Must-see sights in CO, WY & MT (and recommended campgrounds)

[SopranoKris]

OK, we have come up with a much more realistic plan for our RV trip.

Since we like to wing it and see where the road takes us, we don't want to be confined with reservations ahead of time. There are so many RV parks and campsites on our route, we may be able to find simple water/electric hook-ups. Even if we have to dry camp, that's fine. I'm sure we can pay to use a dump station along the way. (We do have a generator, if necessary). Our new plan is to stay in CO and just take our time meandering around a large loop of the Rockies. We will have 14 nights in the RV.

August 9th - pick up RV in Loveland, CO
Rocky Mountain National Park
Steamboat Springs
Vail
Aspen
Glenwood Canyon
Grand Junction
Ouray - this is by far the most picturesque place I've seen. Definitely want to stay here a few days!
Silverton
Durango
August 20th - back to Loveland to drop off the RV

I'd really like to focus most of our visit in the Ouray area. From all the videos we've watched, it just makes us say "Wow!". We also found a train ride in Royal Gorge that allows you to bring your dog, so we're excited about that. I can't wait to drive the Million Dollar Highway, it looks stunning!

Any must-see places on our route? Any RV parks you absolutely love? Any RV parks to avoid?

 

[UTTransplant]

My comments are inline in red

August 9th - pick up RV in Loveland, CO
Rocky Mountain National Park - We love to stay in the park at Glacier Basin. Nice ranger talks, and handles bigger rigs than Morraine campground.
Steamboat Springs, Vail, Aspen - standard ski towns with lots of expensive shops. Can?t say I like any of them much. All are crowded.
Glenwood Canyon, Grand Junction - nice, but not in the same category as RMNP or Ouray/Silverton area.
Ouray - this is by far the most picturesque place I've seen. Definitely want to stay here a few days! Good idea. The altitude can get you though so be careful. It can be cold at night all year round.
Silverton, Durango - make advance reservations for the train. Well worth the money. Also make time to go to Mesa Verde, one of the most historic sites in all of the US.
August 20th - back to Loveland to drop off the RV

Note some of these places are very, very popular. You might not find a campground, but there will be boondocking somewhere not too far away.

 

[Larry N.]

To add a couple of things to Jackie's excellent post:  Traffic jams can be caused in Yellowstone (and occasionally in some parts of Teton) by bison, bear, elk, eagles, and such. The worst, though, is usually the bison, depending on what you run into. In one case we were going the same direction as the bison were (they were using the road for their travel path, not just crossing), and it took nearly an hour and a half to drive a bit over a mile. While things aren't usually that bad, it can happen, so be prepared.

I'll disagree about taking an RV on Beartooth Highway, as it has steep, tight turns, but it IS a gorgeous drive --just use a car or pickup.

The OP has done great in the revised itinerary. That is plenty for two weeks. I'll add more caution about altitude: drink lots of water. Also, you'll want to drink lots of water. The dry air soaks up your perspiration before you even know you've sweated, so even if you're not thirsty drink lots of water. If you get a headache, drink more water and, especially if you are much over 6,000 or so feet, get to a lower altitude as soon as possible. Even though it's not a problem for most people, altitude sickness is nothing to fool around with, and dehydration can aggravate it a lot too.

I live in the Denver area, and working with Boy Scouts, both in the mountains and at lower elevations in the area, I always have at least one or two scouts (and they are local) who over do things, and we have to get them hydrated and rested before things get really bad.

There are a lot of places on the proposed trip where you are over 10,000 feet -- minimize your exertions in these areas. But you've chosen some of the prettiest scenery in the country so enjoy it -- just use caution.

Also, wherever you are, talk to locals about things in the area -- you might learn a lot.

Addendum: If you elect to take the Durango-Silverton train and don't have reservations well in advance, you can often (we've done it more than once) be at the ticket office when they open (I think it was around 6AM) to get in line for tickets that become available from cancellations for that day.

Also, there is another great train ride that goes between Antonito, CO and Chama, NM -- the Cumbres and Toltec is a wonderful ride (pretty much all day) and it crosses the CO/NM border several times, with a lunch stop where they have a pretty nice cafeteria (used to be box lunches). I actually like it better than the Durango, since you can wander around the rail yard pretty much as you please, and they're not quite so touchy about standing in between cars to get pictures and such.

 

[SopranoKris]

UTTransplant & Larry N.,

Thank you for all your advice! The more we research Colorado, the more we are drawn to the Ouray/Silverton/Durango area. I have found quite a few attractions that even allow you to bring your dog, which is a huge plus for us. Our dog is traveling with us and she get so excited to be included in the activities. Many of the restaurants allow dogs on the outdoor patio seating. Just excellent

We even found a train ride near Royal Gorge that the dog can ride with us (open car seat).

Keep the suggestions coming!