G U NN IS O N
Day Trips
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• from Cr e e d e •
L A KE C IT Y
We know you will love traveling and exploring throughout our beautiful country, but we would like to share with you some of the other locations that we like to visit. These places offer variety to our wonderful area through originality of shops and adventure. We hope you enjoy visiting them as much as we do.
Slumgullion Pass
Silver Thre ad Byway C R E E DE
149
S O U TH FO R K
q L a k e City On the other side of Creede and Mineral County you can escape to the Divide! In about 20 minutes you can cross over to Hinsdale County, and from there ascend to the Continental Divide at the top of Spring Creek Pass (elevation 10,901 ft.). Take in the panoramic views from the overlooks including Browns’ Lakes and admire the wildlife, if they give you a chance. You can see elk, deer, moose, coyote, bear, marmot, squirrel and chipmunk, bluebird, hawks and eagles of all sizes and types. While you are still trying to catch your breath, you’ll find yourself climbing to the heights of Slumgullion Pass (elevation 11,361 ft) and Earthflow. Lake City is the third town on the Silver Thread Byway drive, about 52 miles (1 hour) from Creede. Lake City offers an abundance of things to do for the outdoor enthusiast or the indoor devotee. Enjoy Lake San Cristobal, Fishing, Hiking, 4-wheeling, shopping, theatre, festivals, races, competitions and activities year-round for people and families of all ages.
q S outh F ork
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21 miles south on Highway 149 is the southern entrance to the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. South Fork offers unique shops, and recreational stores as well as a variety of activities including weekly or seasonal functions. Numerous ranches, the Rio Grande Club for golf and fine dining and other outdoor type fun awaits! Stop in at the Silver Thread Byway Information Center for a Calendar of Events and Visitor’s Guide.
q G unnison Finishing up the Silver Thread Byway route is Gunnison and the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Gunnison is the largest of the “Towns” on the drive but it shouts of small town commitment and genuine hospitality. Home to Western State College and a flourishing western “cowboy” community with great shops, restaurants and entertainment. > > > Continued on Page 36
The Silver Thread / S ce nic a nd H istoric Byway
The colorful old mining camps of the Silver Thread offer history, scenic beauty, and a heavy dose of authenticity. The heights around Creede and Lake City remain strewn with abandoned mining structures, most of them accessible via rugged backcountry roads. Between the two towns, Highway 149 shadows the upper reaches of the Rio Grande, serving up a bounty of natural wonders - sparkling North Clear Creek Falls, the Slumgullion earth slide, and the shark-like fin of Uncompahgre Peak. These mountains can be unforgiving: In 1848 explorer John C. Fremont lost a third of his men; a quarter of a century later the infamous Alfred Packer cannibalized his companions in two ill-fated winter expeditions. Courtesy of www.byways.org The Silver Thread follows old toll, stagecoach and rail routes that were important supply lines for silver and gold mining camps of the late 1800s. Portions of the 116 mile Byway follow the Rio Grande and the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, skirting the Weminuche, La Garita and Powderhorn Wilderness areas. See local flora and fauna, explore history and discover the natural beauty in this sparsely populated secret of the San Juan Mountains. Courtesy of the Silver Thread Scenic Byway Committee A small informational pamphlet is available in the Visitor’s Centers or Chambers of Commerce in South Fork, Creede, Lake City and Gunnison.
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