Day 25 - April 10, 2005

Today we set off for Mesa Verde National Park. We stopped for lunch in Cortez. According to one of my tour books, we were going to eat lunch at Homesteader's Restaurant. However, when we got to the address, it was now Blondies Pub and Grub. So we proceeded in and Frank got to enjoy all of young waitresses with various tatoos. When we arrived at Mesa Verde National Park we found out we couldn't enter without chains or 4 wheel drive. Oh well, we are going to try again on Sunday when we head to Utah as the weather is supposed to be much better. We headed back to Durango and walked the River Trail and then walked around the historic district of Durango. The weather is getting better. No snow today and we had a high of 47 with a low of 28.

View from our camp site

Scenic ride to Mesa Verde National Park

This is as far as we got in our quest to visit Mesa Verge National Park.

Our hike along the Animas River Trail.

Animas River in Durango, CO

A walk down the historic Main Street in Durango.

The Railroad Depot. We will be taking this train ride tomorrow which departs from this depot.

The Strater Hotel in downtown Durango. Wild legends Bat Masterson and Butch Cassidy both stayed at the handsome four-story redbrick Victorian hotel. Louis L'Amour wrote a few of his Western novels while checked into room 222 or sitting in the Diamond Belle Saloon.

One of the Victorian Homes on our 3rd Avenue Walking Tour