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Colorado Need suggestions for camping in CO

frieed

frieed

Jeepless in Draper
Supporting Member
Location
Draper, UT
I'm planning the following loop through CO this June 17-26 and would like some input on where to camp with a full size pickup.

http://tinyurl.com/frieeds-CO-loop

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So far the plan is to leave Fri. afternoon on the 17th and overnight in Vernal.
Then on to Idaho Springs CO to spend a couple days at my sisters cabin.
Hopefully the road up Mt. Evans will be open so I can test the turbos on the highest paved road in the US (14,150 ft)

After Idaho springs, I have no idea and would love some input (remember, full size 4WD pickup with 33" tires and no lift. I did get it through black dragon canyon though)

Thanks,
--Eric
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Hey Eric,

There is a lot of country, dirt roads and interesting places along the route between Breck & Montrose. Much of the high country will be opened up, but I doubt all of it will. I would spend some time in Leadville, CO... it's the highest city in the US! I'd have lunch at the Golden Burro, check out the mining museum, etc. They even have a narrow gage tourist railroad up there too, then if you're up for a bumpy ride head up to the top of Hagerman Pass.

Buena Vista is another little town that I love, you could take Cottonwood Pass (easy 2wd road) over the mountain to Taylor Park and camp/fish/explore that area.... lots of camping and wild sights along the way. Matter of fact, I'd highly recommend stopping at Taylor Park. There are some hiking/biking trails near-by that would be fun to explore. Between Buena Vista and Gunnison there are some amazing mountains trail!


You could do some research on roads along the way (rough and not so rough) using Trail Damage. - http://www.traildamage.com/google_colorado.php

Our Fall Colors Tour '14 was from much of this area, check it out for some ideas! - https://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?105631-Fall-Colors-Tour-2014
 
B

boogie_4wheel

Active Member
Location
North Salt Lake, Utah
I would camp around Leadville. There is a bunch of old mining ruins just East out of Leadville (right out of town), and when there isn't snow they are mostly accessible via rental car. Scroll around that area on Google Earth for some pictures. +1 on the Mining Museum and the Burro (even for breakfast).
It's a tossup on route to take. Copper Mtn to Leadville takes you past the Climax Mine (restarted a few years ago), and Minturn to Leadville passes you though some neat country as well. There is no wrong route, but continuing to Minturn makes you climb Vail Pass and it may not be worth it to make another climb.

Whenever I'm in Durango on the bike, I stay at the Lightner Creek Campground and get a cabin. Cheap price (12V lights, bunk bed, no bedding so use your own bag and pillow, shower stuff, ect). Just a couple miles west of town.
 
frieed

frieed

Jeepless in Draper
Supporting Member
Location
Draper, UT
so I'm moving things around.
I really want to see the high country, so I'm moving the trip to the first week of August (Fri. Jul 29 - Sun Aug 7) to make sure the roads are open.
The plan from Draper to Idaho Springs remains unchanged. Following that I have the following route.
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Head to Leadville to eat and do some touristy stuff. Camp somewhere in the vicinity.
Go up over Hagerman pass to Basalt and back to Buena Vista for a while, then up to Taylor Park.
Exit Taylor park via 742 to the southwest and head into Gunnison.
 
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