Chama NM, Durango CO, or Pagosa Springs CO

[jonrjen]

I have a period of between a week and a half to two weeks to take a break. We are located in the Dallas, TX area and the heat has been pretty rough this last week. We are ready to move on to somewhere cooler for a bit.

Other then cooler temps some nice scenery would be welcome. A nice selection of various places to sample local food, a few nice day trips to explore is always a welcome way to spend time.

Of the three locations above which would be the better choice to choose? Any recommendations on a campground/resort to stay?

FWIW: 2 adults, no kids, no pets, AARP carrying card members, 40' 5th wheel in tow.

So please chime in and educate us with your knowledge of the area.

[4runnerguy]

Chama is the smallest of the three. The big attraction there is the Cumbres-Toltec Narrow Gauge Railroad. Ride one way, take the bus back. Chama is a cute little town. One can day trip to Taos or Santa Fe for other cultural places. Comparatively limited selection of restaurants due to the small size of Chama. If you're just wanting to hang around the camp and veg out, this is a quiet place to do it.

Pagosa Springs is of course home to Pagosa Hot Springs. There is a swimming pool, but mostly it is a series of smaller, hot tub sized soaking pools plus access to the river. We did it once but it's not our favorite hot springs experience in the state (try Ouray). One can also float the river through town on tubes and get shuttled back to do it again (we're AARP members and that's still something that we'd do!). East of Pagosa there is some good hiking off of Wolf Creek Pass and side roads off of US 160. Spectacular, high elevation scenery as you get that direction from Pagosa. Chimney Rock NM isn't too far away either.

Durango has the greatest number and variety of attractions. There's the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (a don't miss in our book - amazing scenery), Mesa Verde NP (take a guided tour or two), Anasazi Heritage Museum near Dolores (where you can get info on other Native American ruins in the area), and a number of day trips to the high country, whether it's Silverton, Ouray, or Telluride. Overall, these day trips will take you to higher elevations and cooler temps if that's what you're looking for. By the time you get there, I imagine there will be rafting and tubing available again on the Animas. Durango is the largest of the three towns you've mentioned with a greater selection of restaurants. Durango is also the busiest as the railroad is a huge draw.

In our book, Durango would be our first choice because of the scenery, availability of activities, and restaurant selection.

We always stay in NFS or NPS CG's in the area, so can't help you with resorts, although the CG at Mesa Verde does have a handful of FHU sites up there (quite a haul to get up on the mesa, but it is noticeably cooler up there).