The Colorado Rockies are what mountain dreams are made of. They stretch 611km across the entire length of the state and filled with jagged peaks (58 of them over 14,000 feet (4,267m) - or ‘fourteeners’ as the locals call them), ice blue alpine lakes and wildflower meadows roamed by elk, coyote and black bears. There is perhaps nowhere in the country where the USA’s rugged wilderness, that raw untampered spirit of the once-wild west, is more keenly felt than the San Juan Mountains. Considered by many to be the most beautiful and varied of the entire range, this south-western portion of the Rockies nonetheless only receives a fraction of the visitors that better-known, and easier-accessed, regions to the north get.
Better still, one single road will take you to all the key parts: the San Juan Skyway. Topping out at over 3,000 metres, it truly is a drive in the sky. Although it’s only 380km long and technically possible to cover in a day, if you spread it out over a week, the Skyway is one of the best, yet-rarely travelled, road trips in America, passing through frontier history, remote mountain towns, natural hot springs and some of the most dazzling scenery in the state. This is what mountain dreams are made of.
HIGHLIGHTS
TELLURIDE
Nestled deep into a box canyon in the heart of the San Juans, Telluride is arguably the most beautiful mountain town in Colorado, with snow-dusted summits – including several fourteeners – framing the village. The options for outdoor adventure in its outskirts are vast, as you’d expect.
Esta historia es de la edición January 2022 / Issue 218 de Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
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Esta historia es de la edición January 2022 / Issue 218 de Wanderlust Travel Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
