Wolf Creek Pass, Pagosa Springs, Vallecito Reservoir, and the Million Dollar Highway
September 13-16th, 2021
After a right turn onto Highway 160, I began to climb towards Wolf Creek Pass and ski area. The road is wide with passing lanes on the steeper sections. As it nears the pass, the road has a reputation of being troublesome, especially for trucks.
Once the pass is reached, I started down into the San Juan River valley, after a quick stop to view Treasure Falls.
San Juan River Valley 
Treasure Falls
In Pagosa Springs, I visited the Town Park and walked along the river. The water level is low at this time of year.
After a quick stop at the Walmart Superstore to re-supply my refrigerator, and I was back in the mountains headed for Bayfield. There I turn up the road along the Los Pinos River towards Vallecito Reservoir to find a campsite for the night. The U.S. Forest Service campgrounds a located along the shore. However, by autumn, the reservoir is drawn down for irrigation, and the shoreline had receded quite a distance. It is open range there, meaning cattle roam freely throughout the area. In the afternoon, I hear “hey, hey” echoing from the far shoreline where ranch hands were rounding up a herd. This lasted for quite some time, as they moved the cattle around and across the damn, to my side and up the road just behind my site. There the cattle were left for the day, at which time they meandered through the campground. When the camp host drove by on his little cart, I asked why I did not see cow pies throughout the campground, to which he replied, “it is one of my and my wife’s jobs to make them disappear”. Of course, he was not happy that the herd was brought around to our side of the reservoir. He only had one week until he closed the campground and left. Surprise!
I woke early to bellering cattle and quickly rustled up some coffee. With a quick breakfast and camp break down, I was off to Durango via winding and narrow Florida Road.
I couldn’t resist a vanilla latte at the Durango Starbucks, and the slight detour just happened to but me a few minutes behind the Durango-Silverton steam train, carrying a load of tourists up the Animas River valley to its terminus at Silverton. I passed the train and pulled over for pictures.
I played leapfrog with the train for a few miles, and then the tracks diverged from the highway, as they wound up the canyon along the river and the highway climbed up to Coal Bank Pass (10,610 ft). This section of the road is known as the Million Dollar Highway. One tail is that this name came from a woman who stated she would not travel it again even it paid million dollars. It has many hairpin turns, often hanging on a cliffside with no guard rails. Going over the edge would result in death.
Final curves to Silverton 
No Guard Rails
After the pass, it was all downhill to Silverton, another historic mining town. I photographed the hippy camper, headed downtown, and visited the Fly Fishing Shop.
It was mid-afternoon when I left Silverton, so I ducked into the Golden Horn Campground along the South Fork Mineral Creek. Camping was free, with fire rings all over the place. I chose when a bit away from other campers and set up. About an hour later, I was surrounded by a 4×4 club from Texas, all driving jeeps. Normally, it is not good etiquette to encroach upon and existing camper, at least not within 20 or 30 feet as these guys did. However, they were quiet, and offered me shots of whiskey and beer around their campfire. I declined, as reading a good back seemed the better option. The next morning, I packed up and was back on the highway where I climbed over Red Mountain Pass (11,018 ft) and then descended to Ouray. Sections of the road hung on the side of a cliff towering hundreds of feet up as well as down and was not for the faint of heart. I walked down and up Main Street, stopping at the Gold Belt Bar and Grill for lunch.
Leaving Ouray, I was off across the flats toward Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument.
Next, Colorado National Monument, Palisade peaches, and camping on Grand Mesa.
Starting All Over 