Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve sits in south-central Colorado, nestled against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These are the tallest sand dunes in North America, covering a dunefield of about 30 square miles, with the highest dunes rising more than 740 feet from base to crest. It was only a two-hour drive from Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
After visiting Mesa Verde National Park, we settled in at the western-slope towns of Durango and Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The area sits only about 35 miles from New Mexico, enjoys a milder climate than much of the state thanks to its 7,000-foot elevation, and is framed by a stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop. We split our stay between the two towns, soaking in hot springs, chasing snowmelt waterfalls, and wandering historic streets.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
From Zion National Park in Utah, we traveled to the southwestern corner of Colorado to explore the remarkable concentration of Ancestral Puebloan ruins scattered across Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
From Bryce Canyon we headed to Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. We stayed at Bauers Canyon RV Park in Glendale, about a 30-minute drive from the Zion entrance along the Mount Carmel Highway. Nights still dropped to freezing, so we were glad to have our heated water hose.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
We were looking forward to returning to Bryce Canyon National Park for its collection of natural amphitheaters filled with orange, red, and white hoodoos. We had come less than an hour’s drive from Escalante, and nearby was Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Last Updated: May 24, 2026
From Capitol Reef we drove Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The route was beautiful and very curvy, climbing high over Boulder Mountain — there was still snow on the ground at the upper elevations.
