We began this portion of the trip in Durango Colorado. We boarded the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, taking the steam locomotive on a route through the San Juan National Forrest that originally opened in 1882. The railroad was originally used to transport gold and silver mined in the mountains. Today, it transports people interested in the history and beauty of the area. The track runs along the Animas River, crossing it 5 times. The Animas River made the news just a little over a month before our visit. 3 million gallons of toxic waste from an inactive gold mine was spilled into the river, turning it orange, affecting over 100 miles of river. The irony of this, is that it was the Environmental Protection Agency that caused the spill, attempting to clean up an old mine that they knew to be high risk. During our trip the rocks at edges of the river were orange, but the water appeared normal.

The San Juan Mountains are gorgeous. A trip to Silverton is like taking a trip back in time. It is a quaint town with rich history, surrounded by majestic mountains. We loved it here and plan to return. On our return trip, we plan to make it there during summer, to allow more opportunity for hiking. We also plan to explore more of the San Juans, heading north to Ouray and Telluride.