Geyser Spring Trail

After talking with the Forest Rangers in Dolores, they steered us to 2 different places to hike.  Tuesday we drove up into the foothills of the Durango/Silverton area to Bear Creek Trail.  Was nothing spectacular regarding scenery, the aspens are at the peak of changing and with the brilliant blue sky, driving along on the Forest Service dirt road, was pleasant.  Found the trail, saw where the trail is impassible due to the damage from the 416 (Durango) Fire earlier this summer so we decided to just go a bit, enjoy the aspens and the leaves, and head back.  Did not go far, the trail went steadily down and we knew we had to climb back up.

Common site around this area

I like how the gold of the aspens frames out the road

Came across the Jersey Jim Fire Tower

All the luxuries included

These guys hanging around right at the base of tower - should have named it Jersey Kids

Pretty

Wednesday it rained all day, a welcome change from the extreme draught conditions.  We hunkered down for the day.  But yesterday, we wanted to get out since we were cooped up all the day and headed to the only geyser in Colorado, the Geyser Spring.  We were not sure if we could even go on the trail thinking it would be muddy.  Located about 25 north and east of Dolores, we traveled on another Forest Service Road, but the views were spectacular.

Checking out the Bear Creek Trail

Trail went down, easy going, but tough coming back up

Nice walk in the woods

Saw many RVs - we think they are hunters

Found the trail head, changed and off we went.  Climbed steadily up 500 feet from our start of 8800 feet, by the time we got to the geyser area, we were huffing and puffing.  We would go a bit, stop, rest, get our breathe, and keep going.  At one stop we heard something weird and right by us was a bubbling open pit with the foulest smelling air - sulfur!  We found one small geyser.

Yeah, I could live there!

Small geyser - could smell it and hear it before we saw it

On we trekked up into the mountains, could really smell the sulfur. Phew.  Came across a sign that said foot traffic only (definitely the trail was used by horseback riders), dropped down 500 feet and saw the large geyser.  This was not like Yellowstone's geysers, but still was active, quite aqua blue, stinky, and bubbling.  The information said that the geyser erupts (bubbles) every 20 to 30 minutes, so we stayed put watching the pool for about an hour.  Did see the cycles where the water was very turbulent and then calmed down.

Could just peak ahead and see the turquoise pool

If you faint, leave.  Duh.

"Erupting"

And calm

A little rustic, someone was living there

Dunton Hot Springs, right near geyser

Continued to drive north on the FS road

At Lizard Head Pass

Bicyclists, wow

After getting back down to the car, we decided to continue on the Forest Service Road to where it met back up with Route 145, the route the campground is on.  Saw some lovely scenery, the Lizard Head Mountains and Pass right in front of us.  Little dicey to drop back down, but again, the car did great.

Saw more hunters

Almost down to highway and turn to home. about 10,000 feet altitude