We took two cruises on the St. Croix National Scenic River. I booked two nights in Interstate State Park, which is right on the river. People book this campground months in advance on the weekends. We were lucky to get a spot for a Wednesday/Thursday.
We are on our way back to Virginia, and we never pass up a chance to see a national park. What sets this one apart is a section that goes through great walls of rock, or what they call “The Dells.” The word comes from Old English word, dael, which means valley. On the St. Croix River, it cuts through sandstone cliffs, making giant potholes where spinning rocks in powerful water cut holes in the stone. There are over 400 of them.
The upper part of the 252 miles of protected river is known for floating, kayaking and smallmouth fishing. Two towns, Taylors Falls and St. Croix Falls, do not have water falls because two dams were built. I should keep track of towns named for waterfalls that aren’t there. The first cruise was a sunset cruise on St. Croix Lake, which is created by the dam.
On Thursday we took a scenic tour of the river below Taylors Falls. This is a pretty section on a pretty amazing boat that is actually powered by a paddle wheel, but does have side thrusts. It only draws 17″. On Wednesday we walked out the back or our campsite to a little gravel bar on the river. I was surprised to see a cruise boat coming around an island to make a hard left to avoid a gravel bar.
Before the cruise we walked a path through and around all the potholes. It is a most unusual place. In Taylors Falls, we had lunch on the corner at Juneberry Cafe. Then we got in line for the cruise.
The cruise was about 80 minutes. There were a number of senior citizens aboard, but one was pretty cool. She had her wheelchair out on the front deck, pulling herself up to stand for several pictures with her phone. Flood levels have reached 200 feet above this water level!
It was a cloudy day and barely misting rain as we set out to see some places along the way back to Agawa Pictographs. We were warned at the Visitor’s Center not to go if there were strong winds or rain as you have to walk out on a ledge that slopes to the water in order to see the pictographs on granite walls.
We made two stops on the Sand River, first to an impressive waterfall/rapid. Walking out on huge rocks to get a better view of the rapids, we saw a father and his son and daughter fishing the pool below. The young girl had a backlash and had taken her Zebco reel apart to fix it. She had obviously done this before, as she soon put the reel back together and was back in the game. Her brother said he had caught two small fish.
Going back to the car, we drove across the bridge and turned on a gravel road that would take us above all those falls, which was probably a half mile long. A sign warned us of a winding, rough road ahead. It wasn’t so bad except for tree limbs brushing the truck and a couple of whacks on the kayak on top of the truck.
Parking the truck, we followed a trail leading to the river. It was a beautiful spot with calm, deep, pristine water to the right and the start of the rapids to the left. A large, dead tree rested on the boulders beside the rapid, reming one of the power this river can have. A fish rose regularly at the far corner, and one across from us. We saw someone hiking the trail on the other side.
Sand River above the fallsSand River ChuteSand River
Back on 17, we stopped at Katherine Cove, a popular, sand beach. We decided it was a good place for lunch. Walking east along the beach, through some trees we came to a huge rock outcrop. Four people sat individually in silence, soaking up the view. Not wanting to disturb them, we returned to the beach and sat at a convenient picnic table.
One of the people we saw on the rock walked in front of us with a very large pack on his back. I asked if this was the Coastal Trail, and he said it was. He had walked all of it in stretches, and was going to do several days on this part. We had read some of it was quite difficult, but he just smiled, saying it was a little difficult when the rocks were wet and slippery this morning. Off he went along the beach and into the woods where a sign marked the way. All of the trails we have walked have been well-marked.
Coastal Trail hiker
We stopped at another Visitor’s Center. A nice lady helped us, telling us how canoes and kayaks were stored at different lakes. You would pay there and proceed to the lake and take a canoe. She said she was not a fisher, but did give us some good suggestions,
Next we drove 7km up a well-maintained road to Mijinemungshing Lake. We figured we would have the place all to ourselves, as it was spitting rain again…and it was Tuesday. The parking lot was full! Well, there were about 10 cars there. As we walked down to the lake we passed another couple walking up, so we weren’t the only ones just coming to see.
The canoe racks were on the left of a circle that allowed for unloading boats and gear. A couple was doing just that. We asked what their plans were. They were going out for three nights. Like many areas in Ontario, there is a chain of lakes joined by portages. Unlike our backpacking friend, they probably loaded 175 pounds of gear into their own canoe. You could tell they did this regularly as they were very efficient. They said they hoped to catch walleye, pike and lake trout.
Mijinemungshing Lake, LSPP
We were bundled up in long pants, shirts and raincoats. He had on shorts and a light rain jacket saying, “Well it’s only supposed to be like this today, and it’s a very light rain.” We wished them well. They were very excited to get going. There are campsites all along these routed all through the park. You just have to sign up for them.
Then on to the featured attraction, Agawa Pictographs. Painted by the Ojibwa Indians long ago, they have survived rain, ice and waves brought by storms. The .5 mile walk passes through a wide slot canyon between sheer vertical granite walls. Another way down was really a slot with a boulder hanging between the walls. The Coastal Trail passes by the top of the trail.
Agawa Pictographs
The trail itself is unique. Then climbing out to the 25 degree sloped ledge is interesting. Huge blocks of rock that have fallen off the walls have such straight sides one would think they were cut. Some are seen in the clear water. They don’t allow pictures, partly because it is a sacred site of the Ojibwa, and partly because the ledge is dangerous. Backing up a half step would be all it would take to fall.
Agawa Pictographs
Pictographs always make me wonder. How were they done? What kind of ink holds up in those conditions for that long? What is the meaning of some of the strange figures? You might ask why this difficult spot, but it is a perfect mural. Was the ledge different in those days? I don’t know, but it is a very cool place.
The Trans-Canada Highway (Rt. 17) crosses the Goulais River northwest of Sault Ste. Marie. The river is surrounded by The Goulais River Provincial Park, which has no facilities. Reports are that the river supports a sjstainable Brook Trout population and it is wadable.
First step was to get a non-resident fishing license. Those of you who read the “Fish Across Canada” blog 12 years ago might recall our rants on Canadian Fishing Regulations. You have to be a Canadian lawyer to keep up with them. If you are lucky enough to fish across Canada for four months, you will find that every province is different. Every river is different. Then there are different regulations for sections of the stream.
My online license registration for Ontario asked for the usual information. Then you must buy and carry a hard card, which will be mailed to your home!?*# So I put the hard card in my basket. Next, do you want a Sport Fishing license or a Conservation license; 1-day, 8-days, 1-year. Well, I am here for 7 weeks, so I guess I need the 1-yr license. The sport fishing license allows you to keep more fish, while the conservation license allows you to keep fewer fish. Well, the taste of a wild Brook Trout made me look further.
On the Goulais River, with a Sport license you can keep 6 Brook Trout in a day, but with a Conservation license, you can only keep two, but none over 18 inches. That’s good with me – two for dinner, and I will return the other 18 to the stream. So I paid the $8 hard card fee and a $53 fishing license. The 6 fish/day license was $83. I printed the license on my amazing, little Canon printer that only gets used once a year, and it was purchased for this specific purpose 12 years ago, when we had to have a license in every province and often a special regulations permit. So this little Canon printer is stored in a hot or cold trailer, never being removed, and it printed perfectly.
I invited Martha to join me, sure that we were going to see some beautiful country and catch a bunch of my favorite fish of them all, the mighty Brook Trout, which is also the best tasting fish. As we drove west, I decided I would stop after catching 20 fish, only keeping two.
Four miles from the KOA traffic was stopped on the two-lane Trans-Canada highway. Road Construction. It looked like a section got totally washed out. Imagine the vast expanse of Canadian roads that are subject to snow, snow-plowing, ice and flooding. Lately, add fires to the list. Anyway, here we sat for 15 minutes while the traffic in the other lane passed us. I was reminded of someone telling us there are only two seasons in Canada, winter and road construction.
Finally, we were through and turned on Rt. 552 that follows the river a long way. The road wove through big hills or small mountains. The river was indeed beautiful. I passed up two very pretty access points due to cabins and houses nearby. Too much pressure on the fishery, I quickly surmised. We climbed up a mountain, leaving the river way below us, and the road turned to gravel. Finally it came back down to river level with a pull out and a gorgeous waterfall, or what they call the chutes. Although we didn’t see any, the river is a popular canoeing destination.
We found a place to park and I anxiously geared up. Martha was quick to comment that, “Kelly would be fishing by now!” True, but how would she know that? I mean i had to put waders on, put my rod and reel together, get my fishing vest and see what fly boxes were in there. Ahhh, Royal Coachmen, the perfect fly for Brook Trout. Probably wouldn’t need anything else.
I took out a chair for Martha to sit on a gravel bar and relax while I showed her how it’s done. Three trailers had what appeared to be a permanent position next to the river. I thought it was a provincial park! There was a fire pit and kids’ toys scattered around. I worked the Coachman with my 5-wt. Orvis rod. It seemed to be one of those rare days I was throwing it well. Of course I was totally unobstructed by trees or bushes as the river was 40 yards across. With no action, I worked my way across the 2-foot deep stream to the other side, working a run on the far side. Martha seemed content reading a book. It is a beautiful stream with an impressive waterfall ahead.
Nothing. I climbed over some huge boulders to the plunging hole beneath the waterfall. For the third time, I changed flies to something that would get down. Nothing. I noticed car tracks on a gravel bar leading to a road encroached by bushes. On the gravel bar, a healthy green plant grew with beautiful blue berries. Using Picture This app, it was identified as sand cherry, mildly toxic to humans.
So this beautiful spot is a popular destination in summer and likely in winter. I thought of 12 people coming for a weekend, catching 6 fish apiece per day! They need a new regulation for this section, and restock it. We got back in the truck and drove down to another pretty access point. I fished several flies, even a dropper nymph, but no luck. The water didn’t feel cold enough for Brook Trout – maybe years ago before all these cabins and trailers and warming temperatures.
It’s a lovely river and no doubt, a good one to float and take a swim in. Maybe another 20 miles up that gravel road we would have done better. Who knows? Back on the Trans-Canada Highway, we waited in line at the construction site – two cycles. Martha could have gotten a bike out of the back and ridden back to camp faster than I got there. Oh well, may as well get used to Canada’s two seasons.
Every day starts with a great breakfast. Yves and Patti are a delight to be around. By now we had heard bits and pieces of the story about them building this lodge 90 miles from Labrador City. Yves came out in winter, pulling equipment, including a sawmill, and built the lodge in 39 days! He cut the trees, them cut into lumber and built it. Caribou were here in abundance. Huge black bears, like the huge Brook trout, grew here.
It is especially devastating to the Inuit people whose lives are intertwined with the Caribou. Some disease seems to have devastated the herd. The effect is not unlike the loss of the plains buffalo in the U.S.
As I walked down to the boat, I passed Yves in his workshop/tool house. I commented that I had never seen such an organized workshop. He smiled and said it has been a process. He has been robbed several times. He reinforced the front door with steel, but they hooked the back door to an ATV and pulled it off. They came in masks and cut the security camera wires. They shot the satellite dish, broke into the lodge and took cushions to put the motors on. Out here in the wilds, this is a difficult thing to prevent. They followed the tracks back toward town, but when they got close to the town, tracks were going everywhere, so they lost the trail.
Then there are the bears. This morning I noticed two white things in cellophane next to our front door. I thought they were peppermints. Perhaps someone thought we had bad breath. Then when I went over to the lodge, they were in all the windows. Yves said they were moth balls to keep the bears away. Last week Patti had put an apple pie in the window to cool. A bear came and ate it, then tried to get in the window, so Yves had to shoot it. Now she cooks with the back windows closed, so it gets a bit hot.
If you fish enough, you are going to get tangles!
Due to a fire ban, this was the first day we had a shore lunch. It is in a beautiful spot with great views. Pike, cod, potatoes, toast and onions.
The coffee pot was full at 5:00 in the morning and kept on until 7:00 when breakfast was served. Friday morning was eggs cooked to order by Yves, bacon or sausage and toast from fresh bread baked by Patti. By 8:00 we were in the boat with Mike, whose real name is Michelle.
Last night we tried to solve our problem of not getting down deep enough. I put on a sinking tippet and pinched on some ball weights. Ron had a better solution with three hanging weights, which may not have been pretty, but they did the trick.
Weights looked like an extracted molar
It worked well. He caught two pike, one nice Brookie, one lunker Brookie and one Laker (Lake trout). Even so, we still needed to be able to get down easier, which meant we needed sinking line. Jimmy saved our trip by bring us a half spool of sinking line, which we measured, figured it would be just enough for both of us, cut it in half and added it to our reels.
Pike, or Northern or Northern pike. there are lots of these!Lake trout or “Laker”This is the trophy fish we came for
Ron is very good at knots and helped me a lot with solutions that would not come apart at critical times. We were not well-aware of the potential size of some of these fish, so we tied on #1 leaders, but cut off the ends tied on 10 lb. tippets. Even that might be broken by some of these fish, especially the pike with their sharp teeth.
A VERY important floating fly for these waters is the Orange Bomber. We had bought four at Canadian Tire, but they didn’t float. However, Jon had brought us one that was a little beaten up, but far better than ours. We celebrated with a drink before heading over to the lodge for dinner, which was moose stew and cake covered with raspberry and whipped cream for dessert.
I don’t know if that is a raspberry compote, but it is not a sauce. There is a huge raspberry plot in back of the lodge. Like wild blueberries, these wild raspberries are small. Just picking enough for 9 people would be a job.
Saturday
Each day we were a little better prepared. Now we had sinking lines. Bead-headed streamers were working pretty well, but we were still experimenting with dry flies. We also rigged four floating flies with dropper nymphs – Copper Johns and Prince nymphs.
These snowshoe hares are quite tame. Patti feeds them cabbage
Michelle turned northwest this morning for 30 or 40 minutes. I know it looks cold. With all the clothes we had on, I felt lite the Michelin Man. With the boat going full speed, it is pretty chilly. With a shirt, sweater and a rain parka it was fine. Always while the boat is running hard, you must wear a life jacket. Rain pants are essential along with a good hat. We had great weather though. In the middle of the day, we started shedding layers.
What a dork! Have to have surgical glasses to tie flies on.
Michelle turned north up a river. When the lake is up, he could travel a big loop, coming back out to the main river, but the reservoir and river were down about 4 or 5 feet. At Churchill, there is a huge dam that makes electricity for Canada and the U.S. As luck would have it, that affects the fishing, especially the Brook trout. The pike and Lake trout don’t seem to be affected as much.
We worked our way up the river. I lost a couple, one untying my knot at the fly. Another took my fly and took off upriver 100 yards before shaking loose. Then I hooked a big, heavy, fighting fish – a big, beautiful Ouananiche, a land-locked salmon. Ron was coaching me to keep my rod tip up since I had lost a couple by not doing that.
Small pikeNice Lake troutBeautiful Brook trout!
I think we caught one Ounaniche, four pike, one lake trout and one hen Brook trout.
Our cabinA little too much sun!Yves showed us a map of all the water surrounding us.
We saw a few other boats today, but maybe five boats for the whole week!
Can’t remember, but that might have been the night with the world’s best lasagna
I wanted to fish the Green River with Ron Lowry, but he said it had not been fishing well lately. After some discussion, we agreed to go after the monster Brook trout in Labrador. Actually I don’t care about big ones, but I wanted to catch a lot of them.
Some of the fishing lodges have struggled since Covid. Getting shut down for two seasons made it difficult to get up and running again, and to find staff and guides. Northern Lights Lodge on Shaw Lake and Smallwood Reservoir was highly-rated, so we booked it.
It is quite a trip getting there. Ron was flying from Idaho, and I from Virginia. I landed in Montreal at 2:30 on Wednesday. By the time I walked the long way to customs, got through, picked up my bag and walked all the way to the other end of the airport, I was tired. Ron wouldn’t get in until 11:30, so after checking into the airport hotel, I went back down to find Pal Airlines for Thursday’s flight to Labrador City, but couldn’t find it. We would have to be there at 6:00 for a 7:30 flight we did not want to miss. Finally a nice lady pointed me to the right place.
On Thursday morning, Ron and I checked out of the hotel, walked downstairs to the airport and found Pal Airlines. It was a local, with stops in Quebec and Sept-Isles on the way to Labrador City. Two guys across the isle were also going to the lodge, this being their third year at Northern Lights Lodge.
A nice gentleman named Javier picked us up at the Wabush airport adjacent to Labrador City. He then took us to the grocery store to get any drinks or snacks we wanted, and there was a liquor store next door. Then he took us to the Two Seasons Hotel for the night. After cocktail hour, we went to the hotel restaurant, which is reported to be the best in town. It was surprisingly good, efficient and friendly. We discussed the need for a $600 deposit on the room. Javier had told us this is a big iron ore mining town. Maybe there are some cowboys that come to town and make a mess.
On Friday morning we were to take a float plane to the lodge, but it was delayed due to weather or low ceiling. Finally we got the go-ahead and Javier took us to the dock. A tall young man weighed us and our gear before loading. Javier had bought supplies for the lodge as well.
It was my first time on a float plane, so I was a little nervous, but I also wanted to see the fire damage. Just 10 days ago the whole town of Labrador City, 7,412 people were evacuated due to a big fire approaching the town. There is only one road in Labrador, so they all went east. It was pretty scary. Fortunately, they were able to stop the fire before it got to the town.
We must have gone in the opposite direction because I couldn’t see any burnt areas. Looking at all the thousands of lakes, it is a wonder a fire could spread very far. Flying north and a bit east, we saw infinite numbers of lakes or ponds. Woven in between was rocky land with black fir trees. I was surprised to see a railroad track. The Canadian Shield is a huge area of eastern Canada that was scraped of all but a thin topsoil by glaciers, leaving bedrock, boulders and round rocks polished by water, snow and ice.
I was surprised to hear that Quebec province has more lakes that Labrador, at a half million or so, but it is also a larger province. By any measure, it is a whole lot of water and difficult land to travel. Some lakes had a house or cabin on them, especially close to Labrador City.
After a 50 minute flight, we landed smoothly on Shaw Lake, and our pilot expertly glided next to the dock where four men helped tie the plane. As we got out we were introduced to Yves, Jimmy, Brad and Mike. They told us to go to our cabins and they would unload the plane and bring our things to the cabin.
On the lodge grounds we met Patti, with whom we had exchanged many emails and messages. Just in those blind conversations, one could tell this is a good-hearted person. She showed us to our cabin, which was very nice with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a sitting area with a small table and a serious, iron wood-burning stove that was quite warm. That would be the only time it was used on our trip. The group from the previous week were going out on the plane as soon as our gear was unloaded. I talked with one gentleman from New Brunswick who had been coming every year for 30 years!
Once we got settled, Mike came by to see if we wanted to go fishing for a couple of hours just the get a feel for the water. On the front side of Northern Lights Lodge was Shaw lake, which is full of pike apparently. We went out back to a HUGE body of water, known as Smallwood Reservoir, that covers some 2,500 square miles behind the dam at what used to be Churchill Falls. The rivers leading into the reservoir are the Ashuanipi River and the McKenzie River.
I don’t think we caught anything that afternoon. One major problem was we didn’t have sinking lines, so we were not getting down enough in this big water. Dinner was at 7:00, but we gathered at the lodge to see what the two Johns did. Actually one was Jon, the tall one, and one was John, who was a retired oral surgeon.
“Supper,” as Patti called it was superb, as was every meal at Northern Lights Lodge. Patti and Yves are married, and they do everything, with the help of the two guides.
Ron’s flies. We would use the streamers and Orange Bombers most
We collapsed in our beds with the windows open and the ceiling fan on low, and it wasn’t long before I was asleep. I was startled by a couple of sounds in the night, but slept well.
The Jackson River Trail is approximately 16 miles long following the Jackson River flowing south from Cedar Creek To downtown Covington, Virginia. We wanted to ride from Cedar Creek down, but that section isn’t finished yet, so we went down to Natural Well, first riding north as far as we could, then riding south for about an hour before turning around. It is a beautiful trail with great scenery of farmland and the Jackson River. We talked to a few people, but mostly we had it to ourselves.
After loading the bikes in the truck we drove up the mountain to explore Lake Moomaw from the east side. There is a very nice campground with shower houses at the top of the mountain with very few people there. Driving down the mountain, we found a beautiful sandy beach with only two people there on a hot July day. At the bottom of the mountain the road ended at the bottom of the Gathright Dam, which should be a great tailwater fishery, but I think there is only a short section that you can fish. Not far down is a beautiful private property.
Lake Moomaw is 2,530-acre cold water lake fed and drained by the Jackson River. It boasts 40 miles of undeveloped shoreline. There is a nice campground on the other side as well.
We chilled back at camp for a couple of hours before exploring the bird trail in Hidden Valley. I was surprised by the numbers of birds in trees surrounding a marshy-looking low area. Like the day before, we were amazed at the variety of wildflowers that were worked by bees and butterflies. An ebird list of Hidden Valley birds identified 127 species! Sadly, in a perfect setting, not one quail was noted. Maybe next time I will take the big lens, a tripod, water and some snacks and sit on a bench.
I have been to Hidden Valley several times to fish the Jackson River, but I wanted to return to explore more of the area. A beautiful B&B, Warwickton built in 1848, sits in the heart of the property, but I love staying in the campground with our Airstream. The campsite fee is $15, and is only half of that with a Senior National Park Pass. Originally I was going by myself, since Martha was going to Africa with her girl friends. However, the flight was cancelled, so they returned home from Atlanta. Well, it isn’t Africa, but she decided to come along and discover Hidden Valley.
After loading groceries and clothes, we got an early start for a pretty two-hour drive to Warm Springs. We drove around the campground a couple of times to select a site, which is difficult because they are all nice. We got setup, fixed some lunch and went for a walk. there are about 200 acres of “hay fields” that are just loaded with wildflowers. Well-maintained paths are cut around and through the fields. Butterflies and bees are busy gathering nectar from all the flowers. It was hot in the sun, even though it was about 8 degrees cooler than at home. The elevation is about 1,500′ with mountains surrounding it in 8,000 acres of George Washington National Forest. The Jackson River runs through the valley with 6.5 miles of river. Connecting to the north is Poor Farm, offering more river frontage and dispersed camping. My goal for tomorrow was to hike to Poor Farm along the river, crossing the swinging bridge. On Wednesday I wanted to bike the Jackson Trail, a rails-to-trails, well-developed trail along the Jackson River.
Trying to keep things simple, we just brought the Cobb Stove, a small grill that uses 6-10 lumps of charcoal. Martha is a great camp cook, cooking chicken for me, a pork chop for her and a riot of peppers, onions and squash. It was wonderful. There is no cell phone service in the valley and no radio or TV reception. It is interesting to spend four days without things we feel are “essential”. I had a new book by Kelly Sutton, A River Runs Through It Outdoor Reflections. I finished that the first day, and found it quite entertaining. We have been hunting and fishing together for a very long time. You can find his book on Amazon.
I get up early every day, but I slept till 5:00, which is quite good for me. With all the windows open, it had cooled to about 69 degrees, which was perfect with a sheet. Birds were waking and talking to each other, so I crept out to the field to look for a deer or perhaps a bear, but no such luck. We knew it was going to be a hot day for an 8-mile round trip hike, so we filled the water bottles and packed some granola bars and sandwiches. We were off by 7:15.
We drove up to the trail head in front of the elegant Warwickton. Our phones would have to do for cameras today. We had already seen four deer and several rabbits. The grass was wet with dew, and it was a beautiful morning for a hike. Deer, rabbits, butterflies and bees were everywhere. After two hay fields, we were in the forest, nice and cool. It took about 45 minutes to get to the first bridge, where I went straight toward Muddy Run. The trail followed it along until it crossed the now small stream. We saw a blaze on a tree on the other side, so we crossed, but were unable to follow the trail. Disappointed, we headed back down.
When we got to the bridge, we decided to cross and see where that went. It led back to the Jackson River and the famous swinging bridge. We paused in the middle to admire the beautiful river, then crossed to the other side. A sign pointed to the right to Poor Farm in 2.5 miles, but we had spent our energy going up Muddy Run. I turned around to cross back over the bridge when I was attacked by yellow jackets, quickly running back to the side. those little things just stick to you and keep stinging until you smack them off.
Well, fortunately the path went in both directions, so we headed downstream, hoping to end up at Warwickton. With no phone service and no map, we weren’t really sure where we were going, but hopefully not up and over the mountain to Back Creek. As long as it followed the river, we should be good, but we were on the mountain side, so it went up and down on a narrow trail.
After a lot of trekking, we indeed found ourselves in front of Warwickton. Crossing a bridge we saw a man leading people on a horse ride. Now THAT’S the way to do it! We talked to him for a bit, getting his information before they jogged on. We were tired, hungry and thirsty by the time we got back to camp, but it was all good, except for a bunch of itching bee stings.
Yesterday we drove from Taos, NM to Durango, Colorado. It was one of the prettiest drives of the trip going through Carson National Forest in the San Juan Mountains. With 1.5 million acres, it makes you want to explore.
Carson National ForestPagosa Springs, CO
Voted the best train ride in America in 2020 & 2021, it is 3.5 hour out, 2 hrs. in Silverton and 3.5 hrs. back following the beautiful Animas River in the San Juan Mountains. We opted for inside seating with some amenities, and were very lucky to have the best guide possible, a young lady named Zoie. She kept it lively and informative. Only a month on the job, she had learned her lessons well. She is a geologist and her father is a botanist, so she pointed out some very interesting things.
Of course there were historical things, like mining in Silverton, and how the train became an important part. Her boyfriend is a fisherman, so she knew a few things about the fishing. Hikers use the train a lot, and they can get on and off at designated places. About half way up is a zip-line camp and lodge that looked very busy.
Riding the train for 7 hours, you get to know most of the people in your car. Mike and Vickie from Louisiana sat across from us, and we had some interesting talks. A “Rusty Spike” drink from Zoie helped break the ice. Mike and Vickie had a Motorhome and travel a lot. They also tow a Jeep, and they like to drive the dirt and gravel roads through the mountains. They know the area well.
Silverton still has the feel of a western town, although they are mostly supported by tourism. We took a short spin around town in a stage coach. That’s a first for me, and I was surprised to find it pretty comfortable.
In two hours, train passengers will shop a bit, but everyone wants to eat lunch, so there are lots of restaurants. Zoie told us about a unique jewelry shop where they mine a stone not found anywhere else.
Silverton
Mostly we walked around town, but finally had to get a bite to eat before boarding the train. We now had the river side of the train, so imagined fishing it. Zoie pointed out the place Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kit jumped on the train from a cliff in the movie. Some hikers got on and off the train in a couple of places.
Hiker heading out
It was a beautiful train ride with good company and a great guide. Mike and I gave her a hug when we got off the train. Well, we had sipped a little bourbon on the way down.
On our way up to Canyonlands National Park, we first stopped at “The Monitor and Merrimac” rock features. To the east were the La Sal Mountains and Mount Waas at 12,306’. We turned left (east) we came to Dead Horse State Park, not knowing what to expect. Well, my new friend, Cindy, at Riverside Plumbing said she and her future husband used to go up to Dead Horse State Park for a date.
I think it was a $10 entry fee, but we had bought a Utah State Park pass, so they waved us on. The park overlooks a gooseneck turn in the great Colorado River. It really is as pretty a spot as one could wish for. A cute couple were having breakfast at the overlook at sunrise, giddy in their young love in such a gorgeous spot.
