Honeyville and James Ranch

The national forest campgrounds we closing for the season and we couldn't get into the county fair campground until Monday. We found the Alpen Rose Campground, which was very nice, north of Durango to stay a couple of days. The bike route near there was calling our name and had some great treats along the way. 

Pinkerton Warm Mineral Springs were not real hot but had a soda fizz to it. The springs were used by the Pinkerton Ranch's bathhouse in the 1878. The minerals in the water was thought to cure all diseases.

The scrub oak are changing.

It was such a nice ride through the ranches and farms.

One house would have these chairs arranged differently each time we passed. This time

with fishing poles, the next around a table and umbrella with beer cans in front

of each chair.



The apples smelled so good as we rode by.

Fall is definitely in the air.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' jump scene was filmed here near Baker's Bridge.

 While hiking the Vallencito Trail, a lady told us to stop at Honeyville, which was right along our ride, and try the distilled honey bourbon. I don't care for bourbon but his was pretty good. Mike likes Maker's Mark and bought a bottle.

Across the road was the James Ranch. After trying out the cheeses, we had to have the burger with a side of corn on the cob. I bet we return before leaving the area.

James Ranch is ten miles north of Durango, Colorado in the beautiful Animas River Valley. Here, we found 400 acres of high altitude, irrigated pastures, crystal clear flowing water, 100% grass fed and finished beef cattle, grazing Jersey milk cows, a spruce tree nursery, an organic vegetable and flower garden, and busy families who utilize organic growing practices in the day-to-day operation of the ranch and their enterprises.

What a great bike ride on the backroads before we head to Silverton.

Vallecito Lake

18 miles northeast of Durango in Southwestern Colorado surrounded by over 2.5 million acres of public land on all sides is Vallecito Lake. We stayed at Graham Creek Campground in the national forest and were once again alone but not lonely.  

Tour of Carvings

 A number of artistic carvings of fire damaged trees near the lake on Missionary Ridge have been created to commemorate the huge number of firefighters, EMTs, and others who fought to save lives and homes in the 2002 fire. There was a fun geo cache that involved getting clues from 7 carvings and putting together the answer to find the cache. They were quite some distance apart and we only had a couple of days at the lake since the campgrounds were closing down for the season.



We really liked Vallecito Campground along the river where many of the trails were north of the lake. We like the sound of the water as we sleep.

This was a nice moderate trail with a long drop to the river over the ledge.

At times, we walked along the stream but most of the time you couldn't see it because the canyon was too deep and steep.

A hiker we met along the trail mentioned that we hit this hike at the perfect time between tourist season and hunting. The added plus is the weather was fall like with a cool breeze.

We met a couple of cowboys hauling supplies up for the hunting pack trip that they lead.

One last morning walk before we head to Durango.

Chimney Rock and Pagosa Springs

Many people left the Creede Campground at the end of Labor Day weekend before us. After a week of off and on rain, we had a beautiful rainbow to bid us adieu.

 

Treasure Waterfall 15 miles east of Pagosa Springs was a nice uphill hike  with several switchbacks after we made our way over Wolf Creek Pass. Treasure Falls drops 105 feet before joining the San Juan River.

The name Treasure Falls came from Treasure Mountain, which as the legends goes, holds buried gold. In the late 1700s about 300 Frenchmen secretly entered the San Juan Mountains, which was Spanish turf.

They struck it rich near the mountain, but were faced with brutal winters, Indian attacks and disease. Only two Frenchmen returned east to tell the tale.



 

Wow! It's great staying in the National Forest campgrounds after Labor Day.
We were the only people in Ute Campground near Pagosa Springs. We thought it would be a good stop since it is near Chimney Rock Archeologic Site.



We had some amazing sunsets that looked like fire between the trees.

View from the road.....

Chimney Rock National Monument was designated as a national monument only 3 years

ago by President Obama. The tours were limited to 25 people per tour for 3 tours

each day. We had ten people on our tour. The docent, a retired biology professor from Texas, was very interesting and well spoken. The walk was pleasant with amazing views and the 2 hours passed  quickly. We met some interesting people on the tour and just had a good morning before

things warmed up.

Lunar Standstill  happens every 18.6 years and lasts 2 years as the moon pauses, rising at the same point on the horizon before beginning its move back toward the opposite end of the swing. The Chaco Indians built the Great House there because of the view of the moon rising between Chimney Rock and Companion Rock during the Standstill. The park service isn't sure how they are going to handle all of the people that will want to witness this event starting in 2021. They are considering a lottery.

Colorado has several hot springs throughout the state. Pagosa's main hot springs

has been privatized and very nice. There are several springs along the river and

in the nearby mountains that the public can access. Pagosa Springs is said to be the world's deepest geothermal hot springs.

Heading on the Vallecito Lake