Mississippi to Ouray & Moab

Mississippi to Ouray/Moab - Trip Report


7/23/16 – 8/3/16


This would be our second trip in as many summers. Our first was to the Grand Canyon State where we explored the backcountry of the Grand Canyon, the San Francisco Peaks, and Sedona. Now we set our sights on two of the most traveled areas for ‘overlanders’ in the continental US: Ouray, Colorado and Moab, Utah.


Our group consisted of four college guys looking to get out and explore the world. We don’t have the most expensive gear or a vehicle as modified as some on this site. However, for us it was about the experience and the memories that will last a lifetime.


The group,


A74A1134 by Daniel Atkins, on Flickr


We met in Madison, MS the night before we left to finish final preparations and pack the truck. The next morning after some good byes and a final check we headed towards our first destination: Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Lawton, OK.


After a 600+ mile drive, we arrived in the refuge late in the afternoon. I’ll say this, the mountains aren’t awe inspiring but this was a great place to spend some time exploring and is worth a return trip.


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We stayed at Doris Campground which was quiet and had phenomenal star gazing. If you ever stay there, go to the bridge on the lake near the campground for the best star viewing. A great part about the refuge is the abundance of wildlife. We saw longhorn cattle, bison, and deer all in a short drive to and from Doris.


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The next morning, we drove up to the top of Mount Scott, a must if you’re in the refuge.


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We meandered around for a bit and then headed out of the refuge and towards Colorado.


Our next stop was on Route 66 just past Amarillo, TX at MidPoint Café. This iconic 66 diner served fantastic burgers and was worth the slight detour. It’s crazy to think this place was a stop for many people on their way across the country years ago. The owners have done a fine job keeping the place going and it really is a step back in time, gift shop and all.


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We hit thunderstorms as we passed through Capulin, NM. To our relief the temperature started dropping pretty significantly which made us all the more pleased to be going north.


Our campsite for the night was close to the Great Sand Dunes National Park at a primitive campground called Zapata Falls. The three-mile rocky road up the mountain keeps the RVs out, thankfully. It was getting close to sunset and the best site in the whole campground was open for the taking. We watched the greatest sunset I’ve ever seen as we unpacked our gear and set up the tent. The view from our site made another 600+ mile drive that day worth it.


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Sunset Over the Valley by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



After a quick breakfast we hiked the mile or so up to Zapata Falls and back. This was another hidden gem that was free from tourists. The snow melt coming off the mountain made for a cold but refreshing hike to the base of the falls.


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The hike is around a mile but is very easy. The water is freezing cold and quite refreshing when the temps are warm. We could hear the falls echoing off the canyon walls as we approached. The waterfall is hidden inside of the rock walls and is definitely worth the stop if you’re in the area.


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Zapata Falls by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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Next up was the Great Sand Dunes and all the tourists that came with it. The dunes were an interesting place and it was crazy to see all that sand in the middle of a valley.


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Dunes by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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But people were everywhere and unless you’re renting a sand sled or hiking to the top of Star Dune there isn’t much to do. So we did the logical thing and left.


Our route took us into Del Norte, CO where we grabbed lunch at Three Barrel Brewing Company. Great pizza, pitiful service.


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To be continued...

 

Leaving Del Norte, we hung a right at South Fork and hopped on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway towards Creede.


On and On by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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Creede surprised all of us and was one of our favorite stops on the whole trip. The place has a small town mountain charm to it that was very inviting.


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After a stop at the Forest Service Station we started on the Bachelor Loop. The Loop is a dirt trail into the mountains north of Creede. There’s a lot of mining remains and a ton of history.


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A few miles into the loop we ran into a few UTVs coming the other direction. We pulled over and allowed them to pass. Now the Bachelor Loop is just an easy dirt road but it is still a mountain road with steep drop offs from time to time. Guess where we were?


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That’s right.


The first and larger UTV easily drove by and continued down the trail. The second was driven by an older, heavy set man who got a little too close to the edge and we watched in horror as the back of the UTV slipped off the road. I slammed the truck in park and we ran over to the UTV that was hanging half on half off the trail. We told them to be still and wait for us to get our recovery gear out and come up with a plan of action. Unfortunately, he did not stop. As he gave the UTV skinny pedal, it tipped over and lodged itself against a wooden fence present along that side of the trail. The UTV was now almost parallel with the ground hanging over a drop that they most likely would not walk away from. While I grabbed a recovery strap the other guys got the man’s wife out of the passenger side and up to the road. By this time another guy on an ATV stopped and was helping us. We attached the strap to the top of the B-pillar and slowly backed up towards the mountainside behind the truck. Thankfully, with enough room and well placed strap the UTV was pulled back onto the trail along with its driver. He and his wife thanked us and went on their way. We didn't get any pictures of the recovery itself.


Save A Life by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


The best part of trips like this are the unexpected experiences. Those are the memories that live on.


Flowers Amongst the Rubble by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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Our next stop was the Last Chance Mine which we ran across by accident but was actually one of the best stops on the loop. We toured the old mining buildings that Jack, the owner of the mine, had restored.


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The views from up there were pretty special.


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We explored the mine, chatted with Jack for a little while, and also bought a few rocks as he restores the mine on donations and gift shop profit only.


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If you have the chance go up to Last Chance Mine and speak with Jack, he’s a pleasure to talk to and loves what he does.


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Behind schedule at this point, we hurried through the rest of the loop and hopped back on 149 and made sure to stop at North Clear Creek Falls a few miles down the road.


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North Clear Creek Falls by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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North Clear Creek by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


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From there we continued toward Lake City as it was getting late.


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Spotted a mule deer on the way


Deer by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


Top of Slumgullion Pass


Broken by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr


The start of Engineer Pass in Lake City was our destination for the night.


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Happy to be done with driving for the day


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I knew there were some dispersed sites along Henson Creek according to the Charles Wells book but had no clue if any would be open. We stumbled across this gorgeous site on the banks of the creek. By now we had a system for setting up camp and it was up quickly.


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In the morning we found showers at an RV park in town and ate a quick breakfast at San Juan Coffee Company before making the trek up Engineer Pass.



At the start of Engineer, we aired down then started the trail.



Our first stop was the mining site of Ute Ulay



Broken Dam by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



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And then continued to the Pike Snowden Cabin. This was my original target for a campsite, however, the meadow had obviously been heavily used and was rutted and muddy. Glad we stopped at the place we did.



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We then moved on to Capitol City



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Let’s go up there



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Another stop at Whitmore Falls. The hike down to the falls was very steep which was good because it kept traffic down.



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Whitmore Falls Through the Trees by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



Whitmore Falls by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



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Whitmore Falls by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



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This was our first time to the San Juan mountains and they certainly did not disappoint.



Ice Fall by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr



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Flowers were in full bloom this time of year



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And we continued up the pass. This side was pretty tame and we made pretty good time.



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Look back at it



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Snow in July. Coming from the deep south, snow is a big deal for us.



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Engineer Pass by Tripp Edwards, on Flickr





The summit views were as good as advertised. This was our first time on shelf roads such as these and it was definitely nerve-racking at times. The fact that traffic was high as expected did not help. Patience was key.



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Then down to Animas Forks, a ghost town since the 1920s.



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We chose to leave by County Road 2 which dumped us into Silverton. We took the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray and grabbed a bite to eat at Ouray Brewery. Nifty spot on top of the brewery to eat and people watch.





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After a soak in the hot springs we made camp in the amphitheatre area above Ouray. The stars were out in full force.



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Awesome looking trip, definitely similar to a trip I want to take in the near future.