spirobulldog

Myself, wife(both of us around 40), and 14 year old daughter will be going on this trip. This will be Memorial Day Weekend. I already have all lodging reservations made.

Thurs- Fly into Cortez late evening.
rent SUV
Overnight in Far View Lodge
Kiva Room

Fri- Balcony House or Cliff Palace
Picnic lunch@ Spruce Canyon
afternoon hike
Metate Dining Room for dinner
Overnight in Far View

Sat- Balcony House or Cliff Palace
Museum
Spruce Tree House
Afternoon Hike
Drive to Durango and spend
night in Strater
Dinner @ Mahogany Grill

Sun - 7:45 Train/Zipline
Dinner @ Steamworks Brewery
Overnight in Strater

Mon- See 4 Corners, Monument
Valley, Moki Dugway,
Goosenecks.
Overnight @ Valley Of Gods

Tues- Breakfast @ Valley of Gods
Natural Bridges
Must be back to Cortez
Airport by 4:15 departure

my big questions are where do I want to eat @ on Monday. We usually eat one nice bigger meal per day while we are on vacation. We will probably grab a Navajo Taco somewhere along the way. Probably Twin Rocks, Mexican Hat, or Gouldings.

Also, what order would be best for Monday and Tuesday? Is there any "must sees" that I am missing?
Do I want to see Monument Valley on my own or do I want to do a guided tour? Would also like to hear from someone about the zipline. Give me lots of details about the zipline if you have done it. We have rafted the Grand Canyon and rappelled before, but this looks pretty wild.

I am considering the following for hiking. Will probably be able to do 2 of these hikes. Spruce Canyon Trail, Petroglyph Point Trail, Soda Canyon Trail, Farming Terrace Trail, Knife Edge Trail. I would like to know if anyone has done these trails and could help me pick the best 2.

Ackislander

Monday and Tuesday are too busy. They have you covering a lot of ground.

You also might want to consider Hovenweep. It is less developed than the other places you are visiting.

DebitNM

I would change one of your days at Mesa Verde. Go to Wetherill Mesa and see Long House:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/historycultu...long_house.htm

and Badger House and then see Step House:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/historycultu...step_house.htm

to see the ruins up close and personal, the way the ancients saw them because you are allowed to walk up in them and look towards the valley and see what they saw [Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree etc you look IN to them so it is different]. Quite different from Cliff Palace or Spruce Tree House. Only 10% of visitors go there since it takes another 45 minutes to drive there. It is open from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day and there are several ruins to walk about and see there.

From the website:
"IF YOU HAVE ONE DAY (alternative)...
•Stop at the Far View Visitor Center to purchase tickets ($3.00) to visit Long House on Wetherill Mesa.
•Take the Wetherill Mesa Drive, hike the trails to the mesa top sites and cliff dwelling overlooks, and enjoy the tram service.
•Join a ranger for your ticketed tour to Long House. Be sure to purchase your tickets ($3.00) at the Far View Visitor Center before driving to Wetherill Mesa.
•Take a self-guided tour of Step House."

We live nearby and going to Wetherill Mesa was really something the first time we did it.

Deb

spirobulldog

Scratch the post above

I don't think I'm interested in Hoovenweep at this time. I plan on spending a short time at Moki Dugway, 4 Corners Monument and Goosenecks. Basically those are just going to be drive up, see them, and leave. I will spend more time in Monument Valley and if time allows, see Natural Bridges in a little more detail.

We are going to be at Mesa Verde on May 23 and May 24. Wetherill doesn't open until May 25(Sunday). The NPS just posted the opening dates in the past few days. I had even called a ranger and she gave me the wrong info 2 weeks ago.

It would be a pretty big ordeal to change everything.
I was unaware that you didn't actually get to go into Cliff House or Balcony. I hope I am not disappointed. Perhaps I could work Wetherill on the morning of my last day and skip Natural Bridges. I just thought that if I had seen 3 of the houses, that the rest might look a lot alike.

spirobulldog

Good Grief. I didn't mean to say Scratch you post DebitNM. I thought I had posted another already. I highly value your replies, as I have read a lot of your previous posts. I consider you very knowledgable of the area. Thanks.

DebitNM

spiro - I am sorry to read that you will miss Long House by a day. I knew it opened on Memorial Day Weekend, but didn't know it was Sunday.

All 3 of the dwellings you mention are good. cliff Palace and Spruce Tree are similar in that they are pretty large and you walk along the front of them and look in to the rooms etc. Balacony House is different in that it involves a bit more strenuous climbing of ladders and squeezing through a tiny opening [there is actually a size restriction - you can check it out at the Far View Visitors Center where you buy tickets. There is a demo there that you can try out if there is any question.]

The thing that is so special about Long House is that you are allowed to climb up and into the dwellings and walk along and gaze out over the rooms [what's left of them] and see the same view that the ancient puebloans saw so long ago. Step House and Badger House are also interesting too as they are different than the cliff dwellings.

May I also make a comment about your choice of restaurants in Durango. Steamworks has great beer, but the food is only average. We have a friend who is a manager there, so we go to raise a glass with him. We have eaten there a few times, but really, you can do better.

Are you looking for higher end food at the Mahogany Grill? If so, I can recommend a couple of places where the food will be better.

If you want to try some good New Mexican food - Gazpacho's in Durango is the place to go. If you don't know already, New Mexican is not the same as Mexican or Tex MEx.

If I can help with anything else, please let me know.

Deb

spirobulldog

Deb,

Thank for the heads up on the Brewery. We don't drink so we weren't going there for the beer. Just thought the menu looked good, and it was recommended in Fodors or Fromers. I checked out www.gazpachorestaurant.com

I think New Mexican Food is basically similar to Tex-Mex or Southwestern except that it incorporates the use of Green Chile, or Red Chile and has its distinct taste. I didn't expect there Chile to be served hot with chips as the menu indicates. I thought the chile would be sortof like a salsa and served cold. Anyway, we may give it a try and still check out Brewery. Looks like either place would be good for lunch or even a snack. Sometimes we skip breakfast and eat an early lunch, so that may be an option for either place. Do you need a res @ Gazpacho in the evening?

I am a little more concerned with where to eat at in 4 Corners area. Nothing is really jumping out to me. I wasn't really needing anything 4 star. Just a basic mom and pop cafe, that is perhaps unique would be ok. Navajo Tacos will be a good option. Im think the cafe at Twin Rocks is our most likely stop.

Mahogany Grill looks good to me, but sure go ahead and fire a couple of suggestions at me. I always like to look at menu's even if I don't eat there.

Have you heard much on the zipline?

I would have sworn that Long House opened last year on a Friday or Saturday. I remember looking at it on the NPS website. I talked to a ranger a couple of weeks ago on the phone and she assured me that it never has opened up earlier than Memorial Day. She told me that it would not open a single day early.

We look forward to our visit. I think the weather should be pretty good then. We are use to hot and humid weather here in Oklahoma. usually by June it is in the 90's and very very humid. I am wondering how crowded it might be. We were in Arches last Memorial Day and it wasn't crowded at all to us. A few of the employees in Moab told me it was busy, but we never waited or thought the park was crowded at anytime. All National Parks are special, but I really enjoyed Arches.

Ackislander

New Mexican food is not like Tex-Mex or Southwestern food at all, though there is plenty of Tex-Mex and Southwestern food in Colorado and New Mexico.

If you want to see the difference, follow DebitNM's advice.

richbutnot

Re: Monday

Two years ago, as part of a week long trip through the area, we drove through Valley of the Gods, up the Moki Dugway and back down, saw the Goosenecks, checked into Gouldings Lodge at around 3pm and took a sunset tour of Monument Valley. We started from Farmington, NM and took our time, so I believe that day is doable. The actual 4 Corners won't take more than 30 minutes.

The Moki Dugway was neat to drive, although you need to be prepared for a narrow, steep, dirt road. Check out the movie Chill Factor before you go. The Goosenecks was a bit disapointing.

Many people drive themselves through MV, but you can see much more with a tour. I highly recommend Simpson's Trail Handler Tours for a personal tour with just your family. We've used them twice and they are excellent. Ask for Richard, he'll even sing to you in Navajo.

POlson

just a few notes:
We had two terrific dinners at Mesa Verde - Metate dining room.
We took the Gouldings lodge tour of Monument Valley - it was very enjoyable. We also drove some of the self-guided portions. the tour was more interesting.

azzure

Bookmarking - thanks.

DebitNM

OK, here's a list of my Durango restaurant recommendations [all tried and true]:

Kennebec Cafe just west of Durango, on the road from Mesa Verde is really a delight.
http://www.kennebeccafe.com/

Guido's Italian Market is our favorite lunch spot with great Italian done simple and tasty. Reasonable prices[Lunch and dinner.] 3000 Main Ave. http://www.guidosfavoritefoods.com/
Bart's New York Deli - a bit hard to find but worth it. 939 Hway 3 [the high road above 550/160] http://www.bartsnydeli.com

Christina's on Hway 160 as you come into town from Mesa Verde.Good family food http://www.christinasgrill.com/

More on the gourmet side:
Ken & Sues is very good 636 Main Ave.
Ore House. very good 147 E. College Dr. http://www.orehouserestaurant.com/
Seasons Grille has great food but can be noisy 764 Main Ave http://www.seasonsofdurango.com/
Cosmo's is new to Durango [there's one in Telluride] a bit pretentious and prices to match
Mutu - upscale Italian 701 E. Second Ave
Cyprus Cafe - mediterranean 725 E. Second Avenue http://www.cypruscafe.com/index.html

Chez Grandmere - French and $$$$ 3 Depot Drive http://www.chezgrand-mere.com/

spirobulldog

Thanks to all for the info. Thanks Deb, for the easy links to the restaurants.

blueslipper

bookmarking