ourweh

Pagosa Springs | Durango | Silverton

In 2017, we joined a few friends and rented a giant cabin in Pagosa Springs. It was gorgeous. The scenery, peaceful landscapes, and nature all around us was just what we needed after Jeff’s final deployment to Afghanistan.

Mesa Verde National Park is amazing. It’s really incredible to think that some of these ancient cultures had the tools to carve homes right inside the cliff sides. They had ways to collect water, even in the dry, arid climate. Some of the cliff dwellings are now closed, but there are a few that you can still visit. 10/10 highly recommend.

Tip: bring plenty of water. It’s very dry and you’ll get dehydrated before you know it.

On the way out, we had dinner at the Far View Lounge, located inside the park. At the time, they were serving some American classics with some local flair. The food was good and much needed after a long day hiking the park.

Some places to go – definitely check out the hot springs. There are several places in town that offer different pool temperatures for everyone.

In Durango, there’s a train that will take you up to Silverton, an old silver mining town. There’s an option to take a bus back – unless you want to spend the whole day on a jiggling old train up and back, I’d opt for a bus ride for at least one of the legs of the trip! The train ride is pretty slow, so it takes a while to get there. However, it’s a beautiful ride, so to each their own!

Tip: bring saline nose spray, Vaseline and cotton swabs. Pretty much all of us had daily nosebleeds because of the dry air. Keep your nostrils moist!