Rafting on The Arkansas River near Salida, COWe took time to venture out to a nearby ghost town which is on the national historical site register St. Elmo Ghost Town. Nestled high in the Rockies this old mining town was known for its silver and gold mines at the turn of the last century. We enjoyed the Chipmunk crossing where baby chipmunks and their mothers fed on the nuts that visitors left them. Humming birds flocked to the feeders hung in front of the general store which is the only place open in this ghost town. St. Elmo is one charming place with its many abandoned old buildings. The memories of the miners who lived here many years ago leave a haunting presence.
The last day of our stay in the Salida, CO area we spent at one of our favorite places, Valley View Hot Springs. Valley View is nestled in the foot hills of the Sangre De Cristo mountains overlooking the San Luis Valley. The air is so clear here that you can see for miles as we watched the scattered storms move across the mountain ridges and across the valley. The day we were there was mostly rain free except for a late afternoon thunderstorm. The hot springs are very nicely placed in a natural setting with sides built out of stone and sandy bottoms which blend in with the surrounding hill sides. Deer roamed about and were not shy coming close to the springs and feeding near the hiking paths that led to the hot spring pools. We enjoyed the shelter area with it's community kitchen and center campfire circle. At the end of the day we left many memories behind knowing that one day in the future we would be back to spend more time. |
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