only eight cars in the parking lot.  There was an amazing display of exhibits, most of which were hands on.  It was really well done and informative.

Outside there was a mile long interpretive walking trail, and since this was on BLM property, dogs were allowed on the trail.  That was great news since they needed some exercise.  The trial led to the Escalante Pueblo remains that had been excavated and stabilized.  The ruins were discovered in 1776, and is the first record of an archeological site in present day Colorado. Based on tree ring data, the pueblo was probably built in the 1120's, and was last occupied around 1200 A.D.

Later, we stopped at the Main Street Brewery and grabbed a brew and some lunch.  We finished out the day with grocery shopping at Walmart and dinner at the campground.

Monday we are back on the road again heading east for home.