Sitting at an elevation of 8800 feet and 200 miles due east of Telluride is the town of Creede, CO, population 290 in winter and 20,000 in the summer. Portia and I drove the 210 miles through more mountain passes with slow, steep, twisting roads from Cripple Creek to meet my friends Brad and Laura. They drove from Pagosa Springs, CO, where they spent a few days after towing their Airstream from the DFW area.
It was so lovely to see them and their dog Jax. Portia and Jax had fun together despite Portia's occasional snarl and grumpy attitude. Sometimes she can be such a primadonna. We had a great time exploring the area and the little town of Creede. Nice hikes, a couple of meals out, a nice drive on a rugged dirt road, and an old mine tour.
Creede is the perfect size little tourist town. It has everything you need while maintaining the charm and character of the original town and feels authentic. The temperatures were great, with highs in the 70's and 80's while the evenings dropped into the 40's and 50's. We both stayed at a comfortable RV resort on the Rio Grande River.
Creede is one of those lesser-known areas in Colorado; given all of the spectacular sights in the state, Creede offers a low-key, less touristy experience and is well worth the visit.
