Travel Talk

New center rising at Mesa Verde entrance
Travel photos and privacy
CLEAR to fly
Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum

Artist’s impression of the new
visitor center. © NPS

New center rising at Mesa Verde entrance

Construction of a new visitor center is underway at Mesa Verde National Park, located off U.S. 160 between Cortez and Durango in Colorado’s southwestern corner. The facility is scheduled to open in time for the 2012 summer season.

A visitor center at the park’s entrance will offer visitors information they need, such as weather and road conditions, for the long, winding drive to the park’s more popular features. The existing Far View Visitor Center is 15 miles from the highway, and other main buildings such as the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum are a further eight miles beyond that.

The new center will house the Mesa Verde Museum Association bookstore, information desk, tour ticket sales, exhibits, trip planning materials, and Mesa Verde artifacts and archives.

Mesa Verde National Park is open year-round, but with limited hours and access in winter. In March, the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and the Spruce Tree House self-guided tour are the only facilities and cliff house tours open. From April 10 through May 28, the current visitor center is open, along with the Balcony House and Cliff Palace tours, and the summer season with full availability of lodging, camping, dining and tours begins on May 29.

Travel photos and privacy

You’re at a theme park, on a cruise, or at the beach, and you take photos of your surroundings—including an interesting person you saw. Did you just violate their privacy?

In the U.S., it’s legal to take photos of any person in a public place, but that doesn’t always mean it’s polite or wise. Get their permission first, especially if you plan to post the photo online.

But what if your photograph is taken at a theme park by a park employee? This year, Disneyland and Walt Disney World started to project images of visitors onto certain buildings, similar to the way spectators at a sports match might find themselves up on the big screen. Some bystanders whose images appear might have been unaware that, when entering the park, they could end up on a billboard, TV commercial or website banner ad—all perfectly legal, since they were in a public place.

Not sure if a person would want their photo taken? Ask. Not sure where a theme park might display your photo? Ask.

CLEAR to fly

CLEAR, the program that allows passengers to pay for quicker transit through airport security, is once again available at Denver International Airport. CLEAR members should look for the blue CLEAR cubes to locate the kiosks for identity verification at the CLEARlane.

CLEARcard holders will find shorter lines and can bypass TSA Travel Document Checkers (TSA staff checking IDs and boarding passes). However, once past this point, the same security procedures apply—including the chance of being selected for additional screening.

The CLEARcard is $179 per year and available on www.clearme.com or locally at enrollment centers located at DIA, or at Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty in Boulder and Greenwood Village.

Colorado GEM: The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum

Journey 45 miles through the San Juan Mountains, following the Animas River from Durango to Silverton, in uncrowded railroad cars pulled by steam locomotives. May through early June are among the least crowded months.

The trip takes three-and-a-half hours each way, with a two-hour stop in Silverton for lunch and shopping. The train station at 479 Main Ave. in Durango features a museum, with displays of vintage locomotives and train cars, photographs, maps and art.

Coal-fired engines emit cinders and soot, so wear dark clothing and sunglasses. Ticket prices start at $79 for adults and $49 for children. Travelers can also purchase one-way tickets and return by bus. For more information, visit www.durangotrain.com, or call 888-TRAIN-07.

This is one of the Colorado GEMs listed in the AAA TourBook. GEMs are Great Experiences for Members—top picks for things to do or see in the state. Get AAA TourBooks free at any branch office, or online at www.AAA.com/travel.

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