Although Salida is a small town, I wanted to highlight the scenery around the area. Leaving Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, we continued east on Hwy 50. After the town on Cimarron, the road hugged the Blue Mesa Reservoir which was frozen in parts.
A day exploring Black Canyon of the Gunnision National Park
After seeing Vail, I wanted to visit another well-known ski resort. On the way from Moab, we drove to Dolores, Colorado so we could take the San Juan Scenic Byway (Hwy 145) through Rico up to Telluride. Snow-covered mountains greeted us as we drove along the Dolores River. Nearby Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez beckoned us. However, research showed that the cliff houses weren’t open for tours when we were there. Unfortunately, the Spruce Tree House, which normally is open year round, temporarily closed after a rock fall in October 2015. We still could have done the scenic drive, but we were looking at 80 miles out of the way and just couldn’t squeeze it in. (more…)
It doesn’t get much better than this. Surprisingly Dead Horse Point State Park is not a national park, but a state park. It’s no less beautiful than nearby Canyonlands and Arches. In fact, it’s located just off Utah 313 about ten miles before the Island of the Sky entrance at Canyonlands NP. Don’t miss this spectacular park. After paying $9 entrance fee per car (it is valid for 3 days), drive to the Dead Horse Point Overlook. If you think it looks similar to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, you’re not alone. This was the site of the final scene in the early 1990s movie, “Thelma & Louise.” (more…)