Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast north of Durango

We spent 2 nights here, a few miles north of Durango in the North Animas valley.

Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast north of Durango

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Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast north of Durango

The ponds and streams meandering through the cabins are water rights fed from an irrigation ditch from the Animas river

Mesa Verde Vistor's Center

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Roger at the Montezuma Valley overlook in Mesa Verde

This overlook looks out to the west

Montezuma Valley

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Montezuma Valley

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Montezuma Valley

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rental car - a Camaro convertible

we reserved a small SUV since the convertibles were way overpriced. The agent tried to get us a Jeep Wrangler but they were out, so offered us the Camaro. The top was not intuitive and takes up over 1/2 of the trunk. It was also very difficult to park with the visibility. It got a lot of attention though.

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

This is the view from above and is one of the ranger guided tours

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

Prior tour group

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

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Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

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Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

our tour guide

cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

According to the guide, this tower is original with no reconstruction

cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

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cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

Some of the lower walls have been reconstructed, repaired and stabilized

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

One of the Kivas with clay discs

cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

another kiva

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

looking through a door/ window over one of the kivas

cliff Palace at Mesa Verde

Heading back out and up. We had to go up 3 sets of 8 ft ladders, but they were closed in enough by the surrounding rock not to bother me too much about the height (except when I began thinking about it)

Leaving Mesa Verde Park

Rain from the remnants of pacific hurricane Norbert mixed with latew season monsoons are brewing off towards Durango and the mountains

looking towards Durango

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Leaving the park

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Leaving Mesa Verde Park

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Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast north of Durango

The large pond on the property is fed by the ditch

Apple Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast north of Durango

Interior of our cabin. Very cozy. No air conditioning here but not needed. We opened up most of the windows and ended up using the gas fireplace a little in the morning

Valley near Durango

We explored the area a little and drove out to Lake Valecito - not impressed by the lake area very much, but Roger and I both decided we seem to really like the farm valleys in the area.

Molas Pass sign

This is the Pass after Coal Bank. We stopped at Coal Bank Pass during our last trip in January 2012, so we did not stop there this time