Durango Train Schedule For 2025 Released

Above, the Durango train at High Line with the Animas River 400 feet below. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although we're near the end of February, it is time to plan one's summer vacation trip.

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has announced their Summer 2025 schedule. There's several different train trips to choose from.

Above, the Durango train at the Durango Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

From the official website:

Embark on an Incredible Journey Through the San Juan Mountains

For a truly unforgettable step back in time, enjoy a leisurely trip to yesteryear riding 3 1/2 hours each way on this train while spending a nearly 2 hour layover in the historic mining town of Silverton to enjoy the sights, shopping, food, and libations that Silverton offers. We’ve been in continuous operation running trains on this 45-mile branch of the original Denver & Rio Grande Railway since 1882. Much of the scenery remains unchanged since those historic days. There’s no cell service or Wi-Fi throughout the Animas Canyon so you’ll be unplugged from the modern world. Soak in the views, listen as the steam whistle echoes through the canyon, hear the vintage locomotive work to pull the train up the grades. If you long to unwind and enjoy Colorado nature at its finest, this is the trip for you.

Above, the Durango train in Silverton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whatever excursion one chooses, it is a great ride. Who knows, one may even get to see Sasquatch!

To see the schedule and book a trip, go here. 

New Mexico's Hotbed of Sasquatch Encounters

 

Yesterday, friend Russell Azbill posted this comment on Facebook:

I saw a Bigfoot in my next door neighbors yard at night. I was maybe a 100 yards from him, likely less. Another neighbor down the mountain from me viewed a Bigfoot from his property. They are definitely around us here.

Russell said this sighting was around nine months ago. 

This got me wondering, Is there a history of Bigfoot sightings in New Mexico?

Apparently, there has been as I came across this article from Hangar 1 Publishing: 

They begin it with:

In the realm of cryptozoology, few creatures have captured the imagination and sparked debate quite like Bigfoot. This elusive, hairy hominid has been the subject of countless stories, sightings, and investigations, with believers and skeptics alike passionately arguing their case. While the Pacific Northwest may be the most well-known region associated with Sasquatch, a surprising contender has emerged as a hotspot for Bigfoot activity: the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico.

As a researcher and scholar of the unexplained, I have long been fascinated by the rich history and cultural significance of Bigfoot legends in New Mexico. From the ancient stories of the Navajo people to the modern-day investigations of dedicated researchers, this state has a wealth of compelling cases and evidence that demand closer examination.

In this article, we will embark on a journey through the rugged landscapes and hidden corners of New Mexico, exploring the most intriguing Bigfoot encounters and the ongoing quest to unravel the mystery of this enigmatic creature. Join me as we delve into the heart of Sasquatch country and uncover the secrets that lie within.

Russell lives about a mile up the hill from me. That puts him closer to the Cibola National Forest. Personally, I have not seen any Bigfoots even thought the forest is across an arroyo from me.

To read more, go here. 

Sasquatch Spotted From Durango Train

Over the years, I have ridden on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trains several times. The views from the train as it travels on rocky cliffs along the Animas River are spectacular.

The following is something I have never seen while aboard the train. 

Some passengers were trying to spot some elk but they something else. Sasquatch! This took place last year in October.

Here's a video they shot:

Speaking of Sasquatch, there is a camping trailer company in Silverton called Sasquatch Campers. I spotted it today as I was driving to Ouray.

Shots Fired In National Park After Bigfoot Sighting

It would be pretty unnerving, to say the least, to be woken up in the middle of the night, while camping in the backcountry of a national park to the sound of gunshots.

It would also be quite unnerving to hear strange noises during the night as well.

This is what allegedly happened at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.

According to WRBL:

MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky. (WKRN) — Federal officials are investigating an incident involving at least one gunshot fired over the weekend at Mammoth Cave National Park that was prompted by an alleged sighting of Bigfoot.

A spokesperson for the national park said law enforcement rangers responded around 2 a.m.

Sunday to an incident involving a person with a firearm at one of the park’s backcountry campsites.

While the park did not release any additional information, a camper named Brad Ginn told News 2 that he and his girlfriend were there at the time.

Ginn said the two went to sleep around 11 p.m. and woke up around 1 a.m. to people shining flashlights on their tent.

The couple exited their tent to find a man and his young son approaching.

According to Ginn, the man explained that something had destroyed his campsite and that he kept hearing strange sounds, so he was going to investigate because this was “Bigfoot Country.”

Ginn’s girlfriend claimed she heard the same sounds.

To read the rest of the story, go here. 

Bigfoot Sighting On Navajo Land

Above, a map showing the location of Sanders, Arizona.

The Navajo Independent posted on their Facebook page a story of a sighting of a Bigfoot on Navajo Nation land near Sanders, Arizona.

As it turns out, Sanders is about 60 miles west of Jamestown, New Mexico (where I live).

According to the post:

Bigfoot sighting on Navajo land 

SANDERS, AZ - Chris Begaye of Chambers, Arizona has been a hunter all his life. He knows the outdoors and is now a true believer in Bigfoot. He tracked a creature he's certain is the legendary Diné-Sasquatch.　 

He says Janurary 15, a woman attending a family gathering at a rural home south of Sanders claims to have spotted a large white hairy creature outside. Begaye knows the family and the following day he checked out the reported sighting. He found big footprints leading from the family's windmill and followed a track in the dirt for five miles. The footprints are 18 inches long, 8 inches wide, with a four foot stride. 

Begaye says while following the track, he ran into a stench so severe he was almost sickened. He also says there was an "eerie" silence throughout the area: no animals, no birds, something the experienced outdoorsman says is very strange.　

To read more and see a photo of the Bigfoot on The Navajo Independent Facebook page, go here.