Fantastic Feathers: #TravelTale

Showing posts with label #TravelTale. Show all posts

07 November, 2020

Black Canyon of Gunnison, Montrose, Colorado

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We have traveled a lot across Colorado and covered around 80% of places in the state. But, this is the first time for us visiting Southwest Colorado.

We visited Mesa Verde national park, Great Sand dunes national park, Mahalakshmi temple in Crestone, and Pagosa Springs but never ventured beyond that.

We have heard a lot about Telluride, the Switzerland of America- Ouray, and million-dollar highway, so we were planning for this dream trip for a long time. But, we don't want to do a quick trip as well. As usual, we plan to cover all the beautiful places around whenever we visit one place.

Black Canyon of Gunnison is known as a less visited national park in Colorado.

Here is our travelogue - Day 1 and Day 2

Day 1 is mostly dedicated to traveling to Montrose from Colorado Springs. This time, we chose to go through Salida, driving along the river. We crossed Salida, driving through the scenic Collegiate Peaks byway. It's our first time watching so many peaks together in Colorado even though we are not new to the mountains.

We crossed through Monarch Pass, and the drive was splendid. The road between Monarch Pass and Montrose was beautiful too. We could see the vast waterbody - The Gunnison River along the route.

Lovely beaches and scenic bridges!

Day 2 - Black Canyon of Gunnison

We rested for that night in Montrose at Hampton Inn. The hotel was very good and they provided excellent cleaning services in the light of Covid.

Black Canyon of Gunnison National park in Western Colorado is a steep canyon known for it's highest cliff 'Painted wall'. The Black canyon got its name as some parts of the canyon don't get any sunlight due to its depth and look black. The entry fee is $25 per vehicle.

We reached Black Canyon of Gunnison by 11 AM. The South rim visitor center was open and the Park official guided us on kid-friendly trails and tips to save time to cover more in one day.

Our plan was set! We wanted to cover almost all overlook points in South rim Scenic drive, drive down through the winding East portal road, have lunch at Montrose and drive to North rim.

This is the first overlook that impressed us. Tomichi Overlook.

Some great overlook points are Devil's lookout, Chasm View, Painted wall view, Dragon point, and Sunset view.

See the Gunnison river in between the canyon walls and the beautiful red colors of the rocks.

We did a kid-friendly trail - Warner point nature trail which is around 1.5 miles round trip, but we were not too satisfied with that trail as it wasn't very scenic. We would have tried oak flat loop trail instead. It's 2 miles round trip.

Driving through the East Portal road is a great experience. It's a dirt narrow winding road, so you need to drive in low gear slowly, but it's completely worth it.

Here is a photo from the river up close after reaching down!

Then, we finished our lunch on the way to North rim. The drive to North rim from South rim takes 2 hrs and it is mostly boring and not scenic(through Hotchkiss). But, I definitely recommend the other route along Curecanti recreational area which will take around 2.5 hrs, if you have the extra time. That is the scenic alternative.

The overlooks / View are much better from the North rim than the South Rim, but you should set 3 to 5 hrs of your time just to drive and cover them.

Can you see the little heart-shaped land between canyon? Isn't it cool?

In the North Rim, the Exclamation point gives the best view. We also did a small hike which offered amazing views. The North rim visitor center was closed. Due to covid, only limited facilities are open.

We were exhausted by the end of the day with many hikes and relaxed in our hotel.

Stay in touch with me on my blog / Instagram (@ramyaelr) / Twitter (@mahathi_ramya)/ Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/fantasticfeathers.in) so that you don't miss Day 3 and Day 4 of our travelogues :-)

Use this interactive map to find accommodations to stay in Montrose.

Until next time,

Linking this to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne.

27 May, 2019

Day 3 : Pagosa Springs and Crestone #UtahVacation

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Before going to our Day 3 travelogue, please go through below posts to follow the itinerary.

Utah Vacation Plan with Kids

Day 1 - Arches National Park and Canyonlands National park

Day 2 - Monument Valley Park and Four Corners National monument

Day 2 - Mesa Verde National Park

We reached our hotel in Pagosa Springs on the night of day 2 itself. We intentionally took more rest on day 3 instead of visiting places. When we plan any vacation with kids, this is very important. Continuous traveling will impact kids making them cranky. So, we wanted to get up late, enjoy the breakfast buffet, relax in the pool and hot tub before starting our drive.

As mentioned in the previous post, Chimney Rock National monument is around 30 mins drive from Pagosa Springs. This is a good place to visit if you are interested in archeology and native American Lifestyle.

Chimney Rock
PC: Google images labeled for reuse

It also makes sense to visit the world's deepest geothermal hot springs. There are 3 locations with access to hot springs in Pagosa Springs - The Springs Resort & Spa, Healing waters Resort &Spa and the new Overlook Mineral Springs Spa.

Hot Springs
PC: Google images labeled for reuse

We drove towards Treasure falls, which is seen from the highway itself. There is a short hike going near the falls, but we couldn't go on a hike due to time constraint. Treasure falls is beautiful and it is worth the hike.

Treasure Falls

After crossing treasure falls, the drive is very scenic with mountains and valleys. We crossed 'Wolf Creek Pass' and skiing area as well on the way. The views were breathtaking.

Our next stop was to Crestone.

The drive from Pagosa Springs to Crestone is scenic too.

Near Crestone

This Mahalakshmi temple and Haidakhandi Universal Ashram is in the foothills of San De Cristo mountains. The place is peaceful, good for meditation and yoga. The devotees perform aarti every evening at 6 PM and they provide overnight accommodation as well on request. There is also a Mahalakshmi shop with brass idols and pooja related items.

Mahalakshmi temple and Haidakhandi Ashram

They have built this ashram in a self-sustainable way by properly utilizing the natural Sunlight to the advantage. The Ashram kitchen also offers lunch to the devotees. Visit this site to know more about this ashram.

I have also heard that there is a small waterfall near the temple which is accessible by a short hike. We couldn't go for that as we had to return to Colorado Springs. We could reach Springs by 6pm itself which gave us enough time to rest and get ready for our daily grind from Monday.

Thus, our 3-day Vacation ended on a happy note.

Bonus Tips:

1. There is one specific part that we left on this trip which is on the way - Telluride and Ouray. These mountain towns are on the way to Pagosa Springs from Mesa Verde. We wanted to cover these places in the next fall and of course, we need another 2 days to relax in the Switzerland of America(Ouray).

2. One more part that you can customize is the plan from Monument Valley Park. We have covered Four Corners and Mesa Verde after Monument valley, But if you have time for 2 more days, I suggest you cover Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Lake Powell from there as you will be nearer to Arizona border from there.

Accommodations near Pagosa Springs:

So, How do you like our travelogue? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Here are my social media handles to follow me there so that you don't miss my other travelogues:

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This post is written as part of a blog train #letsblogwithpri hosted by Prisha. Thanks to Revati for introducing me to this blog train. I would love to introduce Noor Anand to the blog train. Noor writes on multiple topics like food, travel, parenting etc., Read her posts.

Hosted By :
Prisha Lalwani
Mummasaurus.com
IG: @mummasaurus1
FB: /mummasaurus1
Twitter: @mummasaurus1

06 May, 2019

Day 1 : Arches and CanyonLands National Park #UtahVacation

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Here is the continuation of our Utah Vacation plan with kids. This post covers detailed travelogue of our day 1.

Welcome to Utah

Around 1200 miles, 4 nights, 3 days, 3 national parks, 3 monuments, 1 Navajo tribal park, 1 waterfall, 1 temple touching 4 states.

Travel Map

Our trip started on night 1 where we drove from Colorado Springs to Grand Junction, CO. Grand Junction is around 5 hrs from here and so, we could cover almost 70% distance to Arches on night 1. Check this travelogue to visit Glenwood Springs which is on the way from Colorado Springs to Grand Junction.

We planned for a 4 day and 3-night trip and we reached home back on the 4th night.

We stayed at Grand Junction for the night and started our first visit to Arches National park after breakfast.

Accommodations near Grand Junction:

Arches national park is around 2 hrs drive from Grand Junction and it is better to arrive early to the park. Even though we visited the Park on a Friday, the traffic near the check-post slowed us down for 30 mins. The entry to the park is $30 per vehicle.

Since no water and food will be available inside the park, we have packed a small lunch and some snacks and a lot of water.

The most important trail that we didn't want to miss is the 'Delicate Arch Trail'. The Arch that we can see on Utah license plate, remember? This is a must do in Arches.

Delicate Arch

But, let me warn you, it is not easy with a toddler. Be prepared to stop multiple times during the trail, take more water, snacks, wear hiking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat.

Check how the trail is!

There are some sharp edges too!

We passed through beautiful rock formations and multiple overlook points before reaching Wolfe ranch parking area. We didn't stop at any of these places as we want to cover all while returning.

From Wolfe ranch parking area, the delicate arch trail takes around 1.5 to 2 hrs to reach to the arch. At most, 2.5 to 3 hrs to finish the trip and come back with kids. Restrooms are available at the parking area.

If you have reached this dome-like rock, you are almost there!

The trail might be strenuous if you don't stop on the way / don't drink enough water. A few places seemed dangerous where we have to hold our toddler and help our 8 yr old to hike. Other than that, this is definitely doable with kids and the view of the huge arch is simply amazing.

The trail view from above

Next, we went on driving the scenic route of 12 miles loop in the park till Devil's garden and stopped at various lookout points. Double arch is amazing and also many other stone formations around that. The double arch trail is also 0.5 miles round trip, which is good with kids. Balanced rock is an easy 0.5-mile round trip. Drive through windows section for sure! the formations are breathtaking.

Balanced Rock

Window Rock

Ideally, one day in Arches will allow you to cover Delicate arch trail, Balanced rock, Double arch trail and to drive through the scenic 12-mile loop with kids. You can cover 2 more trails with older kids/ adults though.

For lunch, you can try Moab brewery on highway 128 in Moab. We stopped at a cafe called 'Moab Giants' on the way to Canyonlands. Canyonlands national park is just 30 to 40 mins drive from Arches.

Scenic Viewpoint in Canyonlands National park

Entry is $25 per vehicle at Canyonlands national park. The visitor centers at both Arches and Canyonlands close at 4PM but cars are allowed to park all the time. Canyonlands is divided into 3 sections - Island in the sky, the Needles and the Maze.

The most important and easy trail with kids is Mesa Arch trail. This is a half mile round trip and not only the mesa arch but even the views beyond the arch are amazing. If you have time, you can cover Upheaval dome which is 1-mile round trip and enjoy the views of Grand viewpoint, Green river outlook and Grand view overlook on the scenic drive.

Mesa Arch

We covered only this much on day 1. But, if you want to customize your plan and have more time, you can cover Needles section in Canyonlands and Dead horse point state park. One more thing that you can add to your trip is 'Colorado National monument'. This is on the way from Grand Junction to Arches, but it might take around 2 to 3 hrs to cover this monument.

We traveled to Bluff, UT on that day night so that we will be nearer to Monument Valley Park to start our trip for Day 2. From Canyonlands national park, it is 2.5 hrs drive to Bluff. If this seems to be a long drive, you can take accommodation at Moab / Blanding which are on the way.

The next day we covered Monument Valley Park, Four Corners monument and Mesa Verde National park. The detailed travelogue of day 2 is shared in the next post.

Until next time,

Here are my social media handles to follow me there so that you don't miss my Utah travel itinerary:

This post is written as part of a blog train #letsblogwithpri hosted by Prisha. Thanks to Sneha for introducing me to this blog train. I would love to introduce Kapila to the blog train. Read her posts here.

Hosted By :
Prisha Lalwani
Mummasaurus.com
IG: @mummasaurus1
FB: /mummasaurus1
Twitter: @mummasaurus1

30 April, 2019

Utah Vacation plan with Kids #TravelTips

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Most of you might have heard about the 'Grand Circle' trip covering 6 national parks in Utah. We have customized that trip to 3 days and planned it in such a way that my 4-year-old as well can enjoy without being tired. This post is all about planning a Utah vacation with kids and about our mini grand circle tour.

Choosing the places and Travel Dates :

The best time to plan a vacation to Utah is the spring/ Fall. Summer is very harsh in Utah with temperatures reaching till 100 Fahrenheit. So, choose the time which is good for family travel without facing harsh weather.

Next step is to choose the places. We started our journey from colorado springs and stopped at Grand Junction, CO, Bluff, UT and Pagosa Springs, Co for the night halts.

Arches National park is a must visit and so, this is the first one in our list. Independence monument is located on the way from Grand Junction to Arches, which you can cover before Arches.

Canyonlands national park is 1 hr away from Arches so it can be covered on the same day. We stayed at Bluff, UT on that day night.

We chose to visit Monument Valley National park after Canyonlands, but if you have time, you should consider visiting Bryce Canyon national park and Zion national park. 'Four corners monument' is on the way to 'Mesa Verde national park'. So, it is easy to cover this place and stand at a place where four states meet.

The next day we planned to cover Treasure falls in Creede as it is on the way to Colorado Springs. Crestone Mahalakshmi temple at the foothills of beautiful mountains is a temple, Universal ashram and a spiritual community.

After you are done with deciding the places to visit, decide on the number of days you need to cover those places. I have read multiple blogs with itineraries and watched many videos to see which places and hikes are kid friendly. We decided to cover these places in 3 nights and 4 days.

Accommodations :

We usually book the accommodations through Expedia.com. A few things that I take care of when I book accommodation are :

Complimentary breakfast
Clean rooms
less distance from tourist places
Ratings and reviews
Cost

Accommodations near Moab:

Travel Tips :

Traveling with kids on long road trips is not very easy. We have to keep so many things in our mind while planning a trip.

There is a lot of driving on this trip, so kids might easily get bored. So, we carried some UNO cards, a lot of snacks to munch on, drawing sheets with crayons, a journal book for kids to write about travel etc.,

I have also downloaded the Junior ranger guides of the national parks that we are visiting and took printouts so that kids can read them during travel.

We visited all the visitor centers before entering the national park. A few parks have explorer packs for children with binoculars, useful information and, activity sheets. There is a junior ranger checklist that the visitor centers provide to kids. By completing all those tasks, they can receive a Junior Ranger badge, How fun it is to them?
We took a lot of breaks while traveling and stopped by all scenic spots. Sitting for a long time in a car is too tough for kids.
We carried a lot of snacks and fruits, especially oranges and bananas to keep us hydrated in the dry, hot weather. we bought fruit and snack trays.

We carried a lot of mini water bottles so that it's easy for children to drink and also juices to avoid dehydration.
My kids carried their favorite soft toys and blankets to make them comfortable in the car :-)
I have prepared a checklist so that it's easy to follow every time we travel. The list includes moisturizer, toothbrushes, important medicines, first aid kit, sunscreen, hats, light jackets, comb etc.,
We chose the hotels which have an indoor pool and hot tub. After a lot of hiking, it will be great to rest in the hot tub in the evenings.
Make sure to take proper hiking shoes which don't strain the feet.

A detailed travelogue of each day is shared in my next posts.

So, please stay tuned.

Day 1 - Arches and Canyonlands National Park
Day 2 - Monument Valley Park and Four Corners Monument

Here are my social media handles to follow me there so that you don't miss my Utah travel itinerary:

Until next time,

Linking this post to #MondayMusings hosted by Corinne at EverydayGyaan.

01 October, 2018

A Walk overlooking the waterfalls - Seven Falls, Colorado Springs #TravelTale

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

The Seven Falls is a tourist attraction with 7 cascading falls in South Cheyenne Canon in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. This is privately owned by Broadmoor group. Seven Falls is Colorado's only waterfall which is included in National Geographic list of International waterfalls.

I wouldn't say, this is a fantastic waterfall as the area where water flows is not very big and the waterfall is thin. But, the water falls from a height of 181 ft and there are 224 steps to climb and view the waterfalls close which is amazing.

Due to a severe damage of the Seven falls because of heavy rains in 2013, Seven falls has become only 5 cascading falls. The Broadmoor took the ownership, repaired the place and reopened for the public in 2015.

The Broadmoor is providing a complimentary parking and shuttle service at 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd. The Admission to the falls is $14.50 for adults and $9 for kids. Children below 2 years are free to visit. Visit their official page to know exact hours and price of tickets.

The Shuttle service from the parking area takes us to the entrance/ticket booth. We need to walk a distance of 0.8 miles to reach the base of the waterfalls. There is a tram facility at $2 per person if they cannot walk till the base of falls.

There is an elevator facility available to reach inspiration point which gives a good view of the waterfalls. But, we wanted to take stairs to enjoy the waterfalls from near. There are 224 steps and many of them are very steep. It is slightly difficult to go with kids below 5 years of age but that's not impossible. The steps are steep and so we cannot hold a baby and climb them. It's better to take the elevator if you have to hold a baby.

Keep enough water and light snacks for the hike. We came across small cascading waterfalls like Bridal Veil, Shorty, Hill, Hull, Romana, and Weimer falls. After reaching to the top by taking 224 steps, there are different trails. One trail will reach Inspiration point, whereas another trail goes to midnight falls.

The falls are good to visit in Summer/ Fall when there is more water. I would say, it is a great experience to visit the falls in winter too if you love to see a frozen fall.

In the evenings, the Broadmoor also lights up the falls for the visitors.

Here are some accommodations in Colorado Springs:

And, A few economical options to fly to Colorado Springs:

I hope, you like this virtual trip to Seven Falls. Let me know your opinion. Have you ever visited a cascading fall like this? Share your experience in comments.

Until next time,