Upon leaving Durango, CO I drove west past Cortez to the small town of Dove Creek, where I turned north on CO Hwy 141, heading toward Naturita, CO. It was only 57 miles from Dove Creek, but it took me over two hours - part of the problem was that perhaps 15 miles north of Dove Creek, I encountered five miles of zigzagging and switchbacks down into the Dolores River canyon, followed by several more miles of similar zigzagging back up to the level of the surrounding countryside.
Arriving at Naturita, I stayed at a very acceptable RV park with full hookups, rather surprised at finding such at a location, literally, in the middle of NoWhere! And even better, it cost only $20. AND, it’s right next door to the Naturita Visitor Center. AND, it’s right across the street from a surprisingly well stocked grocery.
The name, Naturita, was taken from Spanish (I’m told) and means “Little Nature.” When I asked how it is pronounced, however, I was told NATuh-RITuh. Hardly sounds like Spanish.
Leaving the next morning, I drove west along CO Hwy 141 toward Gateway, then north toward Whitewater and Grand Junction. Along the way, I followed approximately 20 miles of the San Miguel River Canyon, then it joined the Dolores River and widened out into a very attractive canyon.
One of the highlights of this canyon is the historic Hanging Flume that was constructed to carry water for mining operations, despite the fact that the Dolores River was right there.
Some Views of the Hanging Flume Remains
History of the Hanging Flume
I noted at one spot that this flume had an overall gradient of approximately 0.17%, while clinging to sheer sandstone cliffs for over 7 miles, often suspended hundreds of feet above the river!
No comments:
Post a Comment