Road trip to Colorado!

[ram57ta]

If you want to sit in some REAL hot springs check out Pagosa Springs.....after leaving there head north and play in some snow left over from last winter at Wolf Creek pass.

[SMKR]

You can't fuck up. In the last month I've put roughly 3000 miles on the car driving around the state (Northern) and have been blown away at how much stuff I've never seen.

What's the best area you have seen so far?
<~~~~~~~ always looking for something new, I loved rocky mtn Ntl park, sad what that beetle is doing

[68chevy2]

WOW, thanks for all the responses! I'm going to be renting out a newer Camry from work, since it's the cheapest route. So the Royal Gorge, Rocky Mountain Ntl Park, and Pikes Peak are must see? What is in Ouray, just great scenery? I really would like to hit up a lot of different locations since i'll be by myself. I know they have quite a few breweries, do any stand out more than the others? Which city/town has the greatest scenery local, I know i'm gonna get tired of driving and will lay low for a day or two. Thanks again!

[SMKR]

do this trek-

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=10309&parmpeak=San+Luis+Peak&cpgm=tripmain&ski=Include

Ill have to say, my new favorite stretch of road that i traveled today:



the valley between Bailey, Co and Fairplay was unreal.

[Leah]

WOW, thanks for all the responses! I'm going to be renting out a newer Camry from work, since it's the cheapest route. So the Royal Gorge, Rocky Mountain Ntl Park, and Pikes Peak are must see? What is in Ouray, just great scenery? I really would like to hit up a lot of different locations since i'll be by myself. I know they have quite a few breweries, do any stand out more than the others? Which city/town has the greatest scenery local, I know i'm gonna get tired of driving and will lay low for a day or two. Thanks again!

If possible, I would go to Lake City on one day, rent a jeep in town and take it on the Alpine Loop. You get to see a few passes and the Great American Basin. Absolutely phenomenal. You won't regret it. DO NOT try to go on it in your Camry. You will fail. lol

[SMKR]

If possible, I would go to Lake City on one day, rent a jeep in town and take it on the Alpine Loop. You get to see a few passes and the Great American Basin. Absolutely phenomenal. You won't regret it. DO NOT try to go on it in your Camry. You will fail. lol

leah how long did it take yall to do the whole trip? Im thinking of renting one tomorrow and doing the entire loop.

[Leah]

leah how long did it take yall to do the whole trip? Im thinking of renting one tomorrow and doing the entire loop.

OMG-you won't regret it! We usually get on the loop from our campsite (which is already about 14 miles from Lake City) around 10am and get back to the site around 6 or so? It can take much longer or a lot less depending on how long you stop to look at stuff, etc. That is also going through Engineer pass and Cinnamon pass and back to Lake City.

[jluv]

I did the Alpine Loop Thursday. There was more traffic than I'm used to, but it was still great. We climbed Engineer Mountain (we call it Mt Heaven), and a storm rolled in with crazy high winds, freezing temps, and SLEET! It was crazy trying to get off the mountain. If you climb it, you'll find a registry to sign thats stuffed in an old hot sauce jar. Lea, it still has our names from last year! American Basin was filled with flowers. I've only seen it more colorful once before, and I've been going for years. Saw lots of deer, including several big bucks, and also two fawns feeding from their mother within about 40 feet of the road. That was an amazing sight to see. Lake City is a great place. I also like Ouray and Silverton. You can access all 3 from the Loop, but the road over to Ouray is very boney, so be warned. The Loop alone is 60 miles, and we usually spend 6-8 hours on it (that is starting and ending at Lake City and not going to Ouray or Silverton). Take the time to climb down Whitmore Falls, hike up the stream at American Basin to the waterfall in the center (we climb to the top through the water), do the Hard Tack mine tour, and eat Pizza at Poker Alice in Lake City. That county (Hinsdale) is the most remote county in the continental United States. Like Lea said, we normally camp on the Loop, but this year, my girl and I camped on the Taylor River exactly 19 miles Above Taylor Park Reservoir. It was phenomenal. It was 33 degrees in my tent Sunday morning! The road dead ends a mile from our site, but you can hike from there or do just take off in any other direction. There are tons of trails, passes, streams, lakes, and other places to find or just get lost up there. We rode horses out of Harmel's in Almont just below the lake, did Whitewater Rafting at Three Rivers, also in Almont. The old lady spent a day in Crested Butte, which is just over a half hour away. Gunnison is the midway point between Lake City and Taylor Park. Also, if you take Cottonwood Pass to the East, you'll hit Buena Vista. If you visit the Taylor Park area, be sure to take the road up to Tincup and then go three more miles up to Mirror Lake. That last 3 miles may be a little too much for a Camry. Just about any water you see is holding fish. You can limit out in no time. Lots of wildlife up there. Anyway, all of this is in Southwest Colorado. I hope to one day have Sean show me around the Northwest part of the state.

[Unicorn Jeff]

I did the Alpine Loop Thursday. There was more traffic than I'm used to, but it was still great. We climbed Engineer Mountain (we call it Mt Heaven), and a storm rolled in with crazy high winds, freezing temps, and SLEET! It was crazy trying to get off the mountain. If you climb it, you'll find a registry to sign thats stuffed in an old hot sauce jar. Lea, it still has our names from last year! American Basin was filled with flowers. I've only seen it more colorful once before, and I've been going for years. Saw lots of deer, including several big bucks, and also two fawns feeding from their mother within about 40 feet of the road. That was an amazing sight to see.

Lake City is a great place. I also like Ouray and Silverton. You can access all 3 from the Loop, but the road over to Ouray is very boney, so be warned. The Loop alone is 60 miles, and we usually spend 6-8 hours on it (that is starting and ending at Lake City and not going to Ouray or Silverton). Take the time to climb down Whitmore Falls, hike up the stream at American Basin to the waterfall in the center (we climb to the top through the water), do the Hard Tack mine tour, and eat Pizza at Poker Alice in Lake City. That county (Hinsdale) is the most remote county in the continental United States. Like Lea said, we normally camp on the Loop, but this year, my girl and I camped on the Taylor River exactly 19 miles Above Taylor Park Reservoir. It was phenomenal. It was 33 degrees in my tent Sunday morning! The road dead ends a mile from our site, but you can hike from there or do just take off in any other direction. There are tons of trails, passes, streams, lakes, and other places to find or just get lost up there.

We rode horses out of Harmel's in Almont just below the lake, did Whitewater Rafting at Three Rivers, also in Almont. The old lady spent a day in Crested Butte, which is just over a half hour away. Gunnison is the midway point between Lake City and Taylor Park. Also, if you take Cottonwood Pass to the East, you'll hit Buena Vista. If you visit the Taylor Park area, be sure to take the road up to Tincup and then go three more miles up to Mirror Lake. That last 3 miles may be a little too much for a Camry. Just about any water you see is holding fish. You can limit out in no time. Lots of wildlife up there. Anyway, all of this is in Southwest Colorado. I hope to one day have Sean show me around the Northwest part of the state.

...

[Leah]

I did the Alpine Loop Thursday. There was more traffic than I'm used to, but it was still great. We climbed Engineer Mountain (we call it Mt Heaven), and a storm rolled in with crazy high winds, freezing temps, and SLEET! It was crazy trying to get off the mountain. If you climb it, you'll find a registry to sign thats stuffed in an old hot sauce jar. Lea, it still has our names from last year! American Basin was filled with flowers. I've only seen it more colorful once before, and I've been going for years. Saw lots of deer, including several big bucks, and also two fawns feeding from their mother within about 40 feet of the road. That was an amazing sight to see. Lake City is a great place. I also like Ouray and Silverton. You can access all 3 from the Loop, but the road over to Ouray is very boney, so be warned. The Loop alone is 60 miles, and we usually spend 6-8 hours on it (that is starting and ending at Lake City and not going to Ouray or Silverton). Take the time to climb down Whitmore Falls, hike up the stream at American Basin to the waterfall in the center (we climb to the top through the water), do the Hard Tack mine tour, and eat Pizza at Poker Alice in Lake City. That county (Hinsdale) is the most remote county in the continental United States. Like Lea said, we normally camp on the Loop, but this year, my girl and I camped on the Taylor River exactly 19 miles Above Taylor Park Reservoir. It was phenomenal. It was 33 degrees in my tent Sunday morning! The road dead ends a mile from our site, but you can hike from there or do just take off in any other direction. There are tons of trails, passes, streams, lakes, and other places to find or just get lost up there. We rode horses out of Harmel's in Almont just below the lake, did Whitewater Rafting at Three Rivers, also in Almont. The old lady spent a day in Crested Butte, which is just over a half hour away. Gunnison is the midway point between Lake City and Taylor Park. Also, if you take Cottonwood Pass to the East, you'll hit Buena Vista. If you visit the Taylor Park area, be sure to take the road up to Tincup and then go three more miles up to Mirror Lake. That last 3 miles may be a little too much for a Camry. Just about any water you see is holding fish. You can limit out in no time. Lots of wildlife up there. Anyway, all of this is in Southwest Colorado. I hope to one day have Sean show me around the Northwest part of the state.

Badass!

And I hate you. We WILL go again next year. Let's do this.

[jluv]

...

If I was worried about splitting it into paragraphs, I would have split it in different places. Just sayin'.

[Sean88gt]

What's the best area you have seen so far?
<~~~~~~~ always looking for something new, I loved rocky mtn Ntl park, sad what that beetle is doing

I really liked the trip you took (285). We're looking at land in that area. Unfortunately, the location I'll be working at is NE Denver so living in the mtns isn't conducive.

That being said, I'd have a hard time saying what my favorite is.

[SMKR]

I did the Alpine Loop Thursday. There was more traffic than I'm used to, but it was still great. We climbed Engineer Mountain (we call it Mt Heaven), and a storm rolled in with crazy high winds, freezing temps, and SLEET! It was crazy trying to get off the mountain. If you climb it, you'll find a registry to sign thats stuffed in an old hot sauce jar. Lea, it still has our names from last year! American Basin was filled with flowers. I've only seen it more colorful once before, and I've been going for years. Saw lots of deer, including several big bucks, and also two fawns feeding from their mother within about 40 feet of the road. That was an amazing sight to see. Lake City is a great place. I also like Ouray and Silverton. You can access all 3 from the Loop, but the road over to Ouray is very boney, so be warned. The Loop alone is 60 miles, and we usually spend 6-8 hours on it (that is starting and ending at Lake City and not going to Ouray or Silverton). Take the time to climb down Whitmore Falls, hike up the stream at American Basin to the waterfall in the center (we climb to the top through the water), do the Hard Tack mine tour, and eat Pizza at Poker Alice in Lake City. That county (Hinsdale) is the most remote county in the continental United States. Like Lea said, we normally camp on the Loop, but this year, my girl and I camped on the Taylor River exactly 19 miles Above Taylor Park Reservoir. It was phenomenal. It was 33 degrees in my tent Sunday morning! The road dead ends a mile from our site, but you can hike from there or do just take off in any other direction. There are tons of trails, passes, streams, lakes, and other places to find or just get lost up there. We rode horses out of Harmel's in Almont just below the lake, did Whitewater Rafting at Three Rivers, also in Almont. The old lady spent a day in Crested Butte, which is just over a half hour away. Gunnison is the midway point between Lake City and Taylor Park. Also, if you take Cottonwood Pass to the East, you'll hit Buena Vista. If you visit the Taylor Park area, be sure to take the road up to Tincup and then go three more miles up to Mirror Lake. That last 3 miles may be a little too much for a Camry. Just about any water you see is holding fish. You can limit out in no time. Lots of wildlife up there. Anyway, all of this is in Southwest Colorado. I hope to one day have Sean show me around the Northwest part of the state.

damn dude, I was going to relax in the cabin tomorrow but now you have me looking for a place to rent a jeep tomorrow to do the full alpine loop tomorrow!

So the area inside the purple circle is do-able in a days time before sunset?

[jluv]

damn dude, I was going to relax in the cabin tomorrow but now you have me looking for a place to rent a jeep tomorrow to do the full alpine loop tomorrow!

So the area inside the purple circle is do-able in a days time before sunset?

That's it! I always rented a jeep from Rocky Mountain Jeep Rental in Lake City. Good people!

[Frank]

While our family had a great time, I would love to go back with people who would like to hike, bike, explore, go rafting, etc.