1 of 9
Terry Bison Ranch - photo Armand
2 of 9
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - photo Adam Baker
3 of 9
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - photo Guido Da Rozze
4 of 9
Elk - Estes Park, CO - photo Jeff Crider
5 of 9
Halloween camper - Estes Park, CO - photo Jeff Crider
6 of 9
National Mining Museum and Hall of Fame - Leadville, CO - photo Roy Luck
7 of 9
Native dwellings - Mesa Verde National Park - photo Jeff Crider
8 of 9
Native dwellings - Mesa Verde National Park - photo Jeff Crider
9 of 9
Terry Bison Ranch - photo Armand
By Jeff Crider
Snowbirds heading to Texas are often tempted to take the fastest routes south.
But there are quite a few interesting sites to see heading south, including from Custer’s State Park in South Dakota (http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/), which has one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the world.
Other wildlife at the park include antelope, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, elk and wild turkeys.
And if you want to see bison but South Dakota is too far out of your way, you can see some at Terry Bison Ranch (www.terrybisonranch.com) outside of Cheyenne, Wyo., which has private trains that take you out into a bison herd.
There’s also plenty of scenic drives once you get into Colorado. The Rocky Mountain State, in fact, has 26 scenic byways. So it’s worth taking a little more time to head off the beaten path and explore Colorado’s history and natural wonders.
Scenic attractions to consider include:
— Rocky Mountain National Park: Open year round, weather permitting, this park features the Trail Ridge Road. Originally built between 1926 and 1932, this historic road climbs from the 2400 m (8,000 ft) elevation forests of aspens and ponderosa pines near Estes Park through the subalpine forests of fir and spruce to windswept mountaintop ridges covered with alpine tundra at just over 3600 m (12,000 ft). If you visit the park in late September and early October, you might not only see aspen trees in their beautiful fall colours, but scores of elk as they migrate from the high country down to lower elevations. http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
— Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: This Park features some of the steepest cliffs and oldest exposed rock in North America. While trails down into the canyon are extremely rugged and suitable only for hikers in excellent physical condition, the park also offers opportunities for viewing wildlife, including Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, elk, badgers, long tail weasels and ring tail cats. While there are North Rim and South Rim roads with turnouts overlooking the canyon, the northern route is closed in winter while the South Rim closes in mid-November. There are two campgrounds inside the park. However, food services are located 22km (14 mi) away in the city of Montrose. The park is about 400 km (255 mi) southwest of Denver. From Denver, take I-70 west through Vail to Glenwood Springs, and then take Highway 133 south to the park. Another option from Denver is to take Highway 265 southwest to Highway 50 to the park for a total of 425 km (265 mi). More information is at www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm.
— Leadville: Located at 3,076 m (10,152 ft), Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the U.S. It’s also a wonderful place to explore Colorado’s 19th century silver mining history and Victorian architecture. Leadville is less than 80 km (50 mi) from Breckenridge (www.gobreck.com) and Vail (www.visitvailvalley.com), all of which make for interesting stops along the way to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. www.leadville.com
— San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway: Some of Colorado’s prettiest aspens are often seen along this route, but you have to get there in early autumn to see the aspens at their peak. This is classic Colorado, where you’ll see thousands of aspen trees covering hillsides and lining meadows, interspersed among pine trees, which make for a beautiful backdrop.
The byway (http://www.coloradodirectory.com/maps/skyway.html) is a loop route that includes portions of Highway 550 and Routes 62, 145 and 160. It takes you through Ouray, the Victorian themed town of Telluride, and the historic mining towns of Silverton and Durango, which are tied by the historic Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway.
Most people take the train in Durango, arriving in Silverton in time for lunch and a walk through town. They return to Durango in late afternoon. Contact the train depot for the latest information on schedules and special events. www.durangotrain.com
— Anasazi Heritage Center: Located in Dolores, roughly 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Durango, the Anasazi Heritage Center features a 3700 sq m (40,000 sq-ft) museum that houses collections of artifacts from Anasazi and other Native American people from the Four Corners area. The heritage center is also a starting point for visits to the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/nm/canm.html
— Mesa Verde National Park: Just a short drive from Durango, this park is home to one of the densest collections of prehistoric ruins in the U.S. This was the first national park created to preserve the work of humans. It contains the largest cliff dwellings in North America, and showcases more than 700 years of Ancestral Puebloan history. The park offers ranger-guided tours, including one of Cliff Palace, the park’s largest cliff dwelling. http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm
Working your way back toward Texas from Southwest Colorado, you could either head straight south to Interstate 40 in Gallup, NM and then east to Amarillo or cut diagonally across northern New Mexico and visit the cities of Taos (www.taos.org) and Santa Fe (www.santafe.org).Once in Texas, there are several interesting sites to see before arriving at the traditional Winter Texan destinations in the Hill County, Gulf Coast and Rio Grande Valley.
These include the following:
— The Big Texan Steak Ranch: Located in Amarillo, will serve you a 72-ounce steak free of charge. There is one catch, however. You have to eat it with all the trimmings inside of an hour. Located along historic Route 66, now I-40, the Big Texan Steak Ranch has a huge menu ranging from steaks, burgers and chicken to “Mountain Oysters.”
— Palo Duro Canyon State Park: This park, roughly 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Amarillo, features a rugged 240 m (800 ft) deep, 175 km (110 mi) long chasm that is the largest canyon in the United States after the Grand Canyon. http://www.palodurocanyon.com/
— Marfa Mystery Lights in Marfa, Texas: This town is noted for having the mysterious Marfa Mystery Lights. First reported in 1883, the mysterious nighttime phenomenon has been attributed to everything from the spirits of Apache ancestors to ball lightning and UFOs. http://www.visitmarfa.com/lights.php#.VcFai0VUyfQ
Of course, the best-known West Texas attraction is Big Bend National Park, which features some of the prettiest scenery along the Rio Grande River. http://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm
Other Colorado travel resources:
For information on Scenic Byways, visit https://www.codot.gov/travel/scenic-byways
For a guide to off-the-beaten path heritage and agritourism activities in Colorado, visit http://roots.colorado.com/publication/?i=253486 . It lists festivals, farmers markets, and wineries with information on when different types of produce are harvested.