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Cumbres LbNA #59659 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 28, 2011
Location: Cumbres Pass
City:Antonito, CO - Chama, NM
County:Conejos
State:Colorado
Boxes:1
Planted by:Me N The Wiz
Found by: Aardvark
Last found:Oct 16, 2011
Status:Fr
Last edited:Sep 28, 2011
This box is located at scenic Cumbres Pass, which is on highway 17 between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. You can approach from either direction. It is approximately 15 miles from Chama and 35 miles from Antonito. The coal-fired Cumbres and Toltec narrow gauge railroad also runs over this scenic route, and stops at the top of the pass as well. If you plan well, or are just lucky as I was, you may see the train rounding the bend as it passes by the letterbox!

Drive up to the pass along highway 17 from either Chama or Antonito. When you reach a high point of the pass, there is a sign identifying it as Cumbres Pass. From there, you want to take the turnoff to Trujillo Meadows that is just a few hundred yards east of the pass. It is clearly marked from the highway as well. Once you are on this road, you will be turning left almost immediately. Follow the sign that points to the Trailhead for the Continental Divide Trail. Take this good dirt road, that can be easily traveled by a passenger car, for 1/3 mile.

At this point you will see an old trestle bridge ahead of you. The trailhead sign and trail are visible on the right just before you would have gone under the trestle. You can park here, or continue under the bridge and park there.

This is the southernmost end of the Continental Divide Trail, which goes all the way from here to Silverton, CO, some 50+ miles away as the crow flies. The trail winds its way through two large wilderness areas, crossing only one highway and one 4x4 road in all that distance. It is truly spectacular country for the adventurous!

For now, however, you only need to walk 100 steps up the trail. At this point, look to your left and you will see a grey pointed rock with some lichen spots on it, approximately 2 feet high and 4 feet in diameter. Walk over to this rock, and look down toward the railroad tracks. Close to the tracks there is a large tree on the left, and a few smaller trees on the right. Between these trees are two more smaller rock piles made of darker basalt rock. You will find the box in the rockpile closest to the tracks, underneath two smaller, rounded, lighter-colored rocks.

As time permits, enjoy the trail as far as want to go, and the beautiful open views!