Playing In Nature’s Paradise – Pagosa Springs, CO

Gorgeous Wolf Creek Pass

If you folks think we’ve been wasting away the past few days by playing and frolicking around in the forest you would be…errmm well…correct.

Truth be said pooch, the cats and us have been reveling in our newfound paradise of lush trees and rugged mountains ever since we arrived in Colorado. The area of the San Juan Forest and Pagosa Springs is simply an outdoor lovers dream, and when you ask the locals about the thing to do you’ll always get the same answer “get out there!”. So being well-trained humans that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Up high on the trail near West Fork Campground

I’ll start by putting it in perspective. Pagosa Springs sits in a gorgeous high-mountain valley at ~7,000 feet surrounded by rugged mountains and three million acres of San Juan National Forest and Weminuche Wilderness, the latter of which is Colorado’s largest at about a half million acres.  Within this natural haven lies everything imaginable from fish-rich streams to lakes, ice caves, hiking trails, backpacking, mountain bike rides and 4×4 backcountry roads. It’s so very huge that you could easily lose yourself for several months (without meeting a soul) and still be left with several years of outdoor activities to go.

Driving on Hwy 160

A short drive opens us the landscape even more. Wolf Creek Pass lies just to the North of town on Hwy 160 with a base elevation of ~10,350 feet. It boasts “The Most Snow in Colorado” at an average of 400 inches (mostly powder, don’t you know) and is a winter skiers paradise. In summer it hosts the famous Continental Divide Trail, at 3,100 miles long the highest, wildest and arguably most difficult of the “big three walks” in the US. Start at Wolf Creek Pass and you can take a leisurely 19-mile hike to Elwood Pass or, if you’re feeling motivated, a stimulating 76-mile stroll to New Mexico.

The pretty (and perhaps rich?) Treasure Falls

And the fun doesn’t end there. The area abounds with tall tales and Indian history. The healing hot springs of Pagosa were thought to be a gift from the gods and became the center of a deadly battle between Utes and Navajos in 1867.  More riches are in the hills, and according to legend in the late 1700′s a massive treasure of gold was buried and lost somewhere around Treasure Mountain.  

We’ve been hiking and driving our way through the trails and the scenery, including a short jaunt on Treasure Mountain (you never know, after all). It’s been days of “ooooh” and “aaaaah” kind of moments sprinkled by gorgeous mountain weather and even {{gasp}} some light rain. Although we’ve failed to discover the hidden millions, we’ve managed to find a treasure-trove of natural beauty and that, my friends, is utterly priceless.

Snow still lingers on the rugged and crazy Continental Divide Trail by Wolf Creek Pass

Just another piece of gorgeous scenery for the taking

A Stroll on The Appalachian

Part of the trail at Roan Mountain

It was a long and windy trail…a reaaaallly long and windy trail. In fact, for those with the gumption to do it, the Appalachian Trail is an impressive 2,179 miles (3,507 km) long and follows the rim of the Appalachian mountains from Georgia to Maine. More than just a day-stroll, it usually takes an average of 6 months to through-hike. It’s one of the “great three” walks in the US, the other two being the Pacific Crest Trail (spanning 2,650 miles (4,260 km) from Mexico to Canada over the Western Sierra Nevada Mountains), and the Continental Divide Trail (covering  3,100 miles (5,000 km) along the Rockies). The people who do all three call it the “Triple Crown” and can claim my life-long worship of their hardiness.

Relaxing at Bald Mound on the Appalachian in TN

It always been one of my dreams to hike one of these greats. In fact, for many years I researched the Pacific Crest Trail with the idea that I would take off work for a year to go do it. Then I met Paul, we got the cats, took off to Asia and fate pulled me on a different path. I love my life, but the trails are still on my mind so getting the chance to hike them, even for just a moment, is a very exciting experience indeed. In the Smokies the Appalachian is easily accessible and we got a taste of it’s greatness on Roan Mountain in TN.

Mountain valley curves

So there we went…A sunny fall afternoon, the chill of the mountains bursting in our lungs and the wild wind of the ridges rushing to meet its destiny on the horizon. We hiked to the first bald at ~6,200 feet and sat in awe of the view. Amidst the rolling hills, the deep blue of the Smokies and a whole lotta nature, I can totally see how people get addicted to it.

Maybe one day I’ll come back and do the whole thing.

Desolate nature at its most beautiful