These Towns In The Colorado Plateau Come Alive In Winter
If one were to dream about flying over the entire US, they would encounter a phantasmagoria of landscape over what’s known as the Four Corners. Flying west to east, one would see Utah to their left and Arizona to the right, with Colorado and New Mexico off in the distance. It is time to fold in one’s wings and land. The intermontane plateaus hold secrets of rivers that once raged millions of years ago, of people who learned to survive in impossible circumstances. This winter, awaken into the Colorado Plateau.
Taos, New Mexico
Welcome to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Hop in the car and loop the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway to the modern town fed by the Fernando de Taos Rio. Get to know Taos with a stroll in the downtown historic district. Find the next generation’s standout artists at the Taos Art Museum inside the beautiful Fechin House. Taos became a hippie hangout in the late 1960s following the advent of Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider. Venture one mile north to Taos Pueblo. Taos Pueblo has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark.
Mancos, Colorado
Land at the Mancos Valley overlook and watch the sun sparkle off the waves of Chicken Creek in Mancos’s north and the splitting Mancos River in the south. Get to the overlook via Mesa Verde National Park. View the ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings surrounded by snow-covered spruce trees without the hum and drum of tourists. It is recommended that visitors wear traction-enhanced footwear and multi-layered clothing while on Park trails in the winter. Take advantage of the freezing of the Jackson Gulch Reservoir at Mancos State Park. The state park has two yurts that can be booked year around and hold one-of-a-kind opportunities for fans of snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing.
Moab, Utah
It is time to play. The red desert paradise of Moab awakens to a brisk wonderland in the winter months. Explore every trail, nook, and cranny that is too taxing during the summer heat. Book popular stays at off-season rates. Peak into the cosmos with a stargazing tour. Red Rock Astronomy has been accommodating groups of 2-40 in their explorations of outer space for over a decade. Do not leave town without stepping into as many art galleries as possible. The Reyes Madalena American Indian Pottery has works that cannot be seen elsewhere. Moab Made is an excellent gallery for those who want to take beauty home without breaking the bank.
Lupton, Arizona
Spend a week in Apache County, right on Arizona’s border with New Mexico. Lupton makes a fantastic base for a visit to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The North and South Rim Drives, with nine overlooks, remain open all year around. Local professional tour guides with snow-ready 4x4 vehicles are available for hire. Chase the incredible winter view of the Petrified National Forest just southwest of Lupton. The colors of the painted desert are a popular draw in the summer, but the winter’s frozen air allows visitors to see further in the National Park than they do the rest of the year.
Telluride, Colorado
Check into Mountain Lodge Telluride for an unforgettable ski vacation. The Lodge has accommodations close to the slopes, award-winning restaurants and hosts live music. Plan a trip around a show at the historic Sheridan Opera House. The Sheridan hosts the Telluride Comedy Festival in February. Get adventurous with a trip south to the ghost town of Alta. Get even more adventurous by renting a 4x4 vehicle and pressing on to visit Alta Lakes in the Norwood Ranger District of the Uncompahgre National Forest. Visit the nearby town of Mountain Village with the most scenic means possible: the 12-minute gondola ride at an elevation of 10,500 feet.
Sedona, Arizona
Convene with stellar phenomena in the land of dark skies. Sedona was the sixth town in the US named an International Dark Sky Community and only the eighth worldwide. Head east of town when craving a hike through the ponderosa pines of Coconino National Forest. Find solace in the iconic Chapel of the Holy Cross, jutting up 250 feet from the thousand-foot tall rockface it was built into in 1956. Head north to Slide Rock State Park for some adventure. Do not leave town without perambulating the 2.9-mile out-and-back Broken Arrow trail.
While the rivers of this region are but an archeological dream for people, their memory lives on the landscape. Keep the Colorado Plateau pristine by cleaning trash left at state and national parks and by reporting invasive species to the relevant state authorities. Consider patronizing Native American-owned businesses wherever and whenever possible. People managed to make life possible in the Plateau long, long before the arrival of Europeans.
