A Weekend In {Nature}
Westward Bound
Words by Ben Haguewood
We’re often told to enjoy the journey, and that suggestion becomes more like a necessity if you’re going to get the most out of a trip from Texas to southern Colorado.
Austinites are experts at beating the heat, but by July or August, even spring-fed rivers, patio misters, and the iciest beverages just don’t seem to be cutting it. The best thing to do is simply get out of town.
Beating the heat in late summer means seeking higher ground—elevation. Sure, flying to Albuquerque and driving up, or flying to Denver and driving down, gets you there, but you still need a car. So you might as well enjoy the drive from Austin. The upside of reaching more remote parts of southern Colorado is that it’s a challenge for everyone else too, so that portion of the state is not nearly as travelled.
Day One
Get an early start out of Austin, and head West on I-20. The overall trip mileage is a little longer this route, but the speed limit is 85, making it a six hour trip to far-west Texas. This leaves plenty of time to explore the spring-fed pools of Balmorhea State Park, where a room can be reserved at their rustic CCC-built lodge or get a camping spot. An early start allows ample time to enjoy the park and watch the sun set over the Davis Mountains before the next leg of the trip.
Day Two
Making it to Colorado on this day is feasible. But be sure to leave with the sun, and refuel for lunch in Santa Fe with legendary New Mexican food. La Choza, right off Highway 285 on the route north, has been serving up classic pozole, green chile stew, and blue corn enchiladas for decades. Make sure to grab a cup of coffee (and a pound of beans) at one of the best coffee roasters in the West. Ohori’s coffee shop and roaster is also right off the drag, where you can stock up on their daily-roasted, single-origin coffee from around the world.
There’s plenty of time to make it to the small mountain town of Creede well before sundown. Plan ahead and reserve tickets at the Creede Repertory Theatre, where stage-actors come from around the country to put on everything from original plays to Shakespeare classics for the summer guests. Afterward, cruise just outside town and treat yourself to a nice dinner at Antler’s Lodge on the banks of the Rio Grande. Enjoy the meal while planning the next step of the trip.
Day Three
Hundreds of miles of trails and rivers wind throughout the Rio Grande and San Juan National Forests. Stop in the U.S. Forest Services station in downtown Creede and talk to a ranger about the endless opportunities to camp, backpack, or even do a short day hike and make it back to a B&B. Ramble House and Rio Grande Angler can supply all those camping and fishing needs, whether you’re car-camping for a night or hiking the Continental Divide for a week.
Continue West:
If you want to make a week of it, spend a couple of days in any number of small towns along the way. Book a horseback trail ride in Lake City, soak in hot springs after a long hike in Pagosa Springs, visit Garden of the Gods, or bike the Animas river walk in Durango.
