Taos, New Mexico
Taos, NM is an absolutely awesome, funky hippie town in the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico. The house we rented had a killer view and we heard coyotes at night. The amount of hiking we tried to squeeze in to the few days we were there was crazy.
Williams Lake
The first hike we went on was called Williams Lake. It is one of the most popular hikes of Taos and we were told the snow would be packed in enough that we could get up to the lake without any problems. It was our first day hiking in Taos and the lack of oxygen and 3 ft snow was tough, but we made it! The lake is at an elevation of about 11,000 and it was somewhat frozen over when we got there - the consistency of a Sonic slushy. We had lunch up there and saw a jack rabbit, chipmunks, and TONS of marmots (which I am very fond of).
Rio Grande Gorge
The Rio Grande river is just a few miles from the town of Taos, so we went to check it out. There was a short hike through the gorge down to Manby Hot Springs - but we didn't know the hot springs were clothing optional when we started the hike! The hot springs were just warm enough to soak in (in our swim suits) and the view at the river bank was great. On our way back up the gorge, we caught this awesome view of the Rio Grande and even saw a herd of big horn sheep across the river. We watched them graze and ram horns for a long time. Clearly, it was an eventful hike.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Last year, the 4 of us went to Ridgway, Telluride, and Ouray, CO and absolutely fell in love with the area. We decided to try somewhere new this year, and surprise, surprise - we fell in love with it. Crested Butte, CO is a GORGEOUS town with so much to do and the nicest locals around. We went during low season (between ski season and wildflower season), so the town was also really quiet and sleepy, giving us the perfect opportunity to make it ours - and did we ever.
Horseback Riding
One day, Alex and I went horseback riding through the mountains. We actually had to go to a lower elevation to ride the horses so we wouldn't run into snow. Because of the lower elevation, we saw plenty of wildflowers on the trail! We also caught an awesome view of the San Juan Mountains and had a run in with a couple of herds of mule deer. If you are ever in the area, I definitely recommend you take a horseback ride with Chuck at Fantasy Ranch Outfitters. We had a great time!
Our Wonderful House/Lake
One of my favorite things about Crested Butte was the house we stayed at. In the picture above, you can see our house towards the bottom of the picture in the center, looking out over that lake, Nicholson Lake. My parents took this picture on the Lupine Trail hike they did that went behind our house and offered this killer view of Crested Butte. The house is outside of town and a bit more secluded. We ended up cooking dinner in at the house more nights than we went out because the house and it's view of the lake and mountains were so stunning. And there were plenty of marmots running around the neighborhood, which I loved. All I know is this: I have never enjoyed sitting on the porch enjoying a cup of coffee more than I did at this house!
Judd Falls Trail
If you drive a few miles north of Crested Butte's ski area, you come to a tiny tiny town called Gothic (that isn't even accessible during the winter time). A local had told us about some good hikes up there, so we went to hike Judd Falls Trail. It ended up being one of our favorite hikes! Early into the hike, we stumbled up (literally, we just walked right up to him) this guy - a beautiful red fox! He was standing no more than 20 yards from us - hence the amazing picture. We didn't know how to react because we have heard foxes are incredibly scared of people. Much to our surprise, the little dude hung around and just looked at us curiously for a couple of minutes. Then, he (slowly) walked off like it was no big deal! My mom later called him our "Angel Fox" because of how long he hung around with us. Not only was the fox amazing, but Judd Falls, the waterfall we came to, was also incredible. This hike was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me and gave us a wonderful view of Gothic Mountain.
Ouray, Colorado
Since we enjoyed Ouray so much last summer, we knew we had to go back. Unlike Crested Butte and Telluride, Ouray is not a ski town, rather an old mining town that has more of a country western feel and a famous ice park that brings people with their ice picks every winter. We discovered it also has some of the coolest hiking in Colorado.
Staying in Ouray
We stayed at the China Clipper Inn, a Bed and Breakfast right off of Main Street in Ouray. We loved it! The view from our window was wonderful and the hot, homeade breakfasts were amazing. Also, our host Ingrid was very hospitable and gave us great restaurant recommendations. Our favorite restaurant in Ouray turned out to be one of her recommendations, Bon Ton. Bon Ton was a hidden gem - literally! It is an Italian restaurant in a hotel cellar that had AMAZING food. Alex had all you can eat pasta and all of it was insanely delicious with a great atmosphere.
Old Horsethief Trail
Again, the Ouray hiking didn't disappoint. We hiked Old Horsethief Trail, one that starts just north of town. We have come to realize that since Ouray is nestled in a tiny area between a ton of mountains, on all the hikes that lead out of town, the only place to go is up! On Old Horsethief, we gained a ton of elevation and received awesome views in multiple directions. The picture above is a view over downtown Ouray with Whitehouse Mountain as the backdrop. The view got cooler and cooler as we got higher. Icing my feet in the Uncompahgre River afterwards was just an added bonus!
Telluride, Colorado
Although we didn't stay overnight in Telluride, we made a day trip there because we love it so much. The Mountain Film Festival was taking place while we were there, so it was fun to see that going on. We walked the shops of downtown Telluride, enjoyed coffee overlooking Bridal Veil Falls, and took the gondola up the mountain for a fancy dinner. We also got to see a herd of elk on the outskirts of town - one animal we hadn't seen on the trip yet!
Allred's
Allred's is a restaurant in Telluride on the summit of the ski mountain. The only way to get there (besides walking) is by the gondola that takes you up the mountain. We discovered Allred's last summer and have been dying to come back. We got there the minute it opened because we wanted to get the best window seat possible and, judging by the picture I took, I think we did! We sipped on red wine and Moscow Mules while looking at this view over the town of Telluride with snow-capped mountains in the background. It was probably one of the most perfect evenings of the trip!
Hopefully it's easy to see why I love the Rocky Mountains so much! We had a great time and are ALREADY planning our trip back!
Cool, cool, cool! So glad you saw and did so much and had a wonderful vacation! We adore Colorado too (had kids in school or living there 9 years now, so we've been lots of times). It isn't like Texas or Washington, is it? Thanks for taking the time to post pics and stories. Love you!
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