#16 New Mexico, Colorado and Utah Rocks!

After an entire year travelling around the United States (see map above), and with a little extra time to play with, we began our second loop, making sure we hit some of those places we missed first time round, such as Northern New Mexico, Colorado and the northern part of Utah. And what better time to see them than in Fall! But we had to be quick, winter was approaching and these places can get really cold!

But where were we? Oh yes; Sedona, Arizona. This spiritual, artsy place was first on the list. If you haven’t checked it out, then make sure you do! We were not there for the new age activities that were on offer, but rather the breathtaking landscape. Huge red rock formations create the backdrop for this scene, and the unique houses that look like they have grown with them, make this setting an architect’s dream. Some people have even inserted their own cable car into their grand designs!

Our second stop was Sante Fe. A Spanish settlement town situated high up on a hill. This location was at the top of our bucket list, and we were even more excited to be able to share this visit with our good friends Roland and Denise.

The old town itself isn’t very big, with art galleries, cafés and boutiques scattered around the main square. The vibe on this September afternoon was uplifting, with live music being played in the park, families picknicking on the benches and the sounds of chatter coming from the outdoor cafés. It certainly had the feeling of a European town, I guess it hasn’t lost its Spanish roots. The food however, was very New Mexican. New Mexico is proud to boast its own cuisine: Mexican with a twist. Unique dishes such as Carne Adovada, Posole, and Frito Pie are on the menus and we were very glad to sample the Frito Pie at the Plaza café, it was out of this world!

With full tummies and an afternoon stroll around town, we then went to check out the view from above. The sun was setting and the old church bells were ringing, it was a perfect ending to a Santa Fe day.

The next day the five of us checked out Los Alamos, walking around the pond and snacking on Chicharron burritos (burritos filled with pork crackling). We found a lovely camp spot in a nearby forest and invited Roland and Denise to our quarters. Grilling T-Bone steaks with baked potatoes! It was wonderful to be able to host them for a change, and show them how we live.

We said our goodbyes, but we know it won’t be long until we see them again.

It was now time to head north before the cold sets in. Northern New Mexico was spectacularly beautiful with the fall foliage already in its prime. In fact, we were so engrossed in our leaf peeping that we hadn’t even noticed we had crossed the border into Colorado. The following morning however, did confirm that we had actually made it into ‘Colorful Colorado’. We woke up to an array of bright yellow birch trees. We knew that, as we were about to embark on our road trip up north, we were in for a treat.

The drive between Durango and Silverton was particularly stunning with windy roads ascending into the mountains. The Durango-Silverton train ride was actually something we had initially considered when traversing the rocky mountains. Unfortunately for us though, we were not the only ones with this idea. The train rides were fully booked. It turns out, that in Fall, you need to reserve your seats well ahead of time!

No worries though, we made it to Silverton with Silverskin, and enjoyed the freedom of being able to explore this mining town in our own timetable. We actually ended up spending two nights in the area, making most of the free riverside camping that was available.

We could tell we were at a higher elevation. The more north we travelled, the colder it got, and we even experienced a dusting of snow on one of the mountain passes. We sure felt like we were back in Switzerland! And speaking of which, we passed through Ouray, the Switzerland of America. How canny!

With the weather declining and the trees bare and naked, we had begun to think that our leaf peeping visit had come to an end, that was until we descended back down into the Salida area, where the aspen and birch trees shone in their yellow glory, next to a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and crisp blue skies. Our drone was certainly in heaven!

What else did we do in Colorado? Well after spending a few days in the greater Denver area, getting all urban in Lafayette, we paid Buffalo Bill our respects. His grave which is located on Lookout Mountain has created much controversy over the years. Why would this Wyoming showman and founder of Cody be buried there? Well, records state that after frequent visits to Denver (his sister had lived there), it was his final wish to rest in peace overlooking this great city! Well it was an awesome view after all.

From there, we took the I-70 west, cutting through the Rocky Mountains all the way into Utah. Our last stop in Colorado though was of course on the Colorado River in Grand Junction. And what a grand finale to our leaf-peeping it was. It was almost as if the leaves were putting on their very best performance, just for us. It was beautiful!

Utah ‘Life Elevated!’

We had explored southern Utah at the beginning of our trip last October and were definitely keen to check out its northern parts. Utah with its five National Parks has some of the most stunning places on the planet. One could easily get lost in all these canyons: one day you think you are on Mars, and another, starring in a western movie. An absolute highlight for us, was taking in the sheer beauty of Arches National Park.

The drive leads you past hundreds of unique rock formations, each resembling its own character and charm, and the striking red  colour of the sandstone and clay will have you coming back for more. There are so many arches to choose from (over 2000!), with some even sporting their own name (Double Arch, Broken Arch and Sand Dunes Arch to name a few) and most need a hike to get there, but boy is it beautiful and worth the exercise! One can only imagine how long it took for the weather and water to shape it all. Architects couldn’t have done a better job!

The only National Park, out of the five, we skipped was Canyonlands, we did however explore the area around Moab quite well in ‘4-low’. Moab is the Disneyland for 4×4 enthusiasts. And we were amongst many of those ‘Razers’ and Jeeps on our rough and wild ride to ‘Gemini Bridges’.

In fact we were the only camper daring these rocky, off-road trails. But you’ve got to get off the beaten path to find the hidden gems right? The Gemini Bridges were dramatic and our nearby campspot was equally impressive. With a 1 year anniversary show to film, what better place than this! Striking backdrop with thousands of twinkling stars to follow…truly magical!

And it didn’t stop there. One of our favourite National Parks (partially because there was hardly anyone there) was Capitol Reef. If you are willing to leave the one and only paved highway in the north, you have countless opportunities to get lost in and amongst some of the most bizarre landscapes you’ll ever come across. This park is full of cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges. One minute you feel you are on another planet in outer space, and another, in a dried-up ancient reef (hence its name). And its exit to southern Utah via the Grand Escalante Staircase makes quite a jaw-dropping statement. These ‘steps’ in their shades of pink, chocolate and grey are a pure feast for the eyes.

Back in southern Utah again, we of course paid Bryce and Zion yet another visit. These parks never cease to amaze us and were a very splendid end to our canyon extravaganza. Utah we love you!

Thank you very much for reading and we’ll meat you around the world!