Rico, Colorado

The Far View Community is located four miles north of the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. In around 800 AD, the Ancestral Pueblo people lived in this area for several centuries. They mostly farmed the mesa tops, but were also hunters. It was one of the most densely populated regions of Mesa Ver...

Nellie Creek Falls is a beautiful little falls, up County Road 23. The waterfall is surrounded by a forest of aspens leading up the valley. To get to the falls take the northern route of the Alpine Loop from Lake City towards Engineer Pass. In about 5 miles you come to Nellie Creek Road on the ri...

At 14,309 feet, the summit of Uncompahgre Peak is the highest point in the entire San Juan range, but getting to it requires only good hiking skills, good physical shape, and a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead. From Lake City, head west along the Alpine Loop about...

The Spruce Canyon trail is very well taken care of. The trail begin with a descent into Spruce Tree Canyon and then follows a stream for 3/4 of a mile before climbing a side canyon back up to the ridge. The trailhead is located on the Chapin Mesa within Mesa Verde National Park. The trail is open...

Pick up a trail brochure for information on the interpretive signs. There are some steep and narrow portions of the trail, so make sure everyone in your party is of able physical capability. 

Starting at the trail head at 7,000 feet, you will head down the trail until you get to the cliff dwellings. There will be a wooden ladder you will have to climb, a recreation of the ladder used hundreds of years ago by the tribes living there. Once you get to the top of the ladder, the trail wil...

Tickets for this tour are $4 per person and are available at the visitor center near the entrance of the park. This tour is best taken from April to November. This hike features The milky way is often visible from the top of Mesa Verde at night.  This one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves climbin...

The 6-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, open 8 am to sunset, stops at 12 sites including surface ruins and cliff dwelling overlooks. The most famous feature of the park, Cliff Palace, is visible from the Sun Point and Sun Temple overlooks. Sunrise photography isn't possible on the loop due to operating ho...

This two mile round-trip trail leaves from the information kiosk near Long House and Step House, and leads through and area severely burned by the 2000 Pony Fire.  There's no shade on this trail, so if you are doing it during the hotter months, be sure to bring a lot of water and sun protection. ...

This is a great opportunity to see two historic cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park within a relatively short period of time. Schedule your day around getting tickets to Long House, then taking a bit of a side trek to the Step House when you have the time. The tour begins at the Weatherhi...

Just outside of the small community of Lake City, Colorado is Engineer Pass, a dirt road that has amazing views and opportunities to hike, take pictures, and maybe even explore an abandoned mining town. Four wheel drive or all wheel drive is preferable, but the road can definitely be driven by a ...

The Sand Canyon Pueblo marks the northern point of the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, and connects south to the start of the Canyon of the Ancients Trail off Road G. The hike from the parking lot nearest to the pueblo is only 0.8 miles, and is reached on Road N, west of Cortez, Colorad...

This 100 ft. waterfall is close to Colorado 149 on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. To access the falls turn onto FR 510 from the northern entrance and head south for .5 miles. Turn left into the North Clear Creek Falls Observation Site, from there it's a short walk to the falls.Being out in the...