The cliff dwellings here are amazing. How they got up there was quite a feat! There were no stairs, just climb up!As you can see the terrain is quite rugged!This was the visitors path to view the ruins close up; I chose to just get my pictures using my 300mm telephoto lens from the top!Some beautiful succulents here.The view went on for miles!Of course I have a picture of a dead tree!
durango/silverton train ride
While staying near Mesa Verde we took a day trip over to Durango to ride the steam train from Durango to SilvertonThe scenery along the way was spectacular! I got this shot of our train since we were in the next to last car.Here’s a cool shot of the engine on a trestle.A few places the cuts in the rock cliffs were a bit tight!Some swollen rivers along the way; the spring melt isn’t quite over yet and it’s late May! Here the train is at one of it’s two stops along the way to refill water. These old steam engines used a lot of water heated by a lot of coal! The people you see here are hikers they dropped off; they will hike the rest of the way to Silverton!On our way again!We chose the First Class car; not plush by today’s standards but pretty comfortable. As we got closer to Silverton you can see that the snow is still not melted quite yet. The Aspen trees do have their leaves producing this dramatic difference from their light green leave and the dark green of the pines.Arriving in Silverton.Some desperadoes chased the train for a bit!This is the train station at Silverton; it makes you feel as if your transported back to old western times!We had lunch at The Lone Spur Cafe inside the Grand Imperial Hotel. A beautiful old bar and restaurant!A gorgeous had carved old western bar!While we ate lunch we were entertained by Lacey Black with some great piano music. She’s been doing this since a young girl. We had to get a couple of her CDs!Need some boots?Beware of the Moose!…And the bear!Back to the train for the return trip.What’s left of an old mine.A waterfall from the spring melt.
