Colorado Get Away- but where to?

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X-Roughneck

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Hello Board,

Looking to venture out for a 10 day eXcursion to beautiful Colorado.  Destination, Big Nature. N/S/E/W- Flexible as to location

Don't have a clue to where I want to go, other than higher elevations where I could get some relief from the Heat.  I was recently in the Durango, Pagosa Springs area so not wanting to go right back to the same area this trip out.

I will be 32'5" plus a 4 down tow Jeep, so right at 51'.

Looking for suggestions to beautiful places, Water, RV Resort, National Parks with in the State of Colorado. 

I am thinking Rocky Mtn National Park Area?, but just looking for some peace and beautiful views preferably with water in the area. Flexible to locations within the state.

JD 

 
A lot of the Colorado parks are on a "reservation only" status. That includes RMNP.
Steamboat Springs is really nice in the Summer, too. Summit County is opening up, some. Breckenridge area and Grand Lake have some decent RV parks, worth a visit.

There is also the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Crested Butte area.

Just some quick suggestions. They are all in the high country, and a lot cooler that Texas, this time of year.
You'll need to do your research, though. The C-19 bug has put a lot of plans into the wind. 


 
A lot of the Colorado parks are on a "reservation only" status.
Click to expand...

All Colorado State Parks have required reservations since the summer of 2018. But there are city and/or county parks, too, such as Carter Lake (Larimer County) south of Horsetooth Reservoir.
 
Larry N. said:
All Colorado State Parks have required reservations since the summer of 2018. But there are city and/or county parks, too, such as Carter Lake (Larimer County) south of Horsetooth Reservoir.
Click to expand...

I don't think Carter Lake will get him away from the heat. It was pretty warm there today.
 
Try the area around Ouray in Colorado.  Ridgeway State Park is lovely and very high.  Heaton Bay near Frisco is very high, on a lake and, has a great bike trail all around the lake.  Not too far from Breckinridge, also.  Just a warning that southern and western Colorado can be HOT in summer, so stick to the central and northern parts and the mountainous regions.
 
LarsMac said:
I don't think Carter Lake will get him away from the heat. It was pretty warm there today.
Click to expand...
But even that will be better than his west Texas home, since it cools off at night and is generally pleasant through the evening and up to mid-morning or a bit later, even on a 95? day. In any case, it was an example of non-state parks.
 
It is time to learn how to boondock for an extended period, i.e. 10 days.  There are many, many places in CO to boondock (disbursed camping in the National Forests). 
Here are a couple of links to websites listing places to boondock or dry camp in designated campsites:
https://www.campendium.com/
https://freecampsites.net/

One area we enjoyed was the area around Rabbit Ears Pass in northern CO along US-40 and SR-14. 
GPS for the area:  40.384389, -106.611787

Links to our blog for our stay in the area in 2009:
http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/2009/07/colorado-july-14-25-2009-poudre-river.html
http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/2009/07/colorado-july-26-29-2009-seymour-lake.html
 
Yes I can see boon-docking would be a real appealing possibility, but I would want to first expand the solar I have on board.  Also only have 2 Lead Acid Grp31 Deep Cycle, and unsure of just how they would perform under load. 

I saw a guy that gave up a bit of his under seat dinette storage to hold 2 additional AGM Batteries along with replacing the 2 existing Lead Acid also,

so a 4 Battery Set up with A couple extra panels on the roof is what I would like to have as known factors before I gave it / "boon-Docking" a shot.

I think I will migrate over to AGM for the No Maint factor and I could get 2 under seat in Living area and would not have to worry about venting (I think?) 

My Zamp System can accommodate another 2 panels on their junction box on my RV roof.  I want to RE-DO the factory Cheap Battery Terminal Connectors anyway.

This year hook ups is reality....boon docking...yea...I can see it in the near term future.

For now, I want to see if I can get in for 2 weeks somewhere this year and the board response has given me some ideas.  Larry even gave me a few points to ponder on IM, thanks, Larry.

COVID-19 has made it a strange year, I will admit.  We just got back from our 2500 plus mile Loop, so who knows as far as booking sites?  I may be able to luck out land a reservation, in a sweet spot.

JD
 
Following this with interest. We are looking to (probably) spend a week or two in south or central CO, high enough for some nice temperatures. We will probably be heading that way in early August. We have spent weeks around RMNP and more weeks around Durango, Ouray, Silverton, and the Four Corners area. Thinking more of front range than inter mountain. We can dry camp/boondock for a week comfortably, and that?s generally as long as we want to stay in an area. We have a 40? motorhome though, and a lot of boondocks are down forest service roads we don?t want to drive. We would prefer an open enough place so the solar can manage without a generator. I have looked through Campendium and AllStays, but there are so many it is hard to know which ones might work. Maybe JD and us can met up.
 
Larry N. said:
But even that will be better than his west Texas home, since it cools off at night and is generally pleasant through the evening and up to mid-morning or a bit later, even on a 95? day. In any case, it was an example of non-state parks.
Click to expand...

Good point. You are 100% correct.
 
Given some of the interest shown in this subject, I'll post what I sent to John in a PM:

You might look into Colorado Springs with its Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, and Pike's Peak, and Manitou Springs might be worth a visit on the way to Pike's Peak. But Rocky Mountain National Park (near Estes Park, CO) is a gorgeous place to visit too, and there are campgrounds (no hookups) in the park, but also RV parks in the area. And in Estes Park itself don't skip the Stanley Hotel (built by Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame), a gorgeous place and they welcome tourists to visit.

The Georgetown Loop Railway (just off I-70 near Georgetown, CO) is a fun ride, Leadville has a small railroad and is the highest city in CO, and in the U.S. as far as I know. There are old mines in many of these areas, too. Another small railroad (along with history and casinos) can be found in Cripple Creek, just a bit above Colorado Springs. There's also Gold Camp Road, part of which is an old railroad track bed and gets you to a tunnel or two also.

Central City used to be a great place to visit, and there are still a few things there such as the Central City Opera, but casinos have ruined it and next-door Blackhawk. The Peak-to-Peak highway ( CO hwy 72) north out of Nederland (at the top of Boulder Canyon) is a very pretty drive, too.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park between Walsenburg and Alamosa, and the Cumbres & Toltec RR that runs across the border between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO, a great all day ride, are also things you might enjoy.
 
If you like to fish there's a small park in Antonito CO (name escapes me) that is almost boondocking. About 30 sites in the woods with about a half mile of trout stream owned by the same people. The name cites RV Park/Resort and Fishing Club.
It Has full hookups and the owners are some of the nicest people you'll ever want to meet. Some woods roads nearby, but primarily fishing and relaxing plus the railroad.

Ernie.
 
Ernie n Tara said:
If you like to fish there's a small park in Antonito CO (name escapes me) that is almost boondocking. About 30 sites in the woods with about a half mile of trout stream owned by the same people. The name cites RV Park/Resort and Fishing Club.
It Has full hookups and the owners are some of the nicest people you'll ever want to meet. Some woods roads nearby, but primarily fishing and relaxing plus the railroad.

Ernie.
Click to expand...

If you remember the name, or someone else does, I am interested.

The Cumbres & Toltec railroad travels between Chama and Antonio over 10,000+? Cumbres Pass.
Great train ride. It goes one way on a day, and the other the next. They provide bus service to get back to where you started.
 
Larry N. said:
Given some of the interest shown in this subject, I'll post what I sent to John in a PM:

You might look into Colorado Springs with its Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds, and Pike's Peak, and Manitou Springs might be worth a visit on the way to Pike's Peak. But Rocky Mountain National Park (near Estes Park, CO) is a gorgeous place to visit too, and there are campgrounds (no hookups) in the park, but also RV parks in the area. And in Estes Park itself don't skip the Stanley Hotel (built by Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame), a gorgeous place and they welcome tourists to visit.

The Georgetown Loop Railway (just off I-70 near Georgetown, CO) is a fun ride, Leadville has a small railroad and is the highest city in CO, and in the U.S. as far as I know. There are old mines in many of these areas, too. Another small railroad (along with history and casinos) can be found in Cripple Creek, just a bit above Colorado Springs. There's also Gold Camp Road, part of which is an old railroad track bed and gets you to a tunnel or two also.

Central City used to be a great place to visit, and there are still a few things there such as the Central City Opera, but casinos have ruined it and next-door Blackhawk. The Peak-to-Peak highway ( CO hwy 72) north out of Nederland (at the top of Boulder Canyon) is a very pretty drive, too.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park between Walsenburg and Alamosa, and the Cumbres & Toltec RR that runs across the border between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO, a great all day ride, are also things you might enjoy.
Click to expand...

Good Point Larry, I was not trying to Horde good info. 

I am just looking for a nice spot of nature to look at. 

Looking into a few of those that you shared.

John 
 
Lynx0849 said:
If you remember the name, or someone else does, I am interested.

The Cumbres & Toltec railroad travels between Chama and Antonio over 10,000+? Cumbres Pass.
Great train ride. It goes one way on a day, and the other the next. They provide bus service to get back to where you started.
Click to expand...

There's also the choice of halfway then return, from either terminus. The Cumbres stops at roughly the halfway point (Osier) for lunch, and gives a chance for those who chose the out and return option to change to the returning train. We've done it both ways, even with an overnight in Antonito then return by train the next day, and both ways are lots of fun and very scenic, with the scenery being quite different on the two halves.

One of my favorite train rides ever.

I was not trying to Horde good info. 
Click to expand...
I didn't figure you were, John, but I just thought the interest by others deserved a posting.
 
We, my late wife and I, rode from Chama to Antonio back in 2003. We chose day 2 of the season reasoning they would get the bugs out on day one. Well, turns out the FRA inspector didn?t make it in time so we cooled our heals till noon then got under way. This meant we didn?t get back to Chama till 8pm. We were on motorcycles and the ride to our overnight in Durango got us in after the sidewalks were rolled up. Dinner was bar nuts in the hotel bar. The bourbon was good though. Sigh...
 
we were in buena vista, salida & pueblo in june.
you def want to hit the arkansas river while in colorado.  we had a blast there.  you should go on a raft trip down the river.  we stayed at the "arkansas river rim campground" at $40 per night...wifi was screaming fast!  the river was down the bank behind the campground & you can get down very easily & spend your day watching the amateur & pro rafters.  the towns of buena vista & salida are nice places to visit as well.... we stopped at pueblo state park on our way back to texas & as others have said, the days are hot but nights & mornings are cool.

good luck & have fun!
 
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