Day 2: July 5, Tuesday
Morning: Salida / Evening: Pagosa Springs and Teal Campground.
Time/ Distance: 4 hours / 166 miles
Elevation: 8,250 to 8,500
Lodging: Teal Campground
It’s a 3-hour drive from Salida to Pagosa Springs, and another hour at 30 mph to get to Teal Campground . Teal is supposed to have good views of the surrounding mountains and it’s first-come, first-serve, but there are only 16 sites. A little bit past Teal is Cimarrona Campground. The road to the Piedra Falls trail head is nearby, but according to Google Maps it’s so rough/ steep/ ??? that it takes an hour to go 18 miles.
Directions from Pagosa Springs, Colorado: Travel 2.0 miles west on U.S. Hwy 160, then turn northwest on Forest Development Road #631 for 22.0 miles. Turn north on Forest Development Road #640 1.0 mile to campground entrance. Teal Campground is a mile north of Williams Creek Campground.
I could drive into Pagosa Springs and look around and then drive up to the campground and Piedra Falls. Then spend the rest of the evening around the campground.
Fourmile Lake loop is an hour and 1/2 away.
Piedra Falls
Hunters Lake Loop has that major elevation and is an hour and a 1/2 in the wrong direction (off West Fork Road).
The Hunters Lake trail is 1.1 miles long. It begins at Forest Road 430, the Weminuche Wilderness boundary and ends at Forest Trail 835, the trail travels past Hunters Lake. You may choose to go to the Highland Trail #832 or the Tie Hill Trail #835 and create a loop or continue towards the Continental Divide. If you continue on the Trail #832, you will run into an area called the stair steps. Please be cautious while passing through the stair steps because of the adjacent sliffs. This is a great day hike to a fishing site.
Hunters Lake Loop
Time/ Distance: 2-3 hours/ 4.1 miles
Elevation: 11,400 to 12,100
Day 1 (July 4, Monday) Denver and Salida
Day 2 (July 5, Tuesday) Pagosa Springs (Piedra Falls, Hunters Lake Loop)
Day 3 (July 6, Wednesday) Pagosa Springs (Four Mile Lake Loop)
Day 4 (July 7, Thursday) Cedar Mesa
Day 5 (July 8, Friday) Helicopter Tour of Zion National Park
Day 6 (July 9, Saturday) Zion National Park and Observation Point Trail
Day 7 (July 10, Sunday) Zion National Park and Angel’s Landing then Bryce Canyon
Day 8 (July 11, Monday) Bryce Canyon then drive to Escalante
Day 9 (July 12, Tuesday) Escalante for the day then Richfield (via 12)
Day 10 (July 13, Wednesday) leave Richfield for Moab
Day 11 (July 14, Thursday) Moab to Silverton (via 141 and Gateway)
Day 12 (July 15, Friday) Durango to Silverton Train
Day 13 (July 16, Saturday) Molas Trail
Day 14 (July 17, Sunday) John Denver Sanctuary
Day 15 (July 18, Monday) back to airport
Mr. Skipper 