Great Sand Dunes NP, Pagosa Springs, and Durango

June 22-30, 2021

TL;DR: Well. So far, Colorado is really showing off, from the incredible Great Sand Dunes to Pagosa Springs and Durango, and all the little towns in between. The scenery is so different from New Mexico, with vast expanses of lush meadows, wildflowers, and trees everywhere.

The stats

Hikes: 3
Hiking miles: 10.4 (1,638 ft. elevation gain)
Miles in Eric: 400
Miles in Layla: 390
Sand dunes scaled: 8
Hot springs soaked in: 6
Goats fallen in love with: 2

The sights

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Well this place was astonishing. Got up at 6 to get to the park early so that we could make sure we got a spot for Layla, then had a little breakfast and got ready for the hike which was way harder than we thought.

The highest dune is 755 feet and it’s no joke hiking in sand. It was pretty cool because we were able to choose our path; sometimes we followed the crowd, sometimes we didn’t. Always thought we were this close to the top, then another peak jumped up in the distance. But the views were absolutely worth it in every direction, on the way up and down.

Pagosa Springs

Pretty quiet little spot. Was pretty easy to stumble upon great spots here, starting with Mountain Tavern, which had a pay-as-you-go self-serve wine and beer situation, allowing us to taste just about everything. The night we were there the band “Out on Work Release” was playing, and they were also adorable.

Then we visited Neon Mallard, which was sort of like a speakeasy/fancy tavern situation, and each room was different from the next, including a taxidermy room and a room with pink flamingo wallpaper. Also, excellent cocktails and a must-get affogato. They’re also a hotel, and we wondered if the rooms were as interesting as the bar.

The Piedra River Trail is close to town and goes about 7.3 miles along the Piedra River. We went about two miles out and back, and it was gorgeous the entire time, dipping up and down next to the river, with cliffs here and there on both sides. Lots of people and dogs, but it didn’t feel too crowded.

Decided to pay the $50 each for the Pagosa Springs, and we’d say it was worth it. The springs were busy, but they bring drinks right to you, and they were pretty tasty. Also, the river is right next to the springs, so you can dip in for a cool-off before you warm back up. We found a good spring that was relatively empty and around 98 degrees, which was essential because it was pretty hot out. The springs range from low 80s to 114 degrees (!).

Durango

Our first hike here was on the Church Camp Trail, which was a pretty gorgeous walk up the mountain that dipped down into this canyon that went about 300 feet straight down into a beautiful creek that was most certainly not a waterfall haha. But pretty nonetheless, and the light on the mountains was especially stunning.

The downtown area is a nice size, with lots of great little shopping spots and thrift stores, restaurants and bars.

We also rafted down the Animas River, with our guide, Brian, who was just graduating from school with a major in adventure education (!). Pretty chill flow with about 10 seconds of class three rapids. Also saw a few fishermen catching and releasing.

Since we were in our RV spot for five nights, we got a 10-soak pass to Durango Hot Springs, which had 17 pools and an adult-only side which was awesome. Also really nice showers. The setting was also much more serene than Pagosa Springs. Drinks were equally delicious with an especially tasty piña colada. We were supposed to see a concert here one night but arrived near the end and they had left already (scheduling malfunction). Womp.

Drove up the Million Dollar Highway (Hwy 550), and everywhere we looked was more stunning than the next, from Snowden Peak to the Turks Mountain (made of siltstone, sandstone, and limestone). Everything was so lush, with dark reds and green-tinted and purple mountains, snow on the tippy top, and flowers everywhere.

Stopped for a hot second in Ouray, popped into a few shops and had a Colorado Mule and beer at Goldbar. Could even see a waterfall from town. Super small.

Also stopped in Silverton, mainly to find coffee admist the rain. But happened upon a funnel cake shop and couldn’t resist. The cinnamon bun funnel cake was a hit.

On the northeast side, we apparently just missed a bear and three cubs climbing up and around the waterfall.

Another day, we did a hike to/around Haviland Lake in the early AM. Super pretty and followed a creek most of the way, with vanilla-scented Ponderosa throughout. Not too much incline but lovely views everywhere.

Back in town, we hit up the Saloon at the Straten Hotel, where the cocktail waitresses are dressed as saloon girls. Took a tour through the hotel and realized the “spiritorium” was where we had wanted to go, on the other side of the hotel.

[Saloon pic]

Went early to Eolus and snagged a spot on the rooftop and had a most excellent meal and great cocktails. Also sat in front of a gorgeous herb garden.

One of the best parts was Barber and Bookstore, an adorable speakeasy with great cocktails and house pupusas. That night we went, the password was “The clock strikes thirteen,” and inside were tons of literary references and a library card wall of love letters from patrons to the bar.

Details, details, details

At Mountain Tavern in Pagosa Springs, we had “sauerkraut balls,” which were sort of like arancini but with sauerkraut and pesto, and a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Delightful!

Brian finally got some cowboy boots! Randomly found some Lucchese’s in Pagosa and had to get them.

And then this happened…

The Great Sand Dunes weather was just about perfect until we had 30 minutes to go. By that time we had taken off our shoes and the sand heat up REALLY quickly. Thankfully we didn’t have that far to go.

On our way back from the Piedra River Trail, on the one road back to Pagosa Springs, traffic was backed up and it looked like something very bad happened. The sheriff eventually came back to tell us they were calling in an airlift, so we all backed up away from the spot… then about 20 minutes later 3 ambulances went by and they started letting people through again (after about 1.5hrs). Really hoping the ambulance was able to help and it wasn’t the alternative…

Getting packages in the RV is always such a pain in the ass. We have to know what carrier, and when it’s getting there, which these days is always a toss-up. All of this information Jess has collected over the last three years completely escaped her when she got not one but two things sent to a Durango UPS—and one was USPS and one was DHL, which doesn’t work. They only accept UPS. Thankfully, Jess emailed the owner of the female-owned UPS, Linda, who was a GEM and accepted all 5 packages (?!). She’s from Boston and Italy, and when she only charged Jess $5 for all five packages (it’s usually $5 per package, with +$5 for extra days, of which there were plenty, PLUS none of them were actually UPS), and Jess asked if she was sure, she said, “Jess, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do.” She was awesome, and yelled as Jess left the store, “Don’t trust anyone!”

Went to El Moro downtown for dinner one night, where Paco the waiter was particularly wonderful, and got us to do a shot of whiskey out of our empty bone marrow bone. Pretty delicious.

Ghost and Buster are the two goats that supply the milk for the goat cheese at James Ranch Grill (see Roadfood). They are extremely adorable and mischievous.

Now we know

If the weather cooperates, it’s pretty wonderful to walk the Great Sand Dunes barefoot. We didn’t do this until we ran down but it felt quite wonderful on the feet.

If you become a member at Neon Mallard in Pagosa Springs—for a cool $2,000/year—you get lots of membership perks and a charcuterie plate every time you go (we think. Has to be. Can’t just be one right?).

Pagosa Hot Springs are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for “Deepest Geothermal Hot Spring.” The line to measure maxed out at 1,002 feet, but the actual “mother” spring goes even deeper.

Jess made Prickly Pear sours the night we were at Ute Campground and they were delightful.

Also discovered “Zhug” thanks to Jess’s mom. It’s a spicy green sauce from Yemen with cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, olive oil, and roasted pumpkin seeds. It’s good on everything.

Apparently they used to mine uranium in Durango and had to pull a chunk out of the mountain and dump it off the other side so it didn’t get in the water… but the company in charge got the disposal wrong and f-ed it up, so they just blew it up.

Some of the peaks along the Million Dollar Highway were first photographed by William Henry Jackson, who also was the first to photograph Yelllowstone and the Teton Mountains in the 1870s.

Roadfood

For 25 years, Kip’s has served Pagosa Springs tasty tacos, like the Pilewski with barbacoa, provolone, chipotle, chile verde, cheese, avocado and jalapeños.

The Root Cafe in Pagosa Springs was out of a lot, but we managed to get the everything bagel with tomatoes and a few other very delicious goodies.

Durango’s Yellow Carrot is home to insane portions of nap-inducing brunch dishes, lattes served with scoops of baklava, and inventive bottomless mimosas with basil ginger juice.

At James Ranch Grill, farm to table is more like “table on the farm,” and the rich, grass-fed beef burgers are as fresh as it gets.

Where we stayed

Night one: Amazing boondocking spot on BLM land 15 miles south of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. Off Lake Como Road at Sacred White Shell Mountain.

Really gorgeous, easy to find, and prime location right outside the dunes.

GPS coordinates: 37.539228, -105.575653

Nights two and three: Site 37, Pagosa Riverside Campground, Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Night four: Ute Campground, site 22, in between Durango and Pagosa Springs

Really gorgeous spot in the corner with barely any other sites visible and a lovely little walking path

Nights five through nine: Spot 8, Westerly RV Park, Durango

Pretty wonderful place right across from the hot springs. Our spot was in the corner so we could open the door onto this pretty patch of grass, with views of longhorns next door. Because, Colorado. It’s also, of course, right by the Silverton Railroad, which passes a few times a day and is VERY loud. But never at night, so. All good.