San Juans and Mesa Verde

We traveled to an Airstream Rally in Delores, Colorado. Delores is a small town west of Telluride with a several nice campgrounds. It provides great access to the San Juan Mountains and Mesa Verde National Park.

The San Juans are the largest mountain range in Colorado with more than a dozen peaks higher than 14,000 feet. Driving through the San Juans is spectacular as you wind through wildflower-filled meadows surrounded by rugged mountains.

On our first day we headed up to the tiny town of Ophir where we began hiking/running to Grant Pass. This is a partial segment of the Hardrock 100 course.

The trail winds through a beautiful valley. This was a dry year in the San Juans and normally there is significantly more snow.

Running doesn't get more spectacular than this.

Popular mountain spots are filled with Marmots begging for food.

The final climb up to Grant Pass was very loose and steep. It is hard to believe the Hardrock 100 race goes up (or down) this.

After reaching the top of Grant Pass you are rewarded with a view of Island Lake - one of the most beautiful lakes in Colorado.

Coming down loose scree - Staci loves this (not really).

The farmers market in central Delores is very cute.

We camped at Delores RV park. Many of the spots backed to a lake and were very private.

A few miles from Delores is McPhee Reservoir which has amazing trail running and boating.

On our last full day we visited Mesa Verde National Park, which is famous for preserving a large number of Anasazi cliff dwellings.

The hike into Mug House passes other ruins.

Mug House is not as large or spectacular as the Cliff Palace but was definitely worth seeing.

This is a Mug House room where a family would have lived.

The Kivas were large rooms where multiple families gathered.