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Tentative
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Grand Junction CO; Welcome Group Dinner
Arrive
Grand Junction at your convenience but no later than 5:00pm. Should you
arrive earlier in the day, the WTT tour leader will have suggestions for you
to enjoy and explore the town. We
will meet at 6:00pm for introductions and then enjoy a welcome dinner to get
acquainted and discuss our upcoming trip. (D)
Day 2: Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Sound
and Light Boat Trip
After breakfast, we will drive from Grand Junction, Colorado to Moab, Utah
through some very scenic areas. Then our adventure begins with visits to
two national parks. The first stop is Arches National Park with over 2,000
natural sandstone arches, like the world-famous Delicate Arch, as well
as many other unusual rock formations. In some areas, the forces of nature
have exposed millions of years of geologic history. The extraordinary
features of the park create a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms and
textures that is unlike any other in the world.
In the afternoon, we will take a scenic drive through Canyonlands National
Park "Island in the Sky" region. Canyonlands preserves a colorful landscape
eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River and
its tributaries. The Island in the Sky mesa rests on sheer sandstone cliffs
over 1,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. Every overlook offers a
different perspective on Canyonland's spectacular landscape. (B, Picnic Lunch, D)
Day 3: Mesa Verde National Park; Durango, Colorado
On our
drive today from Moab to Durango, we still stop at Mesa Verde National
Park. Mesa Verde, Spanish for "green table", offers a spectacular look into
the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700
years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today the park protects over 4,000 known
archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of
the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Mesa Verde is the
only American National Park that protects man-made structures, as opposed to
natural features. As with many other ancient cultures of the Southwest, the
Mesa Verde area was abandoned quite suddenly, around 1300 AD and it was not
until late last century that their settlements were rediscovered. We will
continue our drive to Durango where you will have time to relax or explore
the city. (B)
Day 4: Durango Narrow Gauge Train
We have an all-day excursion on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Train.
Narrow gauge means the tracks are three feet wide instead of the standard 4
feet 8 1/2 inches. This historic train has been in continuous operation for
126 years, carrying passengers behind vintage steam locomotives.
The Winter Cascade Canyon Excursion is a
roundtrip run from Durango to Cascade Canyon along the scenic and remote
Animas River in the San Juan National Forest. After the train trip we'll
have time to freshen up before having dinner together. (B,D)
Day 5: Drive to Santa Fe, via Pagosa Springs
Our
adventure continues with a scenic drive from Durango to Santa Fe. We will
stop in Pagosa Springs, a small community in southwestern Colorado and located
on the site of a large natural hot spring. The source of these mineral-rich
waters is the famous Great Pagosa Aquifer - the world's largest and deepest
hot mineral spring historically thought to have healing properties. Upon
arrival in Santa Fe we will check in, after which the remainder of the day
in Santa Fe is yours to enjoy. (B)
Day 6: Free Day to Explore Santa Fe; Group Farewell Dinner
This day has been set aside to enjoy the
sights and sounds of Santa Fe at your leisure. Founded
by Spanish conquistadores in 1610, Santa Fe honors its Native American,
Hispanic, and Anglo heritages with museums that are arguably the best in New
Mexico. Sitting high and dry at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,
this painstakingly preserved center of Southwestern art and architecture
attracts with its galleries, its Tex-Mex cuisine, and the play of light on
its smooth adobe buildings.
The WTT tour leader will assist you to make the most of your day here in
Santa Fe. Later we will re-group and have one last dinner together and
reminisce about our National Parks adventure. (B,D)
Day 7: Drive to Albuquerque and Return Home
We will make the
45 minute drive from Santa Fe to Albuquerque in the morning. Make your own
return flight no earlier than 11:00am. (B)
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