AIROSMITH

  The Alpine Loop is designated a National Backcountry Byway.  It is a four-wheel-drive route that connects the mining town of Silverton to Lake City in Colorado. As we were camped in Silverton, we rented a Jeep here at the RV Park and drove the loop right from AIROSMITH’S doorstep.  For us, it was an 8 hour day which included a quick lunch in Lake City. Despite the rain in the forecast, we had a wonderful day driving through the Colorado high country.  While still a bit early, we enjoyed driving through fields of summer wildflowers. We drove the loop clockwise from the mining ghost town of Animas Forks over Engineer Pass to Lake City, then returning to Silverton over Cinnamon Pass. Our Transportation for the day.  Jeep Wrangler X rented in the office at our RV Park.  We find it’s better than using our 4X4 F150 for off road excursions.  Wear and tear to the rented vehicle and tires, versus what we pull AIROSMITH with. The road begins to require four ...

Pagosa Springs, Colorado While visiting our close friend who lives in Pagosa Springs, we took a day to visit Chimney Rock National Monument  located in the San Juan National Forest.  Visits and tours at the Monument are coordinated by the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association for the National Forest Service.  Whether you choose to do a self-guided tour or one of the focused tours, you will schedule it through the CRIA.  We choose a self-guided tour and used their very convienent audio tour through a smartphone app.  Be sure to down load the app before your visit as cell reception at the Monument is spotty. Self-guided tours follow two separate trails accessing two key locations of the site.  The Mesa Village Trail is a paved half mile trail giving you a view of the Piedra River Valley and Peterson Ridge as well as passing excavated and restored Pithouse and the Great Kiva. The Great House Pueblo Trail travels almost a half mile along the exposed mesa ridge...