Community Forums

ScottHolly · 10-03-2018, 12:48 PM

We have a week on our way home at the end of October to hang out in Colorado. We will be coming from Provo... eventually to home in Houston.

We just finished our maiden 5k trip from south Fl to Houston to Custer Sd to Yellowstone and home. Boondocked one night in Johnson Co Wy 2 miles down a forest road on a flat 10 acres in the middle of the mountains. Awesome! We did RV parks the rest of the 3 weeks. I need 3 or 4 days unplugged ... and by a river/creek. Running water here is a ditch after it rains.

40' DP towing a MINI. Thanks in advance.

Busskipper · 10-03-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottHolly

We have a week on our way home at the end of October to hang out in Colorado. We will be coming from Provo... eventually to home in Houston.

We just finished our maiden 5k trip from south Fl to Houston to Custer Sd to Yellowstone and home. Boondocked one night in Johnson Co Wy 2 miles down a forest road on a flat 10 acres in the middle of the mountains. Awesome! We did RV parks the rest of the 3 weeks. I need 3 or 4 days unplugged ... and by a river/creek. Running water here is a ditch after it rains.

40' DP towing a MINI. Thanks in advance.

Try this - https://2fanrgs.blogspot.com/2017/07...anon-city.html.

He's on the other RV web Site but the info is good and He knows Colorado.

First Tracks is on both forums and has a lot of info and Films on Boondocking in the Southwest - https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...ks%7D/sr/1.cfm

Hope these two help

4runnerguy is also a good resource on the RV.netforum

Lot's of Great Creeks and Boondocking spots in Colorado if I were picking I'd likely have a hard time just picking one out of the many many that are available.

Keep in Mind that you are in Colorado and they have likely started to Ski so.........might need to keep the Elevation as low as Possible. Be sure you are filled with Propane - Filled Full as it can Get Cold

Hope this helps you out,

MSHappyCampers · 10-03-2018, 04:48 PM

Hi !

Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Can't help with the question but noticed that you are kinda new on IRV2 and wanted to say hello! Have fun and keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Duoglide1 · 10-05-2018, 11:20 AM

You can stay @ Palisades NF campground 9.2 miles nw of South Fork (south of Creede) for free now. It’s on the Rio Grande River but the hosts have left for the year and the dumpsters are gone. Friends of ours just left there. Not gated. You can dump & get water @ Rainbow in South Fork. There are some spots that you can get a 40’ into with out problems.

Fanrgs · 10-09-2018, 09:10 PM

I am the author of the Colorado boondocking blog mentioned above by busskipper. We just returned to Denver from New Mexico today through a rain and snow storm. Last night the temperature at our rainy campground got down to 31 degrees. And we were just traveling on I-25, not in the mountains! Some areas of the mountains had predictions of 6 inches of snow for this evening.

My suggestion for a late October week on your way from Provo would be to stay in the Moab-Cortez area. That is a little lower elevation and historically warmer area than the Colorado mountains at that time of year. There are a number of scenic boondocking locations in that area, but few are on creeks.

If you are at all interested in Anasazi ruins and culture, you can't beat the many dispersed camping areas on the BLM's Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Just be sure to spend several hours at the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores first to learn about the geography of the monument and location of the ruins. BLM actively supports dispersed camping in the monument and the staff at the museum may be able to recommend some of their favorite dispersed campsites.

Busskipper · 10-09-2018, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fanrgs

I am the author of the Colorado boondocking blog mentioned above by busskipper. We just returned to Denver from New Mexico today through a rain and snow storm. Last night the temperature at our rainy campground got down to 31 degrees. And we were just traveling on I-25, not in the mountains! Some areas of the mountains had predictions of 6 inches of snow for this evening.

My suggestion for a late October week on your way from Provo would be to stay in the Moab-Cortez area. That is a little lower elevation and historically warmer area than the Colorado mountains at that time of year. There are a number of scenic boondocking locations in that area, but few are on creeks.

If you are at all interested in Anasazi ruins and culture, you can't beat the many dispersed camping areas on the BLM's Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Just be sure to spend several hours at the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores first to learn about the geography of the monument and location of the ruins. BLM actively supports dispersed camping in the monument and the staff at the museum may be able to recommend some of their favorite dispersed campsites.

Welcome - always a pleasure to have some more of the gang from RV.net side of the RV world - your insight will be greatly appreciated as there are many who have not crossed back and forth.

Didn't think you'd mind if I shared your wisdom with the posters Here.

Glad to have you here,

Busskipper

ScottHolly · 10-10-2018, 06:23 AM

Thanks all for the good info. Beyond a life of military shelter half/pup, truck, tent, travel trailer camping and a fair amount of common sense... I have no real life experience with winter/snow rv camping. In my book there are two ways to learn...Watch/listen... and DO! I usually do the former AFTER the latter.
Unfortunately the expense for failure on the "do" side is so high I am relying on my RV brethren to carry me through my first truly mobile winter.

I have always thought of "campers" as an inclusive welcoming bunch. I have been camping for 54 years... I just turned 55.

Busskipper · 10-10-2018, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottHolly

Thanks all for the good info. Beyond a life of military shelter half/pup, truck, tent, travel trailer camping and a fair amount of common sense... I have no real life experience with winter/snow rv camping. In my book there are two ways to learn...Watch/listen... and DO! I usually do the former AFTER the latter.
Unfortunately the expense for failure on the "do" side is so high I am relying on my RV brethren to carry me through my first truly mobile winter.

I have always thought of "campers" as an inclusive welcoming bunch. I have been camping for 54 years... I just turned 55.

I'm a Shoulder season Camper - so to the question can you do it? Yes!

Be smart - spring snow will generally melt when the Sun Comes out - Usually that is right after it falls but can be the next day.

Elevation in the Mountains is Critical - I carry a Snow Shovel -

- so be like a BoyScout and be prepared - keep Propane and Fuel as Full as Possible - Let someone know where you are - ......................

Do you have an Area in Mind? - Easiest - Safest area might be in the Surrounds of Buena Vista - Mountains - Trails - Rivers - Streams - Lakes - BLMs and CampGrounds - Lots of wild and beautiful spots - Gravels Roads - Great Hikes just Beautiful. Rt 24 also has the added bonus of having some People around with some Help if you need it - Keep in Mind you are getting into HUNTING Season so you will need to be aware of that - Sorry Hunters but bullets and I are not really going to Get Along -

-

Give us a little more info and we can help you out a little more.

Sounds like a Great Trip,

edit/note - best trip we ever had to Yellowstone was last week of October - First week of November - Indian Summer - no people and animals everywhere

yeloduster · 10-10-2018, 09:36 AM

If you are looking for something that is somewhat central in Colorado you may consider camping along Trout Creek east of Buena Vista. The creek runs along Chaffee County County RD 307. The map link below shows the creek and the county road. You can zoom out on the map to see it's relationship to Buena Vista.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8415...05.9998538,15z

I think you can get your 40' DP in and out of there if it doesn't snow. The weather in this part of the state is generally rather temperate but it is Colorado!

Mr_D · 10-10-2018, 09:46 AM

Following

Fanrgs · 10-10-2018, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottHolly

. . . I am relying on my RV brethren to carry me through my first truly mobile winter.

. We snowbird south of I-10 in January-February, but the only winter camping we do is getting from Denver to wherever we are snowbirding. We intentionally ordered our fifth wheel with thermopane windows and tank heaters in order to do that. The only November RV trip we have taken was to Taos and Santa Fe--cold, but no snow. So, you can winter camp and be comfortable, if you are prepared for any kind of weather. If it snows, you have your house with you, so just hang out in the RV until the roads clear.

PS: Our grocery-getter at home is a 2012 MINI Cooper.

saddlesore · 10-10-2018, 01:29 PM

Following as well..

Fanrgs · 10-11-2018, 09:08 AM

Many areas of the Colorado mountains got another foot of snow last night. Yesterday's high temp at our house was 37 and the low last night was 27. But our petunias, marigolds, and mums are still blooming and most trees in town haven't dropped their leaves.

The mountain roads should be clear by this afternoon, but more snow is predicted for Saturday night through Sunday noon in Denver. Fall is definitely falling in Colorado!

Busskipper · 10-11-2018, 09:19 AM

Easy Guys - did not snow everywhere, It's a Big State.

If you need to know use a few of the Ski Cams.

A-Basin - Yes -

Vail - Yes

Crested Butte - No

Aspen - No

Lake City - No

Ouray - No

https://www.onthesnow.com/colorado/webcams.html

https://www.wunderground.com/webcams...er/1/show.html

https://aspen.roundshot.com/buttermilk/

http://www.cotrip.org/map.htm#/defau...CameraId=10829

JMHO,

If you don't like the weather in Colorado - Just wait it Will Change.