Old fashioned Colorado

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Most (not all) of Iron Horse’s rooms are two-level lofts, a livingroom/bedroom and bath on the lower level and another bedroom in the upper level with a small flight of stairs connecting them. These quaint loft rooms also have a fireplace (you can purchase burning logs from the hotel or just buy some at the store like we did) and an armoire with cable TV and a refrigerator inside.

Our room was on the backside of the hotel and faced the railroad. Twice each day we got to see the fabled Durango & Silverton Train pass by our door full of waving passengers. There is a nice restaurant and lounge on the property with a gift shop and, most importantly, a penny machine at the front entrance! The indoor pool was undergoing some construction while we were there, but should be done by now. However, I say skip the pool and head just a few miles north on the highway to the hot springs!

Cascade also has an indoor pool and whirlpool and three outdoor whirlpools. I recommend the outdoor spas at night for fantastic stargazing! They have an excellent restaurant on the property, but it is on the expensive side so I would avoid it for casual dining. Save the restaurant for a romantic evening with your significant other.

The one-room condos sleep up to four people with a sofabed and trundle bed (one of those beds that folds down from the wall). However, they do have two and three-bedroom condos if you need more room and privacy. There are hiking trails on the property and all rooms have balconies for viewing the surrounding mountains. Even though the Cascade Village is right off Highway 550, the place is very quiet and you feel miles away from civilization.

For you ski buffs, the lodge is between the ski resorts of Durango and Telluride. It’s also not far from the historic town of Silverton. Highway 550 is one of the more spectacular drives in Colorado and by staying at Cascade Village, you’ll be in one of the most scenic areas of the Southern Rockies.

The menu is American with a variety of burgers and steaks for the carnivore in you. The price isn’t bad either. Don’t forget to take one of their specially designed crowlers full of one of their fine ales home with you. They even have a dilapidated old foosball table, which we enjoyed playing immensely.

Since it is a national park, you will need at least one full day to truly get a sense of what Mesa Verde has to offer. You can also camp or RV in the park if you want to spend several days there.

The cliff dwellings are spread out throughout the park so you will need a vehicle to drive from site to site. The largest cliff dwelling is also the most accessible and you can actually wander through it. There are designated places that are roped off to keep people away from delicate areas, but most of it is fairly hands on. There is a twisting trail that leads to this dwelling and it is quite a walk, especially the return trip up hill. I myself am in fairly good shape and I still got a little winded.

Most of the cliff dwellings are not accessible unless you take a guided tour and you may have to sign a release waver saying you are in good enough physical condition to take these tours. This was something I didn’t get to do and I deeply regret it. I think it would be fascinating to see some of the more remote dwellings to learn how the ancient Anasazi lived.

Along with the cliff dwellings, there are many other excavated areas along the roadway that you can stop and visit, small stone homes and storage areas complete with ladders that you can climb on. Several of the cliff dwellings are remote and can only be seen from the scenic stops along the drive through the park. They are all well-marked so you won’t miss anything. There is also a large visitor’s center and gift shop. Mesa Verde is one place I want to go back to and explore in more depth.

It's not an easy course, but it's not so difficult that a hack like me couldn't play. I'm more of a driving range person and the range at DR is excellent. I could have hit balls all afternoon. The course itself winds around the Animas River at the base of the San Juan Mountains. I was too busy looking around at the scenery to really concentrate on the game.

The course was brand new when I played there eight years ago and it was in good shape. I would think it's even better now that the vegetation has had a chance to fill in. I haven't been there since only because I don't have the clubs anymore. If you have the time and clubs, definitely go play.

The train leaves between 8 and 9am (check their website for schedule and prices) so you don’t have to get up too early. The ride is approximately 3 hours each way with an hour stop in the old mining town of Silverton for lunch. On this trip you will see some of the most amazing scenery in the Southern Rockies. In the summer the train has many cars to carry as many people as possible so it could be crowded on your trip. Fall and spring may be less crowded if you prefer.

You also have a choice of an indoor car (parlor) or an outdoor car. The difference is that the outdoor cars have no glass in the windows. I was told the indoor cars have no air-conditioning either. I personally prefer the outdoor car. You feel more a part of nature because you can feel the wind and smell the smoke and hear the sounds of the mountains.

The train literally chugs along and sometimes you get a little jostled as you slowly wind up the tracks and into the mountains. There are two long stops each way when the train has to refill with water. These stops can be 15 to 45 minutes depending on whether the water towers cooperate. This trip is absolutely wonderful and I think anyone planning a stay in Durango should ride the rails, but I do have some things you might want to consider.

This is a steam engine powered by coal, so the smoke coming out of it is thick, black and stinky. I wore a white T-shirt and by the time we returned to the station, it was speckled with black soot, so don’t wear your best clothes (this might not be the case if you ride in the inside car). The journey is long, something families with small children might want to think about. However, you can ride the train up to Silverton and take a bus back to Durango. This will make it a half-day trip instead of an all day trip (remember though, on the ride back you will be sitting on the opposite side you did from the morning so you will see different scenery, which is good enough reason to take the full day, especially for a photo buff like myself).

Also, the water stops are really long. Even though the stops are in scenic places (one stop is by a ranch with a large pond) you are still stopped and there’s nothing to do while you’re waiting. They won’t let you off the train for safety reasons, so you can’t get off and walk around or anything.

For tickets and info, the D&SNGR phone number is 888-302-0061.

Don’t forget to stop in the tiny convenience store and get a soda and rent some fishing equipment from the nice woman that runs the place. We didn’t get her name, but she had all kinds of advice on the area and most importantly, she knew the weather conditions. We were there in July and she told us the week before it actually snowed. She also told us a group of hikers camping in the valley had to come back up, it was so cold. But it was warm sunny weather for us.

My husband fished in the lake while I hiked around it, taking photos from all sides of the lake. He didn’t catch anything, but I managed to catch several fantastic photos. If you get a chance to stop, take the time to walk around and see all the flowers and birds in this beautiful place and visit the lady in the convenience store. If you want to camp, you’ll need to check the web, I don’t know much about it, but there are guided tours and hikes throughout the area if you want something a little more structured.