Two years ago this week, I made a multi-stop road trip along the Colorado Front Range – my main event was visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park. From my start in Alamosa to my finish at St. Mary’s Glacier, I was able to tackle a handful of great hikes as well as enjoy a few moments of relaxation.
Alamosa, CO
I made Alamosa my first launching point, staying at The Sunset Inn – one of the best budget hotels I’ve managed to find on my travels. The hotel’s location put me within walking distance of the San Luis Valley Brewing Company for dinner and a beer sampler. On my way back to my room, I stopped at the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad yard and managed to snap a few photos of the vintage railcars around sunset. For more pictures, visit my photo blog (more photos, less text) here.
Zapata Falls & Great Sand Dunes National Park
The next day was one of my most epic hiking days to date. My first stop was Zapata Falls, a short but extremely rewarding trail on the way to the Dunes. The access road to the trail is, to be blunt, horrendous – but if my little shoebox of a car can make it, so can yours! The trail is less than a mile, and the very last portion requires you to get into the stream to approach the falls. Be sure to bring some water shoes with you! As you enter the rock formation, you’re rewarded with the epic view of the falls cascading down rocks.
Next up: visiting the Great Sand Dunes National Park! The contrast of the dunes surrounded by the nearby mountains is quite something to see. The main attraction here is obviously climbing the dunes. I brought along a few options of footwear: my regular walking shoes and flip flops. In the end, I found going barefoot was the best option if you can stand the temperature of the sand. For the more adventurous, you can also rent boards and go “sand boarding,” too!
A Joyful Journey
The next day I headed north, and stopped along the way at one of the handful of hot springs in the area. I chose Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa in Moffat for a very relaxing break in the drive. The resort is very affordable with multiple pools. I was even lucky enough to have the place to myself for a vast majority of the time I was there! So if you go, get ready to sit back and enjoy the water and the view of the mountains.
Before reaching my next destination for the night, I stopped in Poncha Springs at Vino Salida Wine Cellars for another break in the drive. While you’re enjoying your wine tasting, be sure to take a moment to check out the amazing hand-blown lighting fixtures above the bar!
Black Hawk & St. Mary’s Glacier
My final stop for my vacation brought me to the casino mountain resort town of Black Hawk, Colorado. While I’m not a gambler myself, I used this location as my launch point for my final hiking adventure: St. Mary’s Glacier.
Like Zapata Falls, the St. Mary’s Glacier trail is short, but very steep. Even folks used to hiking at altitude may struggle a bit with this one. But don’t give up – the views at the top are well worth it!
Protip: It costs $5 (cash only) to park at the trailhead. Bring your own pen to fill out the envelope, too!
The scene at the top of the trail is quite desolate, with the trees bent and twisted from the weather. The mountain reflects beautifully in the lake, with the glacier itself in view. (Want to see more? There are lot’s more photos on my other blog, too!)
Enjoying my “Looking Back” series? Over the past few years, my love for both hiking and travelling has increased almost exponentially, and I’ve been fortunate to have had so many opportunities to travel recently. With the current health crisis, our travel plans for 2020 were scuttled; so I decided I’d take some time over the next few months to write this “Looking Back” series, where I dive into a recap of some of my favorite trips over the last few years. Click the navigation below to read more.
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