First time Colorado trip

[cad424]

I thought I’d take a chance and ask here because DFWS has always provided solid recommendations...my 8 year old wants to go see the mountains in Colorado.

Any recommendations on the best place to drive from DFW to do some light camping and fishing?

I don’t know much about the state. About all I really know is that it didn’t hurt people’s feelings when they got stationed at Fort Carson.

Any help would be appreciated. I’ve read about the state but figured I might get some first hand info here.

Thanks in advance.

[scootro]

idk but you can smoke weed there

[jluv]

I work from home and can live anywhere I want as long as I have cell service and internet. I chose Lake City, CO. It's amazing. It's very remote, so great for camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, riding trails, etc. It's an hour away from the nearest chain store, fast food joint, Walmart, etc, so if you need those kind of amenities, it's not the place. It's a 13-hour drive from the West side of DFW.

What exactly do you mean by "light" camping?

When are you planning to come? The fall colors are past their peak and there has been a good bit of snow in the high country. That has limited trail access, and most will trails likely be permanently closed for winter in the next few weeks.

Mid to late September is my favorite time to be up here, although I also love winter camping from November to March, but you really need the right gear for that. The fishing here in Lake City is world class, but again, we're closing in on winter. Depending on when you come, you may want to bring an auger and a hut to fish the lake. Some people fly fish the rivers and streams in winter, but those people are crazy.

Most restaurants and shops have already closed down for the season in the small mountain towns. A couple places stay open with limited hours and menus, so it's slim pickin's until June.

I definitely recommend coming up in the second half of September, but if not then, at least July-August. Again, i love the winters here, but you really have to be into snow and cold, and if you're looking to camp, you really need to be prepared.

[garycrist]

I always liked the Golden Colo. run on highway 6.
Mt Evans has the highest passable road or it used to.

[Rick Modena]

I always liked the Golden Colo. run on highway 6.
Mt Evans has the highest passable road or it used to.

I've done that route, Golden to Mt. Evans, iirc Pikes Peak is now the highest paved road, but I could be wrong tho.

I've also done the Boulder then to 119 to Nederland, then 119 to Blackhawk and spent a few hours at the Casino. Then 6 back to I-70 then back to Denver/Westminster. One of my most scenic vacations I have ever taken...

[JC316]

South Fork, Black Hawk, Estes Park, Vail, and Breckenridge are all nice. Black Hawk has easy access to Golden and Denver. Estes Park has a lot of stuff for kids to do.

[jluv]

I work from home and can live anywhere I want as long as I have cell service and internet. I chose Lake City, CO. It's amazing. It's very remote, so great for camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, riding trails, etc. It's an hour away from the nearest chain store, fast food joint, Walmart, etc, so if you need those kind of amenities, it's not the place. It's a 13-hour drive from the West side of DFW.

What exactly do you mean by "light" camping?

When are you planning to come? The fall colors are past their peak and there has been a good bit of snow in the high country. That has limited trail access, and most will trails likely be permanently closed for winter in the next few weeks.

Mid to late September is my favorite time to be up here, although I also love winter camping from November to March, but you really need the right gear for that. The fishing here in Lake City is world class, but again, we're closing in on winter. Depending on when you come, you may want to bring an auger and a hut to fish the lake. Some people fly fish the rivers and streams in winter, but those people are crazy.

Most restaurants and shops have already closed down for the season in the small mountain towns. A couple places stay open with limited hours and menus, so it's slim pickin's until June.

I definitely recommend coming up in the second half of September, but if not then, at least July-August. Again, i love the winters here, but you really have to be into snow and cold, and if you're looking to camp, you really need to be prepared.

Other than Lake City, I like Crested Butte, Ouray, Creede, Buena Vista, Telluride, and Silverton, pretty much in that order. CB and BV are further North, but the others are in the San Juans of SW CO (same as LC). All of these have incredible scenery and good camping and fishing. If you come to LC, hit me up, and I can point you toward some great camping and fishing spots. If you go to BV, my uncle is an excellent fly fishing guide there, if you're interested in that.

[jluv]

Mt Evans has the highest passable road or it used to.

Pikes Peak is now the highest paved road, but I could be wrong tho.

Mt Evans is still the highest paved road in America, besting Pikes Peak by about 15 feet (14,130 vs 14,115). That's way tf up there!

[R1psycho]

The girl and I just got back last Tuesday from a 6 day stay in Durango. Durango is close to a bunch of stuff like Mesa verde and you can even swing into Moab Utah if you are willing to trek a few hours to and from. You can follow the million dollar highway which goes up to silverton, ouray, telluride in a loop. It snowed from what I’ve seen right after we left up north. Silverton is a cool little town and so is ouray. Telluride was amazing and they have free gondola rides up the mountains and the views are spectacular. It all really depends on what you want to do. Durango is about a 12 hour drive depending on your style. We did the train through the mountains, hit some trails and such. Was a great time.

[jluv]

The girl and I just got back last Tuesday from a 6 day stay in Durango. Durango is close to a bunch of stuff like Mesa verde and you can even swing into Moab Utah if you are willing to trek a few hours to and from. You can follow the million dollar highway which goes up to silverton, ouray, telluride in a loop. It snowed from what I’ve seen right after we left up north. Silverton is a cool little town and so is ouray. Telluride was amazing and they have free gondola rides up the mountains and the views are spectacular. It all really depends on what you want to do. Durango is about a 12 hour drive depending on your style. We did the train through the mountains, hit some trails and such. Was a great time.

You were up here at the right time! All cool towns. The train ride is pretty sweet and even does winter runs (from Durango to Cascade Canyon and back, which is about halfway to Silverton).

I still prefer Lake City over those because the Alpine Loop literally runs right through it, it's deeper in the mountains/more remote, has better fishing, a beautiful natural lake (San Cristobal), and just has a slower pace that I appreciate in a mountain town. Our county is over 96% public land, so dispersed camping options are endless. But it's not for everyone - there's no night life at all, and food options are limited, especially right now. We have a tiny grocery store in town, but if you want decent meat or produce, or anything that's not super basic, you have to drive an hour each way to Gunnison.

The OP hasn't come back to clarify, but hopefully he's planning a trip for next year. We've been getting pretty regular snow on the passes. They've been shutting down the trails temporarily and then reopening them, but sometime in the next few weeks they'll close them for the season. And as mentioned earlier, the colors peaked for most of the high country over the last two weeks, and a lot of the aspens are bare now. There's still some to see right now, but he'd have to hurry. It would honestly kind of suck to miss the best time of year by a week or two like that, in my opinion. Mother Nature really shows off here in mid to late September.

One other thing to consider for camping is that there are hunters everywhere right now, so be sure to wear plenty of blaze orange, including kids and dogs. There are idiots up here every year that shoot each other because they're so damn trigger happy. Already happened this year over by Silverton.

[4EyedTurd]

We’re planning a wheeling trip at the end of the month around Silverton area. Sounds like there will be white stuff on the ground.

[jluv]

We’re planning a wheeling trip at the end of the month around Silverton area. Sounds like there will be white stuff on the ground.

Have a backup plan. Some of the trails will be closed by then. Possibly all of them. And for the ones that aren’t, you don’t want to get caught in the storm that closes them.

[garycrist]

Have a backup plan. Some of the trails will be closed by then. Possibly all of them. And for the ones that aren’t, you don’t want to get caught in the storm that closes them.

Yup, those flat-landers just don't understand weather changes in the
mountains this time of the year.

I'll add Red Rock canyon, The Denver Mint, Kit Carson grave (with a view)
and Lowery AFB (what's left) for back ups.

[Rick Modena]

Yup, those flat-landers just don't understand weather changes in the
mountains this time of the year.

This is true. When we were there, we were at the top of Mt. Evans and a storm with orange/red colored lightning fast approached us, we started heading down the mountain and got caught in a sleet/snow storm (early June) by the time we made it down the ground was covered in sleet/snow mix. Before that it was sunshine and blue skies.

Also the Coors plant tour is a must to do, its free and you get a couple of free beers to enjoy in their beer garten. It's in Golden which is a cool as town too. And the weed shops are worth going into just because you can't do that shit here or in most of the states.

[JC316]

Also the Coors plant tour is a must to do, its free and you get a couple of free beers to enjoy in their beer garten. It's in Golden which is a cool as town too.

This. I don't know what the fuck happens between bottling and it making it to the stores, but I hate bottled Coors and loved it straight from the plant.