Colorado area camping & sightseeing suggestions.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by timjet

We were at Estes Park, CO for 4 nights at two different parks. We could not get 4 consecutive nights anywhere. We visited Rocky Mtn Nat Park and hiked the Bear Lake Trail and Emerald Lake Trail. We also drove the Alpine Trail Drive. Loved strolling around Estes Park.
From there we went to Heaton Bay CG in the White River Forest. This is near Breckenridge and Vale. Beautiful National Forest CG with no hookups and a view of the reservoir. We stayed for 3 nights, biked the loop partially around the reservoir, and visited Vale, Co.

After Heaton Bay we went to the Chapman CG also in the White River Nat Forest and with no hookups for 3 nights. It's located 30 miles/1hr from Basalt/Aspen. Also a beautiful CG but a 1 hr drive from anything. Our friends showed us around the area to include the Maroon Bells, Snowmass village, Aspen, Redstone and Marble, Co.

We left yesterday and are currently in the Pikes Peak area at a private CG. We walked into Manitou Springs this morning, a 15 minute walk. This afternoon we may ride up to Pikes Peak. This CG is centrally located and I think we can bike over to Garden of the Gods. We'll be here 3 nights before heading east toward Kansas City.



Yup, we've been busy and have thoroughly enjoyed Colorado.

Sounds as if you had a pretty good group of friends to have been to all of the Spots mentioned.

Not as if I can spell but "Vail" - -

Hope you were able to get on the backside of Vail - RT 24 - Minturn/Red Cliff/Camp Hale and Leadville - and next time swing into Steamboat up North and down South to Ouray/Silverton/Telluride/Lake City/Creede area of the San Juan's. -

Glad you left a thing or two so you will have a reason to Come Back, Sounds as if you enjoyed yourself. - -

Thanks for getting back to us, -

[timjet]

Originally Posted by Busskipper

snip

Hope you were able to get on the backside of Vail - RT 24 - Minturn/Red Cliff/Camp Hale and Leadville - and next time swing into Steamboat up North and down South to Ouray/Silverton/Telluride/Lake City/Creede area of the San Juan's. -

Glad you left a thing or two so you will have a reason to Come Back, Sounds as if you enjoyed yourself. - -

Thanks for getting back to us, -

We did exactly that RT 24 through Leadville and Buena Vista, a beautiful drive averaging about 35 mph.

We had intended to visit Telluride and camp just outside the town but a mechanical issue diverted us to Alvarado, TX. Once that was fixed we rejoined our schedule at Mesa Verde hoping to catch the train from Durango to Silverton in early June, but the fires shut down the train.

In Aspen/Basalt the Lake Christine fire is/was no longer an issue and I heard they are letting it burn itself out. There was a little smoke in the area but nothing to diminish the experience of being there.

We may do Alaska next year from Tampa and if so we will get to Telluride and the NP's around Moab, all areas we missed due to our mechanical issue.

We've been on the road since May 1st and have visited 8 NP, several USFS, a bunch of state parks and two COE camp grounds.

Upstate NY in early Sep after visiting family in Kansas and Iowa.
Life is good!

[plasma800]

Colorado offers sooo very much. A lot could depend if you want to be more remote or in the heart of a little bustle.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by plasma800

Colorado offers sooo very much. A lot could depend if you want to be more remote or in the heart of a little bustle.

So true. If you want remote try Chapman CG a USFS CG in the white river forest. 1 hour drive up a beautiful road with an unusual name; Frying Pan Road.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by timjet

So true. If you want remote try Chapman CG a USFS CG in the white river forest. 1 hour drive up a beautiful road with an unusual name; Frying Pan Road.

Funny, no matter what roads we drive, or where we visit in Colorado and the Southwest, as soon as we leave, my brain just spins, thinking of how we will get back, to relive the areas we just visited, Hard to Imagine we have been coming back every year for over 30 years!

Something Special about the State of Colorado - great areas to Visit and Explore and Great People to Meet.

- -

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by timjet

We may do Alaska next year from Tampa and if so we will get to Telluride and the NP's around Moab, all areas we missed due to our mechanical issue.

I highly suggest you cross the Canadian border by the 3rd week of May and plan on re-crossing the end of August or even a couple weeks later.

Then in Sept. head to Durango and the Utah parks - better weather and a 'little' less crowds.

Also, you might have a tendency of staying longer in the Utah parks on your way to Alaska and even could wear yourself out of touring by the time you reach the Canadian border. You want to be fresh for the Alaskan trip!

[timjet]

Yes that's a very good idea, Thanks!

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by timjet

We were at Estes Park, CO for 4 nights at two different parks. We could not get 4 consecutive nights anywhere. We visited Rocky Mtn Nat Park and hiked the Bear Lake Trail and Emerald Lake Trail. We also drove the Alpine Trail Drive. Loved strolling around Estes Park.
From there we went to Heaton Bay CG in the White River Forest. This is near Breckenridge and Vale. Beautiful National Forest CG with no hookups and a view of the reservoir. We stayed for 3 nights, biked the loop partially around the reservoir, and visited Vale, Co.

After Heaton Bay we went to the Chapman CG also in the White River Nat Forest and with no hookups for 3 nights. It's located 30 miles/1hr from Basalt/Aspen. Also a beautiful CG but a 1 hr drive from anything. Our friends showed us around the area to include the Maroon Bells, Snowmass village, Aspen, Redstone and Marble, Co.

We left yesterday and are currently in the Pikes Peak area at a private CG. We walked into Manitou Springs this morning, a 15 minute walk. This afternoon we may ride up to Pikes Peak. This CG is centrally located and I think we can bike over to Garden of the Gods. We'll be here 3 nights before heading east toward Kansas City.



Yup, we've been busy and have thoroughly enjoyed Colorado.

We really enjoy Estes however the down slope winds at night sure rattle our slide toppers. Did you notice that or are we just there when the winds are very high? Sure a beautiful place to visit and stay.

[timjet]

We stayed at Pike Peak RV Park. It's surrounded by trees and buildings so we didn't get much wind. A thunderstorm came through with hail and it made a mess of the area with leaves and small tree limbs everywhere. Our shower skylight got a hole due to the hail, otherwise no damage.