Mesa Verde suggestions...

[Mtnman1830]

I am headed out to Mesa Verde next week. Any suggestions beside the usual guided tours?

We will have kids from 8 years old. Is there any thing else to check out?

[LOAH]

Durango has a famous train called the Silverton.

Durango also has some great mountains in the area...Used to live there.

[abirken]

Watch out for Ride the Rockies (going on soon?)........great event but it crowds Durango like no other. Give us a good TR on Mesa Verde.......i've wanted to go back (was there in 94) pre-forest fires. I hope they were able to salvage most of the ruins. It's pretty incredible!!

[abirken]

Durango has a famous train called the Silverton.

Durango also has some great mountains in the area...Used to live there.

Speaking of Durango Loah....what would you recommend for good half day hikes in the area? Going to be down that way in a couple weeks. PM me if you can

[sparker1]

Just north of Silverton is Ice Lake http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers...t/hik_soc2.htm. Should be beautiful when the flowers start blooming (not sure when).

[abirken]

Just north of Silverton is Ice Lake http://gorp.away.com/gorp/publishers...t/hik_soc2.htm. Should be beautiful when the flowers start blooming (not sure when).

I tried the link. It's not working :( I can do a search though. Thank you for the recommendation.

[abirken]

I am headed out to Mesa Verde next week. Any suggestions beside the usual guided tours?

We will have kids from 8 years old. Is there any thing else to check out?

Durango for sure. Pagosa Springs has some fabulous hot springs as well. Kids would really love it. I lived in Pagosa 14 years ago.....I've heard it's grown quite a bit.

[Ih8grvty]

Been too many years since I was in Mesa Verde, but I did the train to durango and silverton then, a must do, especially for someone with kids.
Narrow gauge steam, stop half way up a really nice ride to take on more water, great views, and if people were to not park, you would damned near think you were back in the old west.
IN the saloon, I did get tossed out, some old lady was cranging along on a piano, I dropped a buck in the tip jar, and she smiled and bashed the keys a few more times, I then told her that tip was to stop playing, not to pound the keys harder.
Alot of times, I am the only one that thinks Im funny

Far as in Mesa its self... I dont recall anything I did that was really spectacular, nota must see must do. I do think how ever it was in valley of the gods? could be wrong about that, but they had a place that you could walk on, climb on step on and let kids run on. That sticks as being pretty cool in my mind, from when I was there as a kid, not so much from the last time I was there.