MESA VERDE COUNTRY®: Dolores: Home to McPhee Lake in Southwest Colorado

The Dolores River is the heart and soul of this small community. It provides a vital water supply and also offers many recreational opportunities to area visitors.

The valley's first settlement in 1877 was at Big Bend, about 1.5 miles downstream from today's town of Dolores. Big Bend was abandoned when the Rio Grande Southern Railroad route was scheduled to bypass the settlement, and residents moved next to the tracks at Dolores' present town site. The Galloping Goose railcar and museum stands only feet from the spot where the railroad once ran. Click here to watch a video about the historic Galloping Goose.

Dolores is home to McPhee Lake, the second largest body of water in Colorado, offering a variety of boating and recreational activities. The San Juan/Rio Grande National Forest, at Dolores' doorstep, offers great outdoor activities, including camping, hiking, hunting, and winter sports. The Dolores River and McPhee lake offer great fishing, and the Dolores River provides opportunities for kayaking and rafting.

Dolores is also home to the Anasazi Heritage Center, a unique federal museum, research center and curation facility, and headquarters for the new Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. The town of Dolores lies on the San Juan Skyway, a state and federally designated scenic by-way, called "America's Most Beautiful Drive." Annual celebrations in Dolores include Escalante Day in August and Christmas in Dolores during December.

Visit the website for the town of Dolores, Colorado at www.doloreschamber.com
Area Map and Driving Directions to Dolores, Colorado	Maps & service
Bird on the Run: The Galloping Goose This 1930s railcar was one of seven in the flock. FOOTAGE BY BENJAMIN RADER Video courtesy of www.gocolorado.com