Cincinnati to Vail

A new museum opened up at the gateway arch in St Louis this week if you want to stop near St Louis on the way. Dillon lake is just east of Vail,plenty to do there. Be sure to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. I wish I was going with you,Colorado is my favorite place e to be in the summer.

cinandtim wrote:
We plan to leave Cincinnati For Vail CO the first of August with our 31 ft Class C and toad.

We will be staying in the Vail area and have other accommodations While in Vail.

We will plan several day trips while in the Vail area.

We would really like any suggestions for our trip to Vail (we will have about a week between Cincinnati and Vail)

AND for after we leave Vail.

After our stay in Vail, we will then have a few kids and grandkids with tents to join us for camping for 7 - 10 days.

We can go in any direction, but prefer to limit it to two areas and not travel more than 3-4 hours at a stretch.

Suggestions for things to do.....Hiking, white water rafting, swimming holes, biking and great places to rv and tent camp are greatly appreciated!

Good to have housing in Vail as there is No Camping available. But Vail and the surrounds are just the BEST.

I'd Suggest Heading to Hannibal and taking RT 36 to Denver - nice change of pace - good roads (at least till you get into Colorado) and easy drive, with much less traffic.

When you get into Denver if possible try to get into Clear Creek In Golden - Clear Creek CG if not look to Jeffco Fairgrounds if timing puts you in the Denver area.

A great day trip out of Vail is to take RT 24 through Minturn - Red Cliff - Camp Hale and Leadville then just turn around and Head Back, looks different going the other way - or RT 91 back to 70 and West to Vail.

The After Vail trip would be fun if you headed to Leadville - Turquoise Lake - Buena Vista - Twin Lakes - Independence Pass - and the Collegiates.

All of the Above and is only 90 minutes from Vail - Or ...............Just too many options.

Devils Punch Bowl images - images

If I've styred your interest let me know and we can really fill in the blanks as Colorado is My Second Home.

Best of Luck,

Thanks for suggestions!
Busskipper, it sounds like you have a lot of experience in CO area! We have been researching some past posts and see many good suggestions. FromVail we will have 8 days to explore different areas before taking our kids back to Denver for flight home. I have promised the kiddos that we will not have more than 2-3 camp changes during that time. Our kids are grown, but we have a few grandkids too. Hiking, biking, water sports, hot springs are all on our bucket list..along with any other must dos in CO. Do you have suggestions on 2-3 spots to call Home during our 8 days?...keeping in mind that we will be in Vail for a week with an opportunity for day trips. Thanks so much!

cinandtim wrote:
Thanks for suggestions!
Busskipper, it sounds like you have a lot of experience in CO area! We have been researching some past posts and see many good suggestions. FromVail we will have 8 days to explore different areas before taking our kids back to Denver for flight home. I have promised the kiddos that we will not have more than 2-3 camp changes during that time. Our kids are grown, but we have a few grandkids too. Hiking, biking, water sports, hot springs are all on our bucket list..along with any other must dos in CO. Do you have suggestions on 2-3 spots to call Home during our 8 days?...keeping in mind that we will be in Vail for a week with an opportunity for day trips. Thanks so much!

Four Granddaughters in Superior, so we LOVE Colorado - Have had a Few days in Vail - Summer/Often and Winter even a few times.

So if I picked three spots from Vail - assuming you have driven all the easy short day trips (Leadville/RT 24) - First would be Ouray/Silverton/Telluride/Ridgway SP area - Likely would fill the last 8 days - with a drive out to Denver/Golden, Catching Gunnison/Crested Butte/Collegiates/Buena Vista on the way back to Denver.

Leaving Vail the drive would be West on I-70 to Glenwood Springs - Stopping just east on the Park/Overlook of the Colorado - on the Backside of Aspen, after catching Maroon Bells - to RedStone Marble then on to Montrose to Ouray.

Trails - Water - Mountains - Towns, all right there as close to Heaven as I have found.

Map - includes many of the day/side trips so the 900 miles is a stretch - but everything listed is worth seeing if not this trip at least on the next one.

Quincy's in Leadville K's in Buena Vista are all well known.

I could go on and on but you only have 8 days...........

Hope this is of some Help,

Edit - If you didn't run across this old post #9 - Old Post #9

This is most helpful Busskipper! From the research we have done thus far, you are right on with your suggestions! Do you suggest we camp in Ouray or Ridgeway SP for most of that time and make day trips? Any other camping suggestions? We will have our 31’ class C and a couple of tents. Thx!!!

cinandtim wrote:
This is most helpful Busskipper! From the research we have done thus far, you are right on with your suggestions! Do you suggest we camp in Ouray or Ridgeway SP for most of that time and make day trips? Any other camping suggestions? We will have our 31’ class C and a couple of tents. Thx!!!

For Ridgway SP, a couple of things to be aware of. First and foremost there is a Stage II fire ban in place, which means no fires of any sort -- no fires in the fire rings and no charcoal grills. Not banned are propane stoves. This is until further notice, which is likely until Labour Day unless a good monsoon season kicks in.

And in August, it may be difficult to impossible to find sites available for your group. Reservations are fairly standard in most of the popular State Parks and Ridgway is very popular. Plus, for the size group you have, it may be necessary to have 2 sites.

Perhaps a better option would be to check out the KOA outside of Ouray to the north.

Thom02099 wrote:

cinandtim wrote:
This is most helpful Busskipper! From the research we have done thus far, you are right on with your suggestions! Do you suggest we camp in Ouray or Ridgeway SP for most of that time and make day trips? Any other camping suggestions? We will have our 31’ class C and a couple of tents. Thx!!!

For Ridgway SP, a couple of things to be aware of. First and foremost there is a Stage II fire ban in place, which means no fires of any sort -- no fires in the fire rings and no charcoal grills. Not banned are propane stoves. This is until further notice, which is likely until Labour Day unless a good monsoon season kicks in.

And in August, it may be difficult to impossible to find sites available for your group. Reservations are fairly standard in most of the popular State Parks and Ridgway is very popular. Plus, for the size group you have, it may be necessary to have 2 sites.

Perhaps a better option would be to check out the KOA outside of Ouray to the north.

Thom is the Resident expert for CG's in Colorado. I'm one of those who seldom makes reservations, so I'd call to see what might be available - Always something, somewhere, Wal*Mart and many a Gas station have enjoyed My Company - For the most part if you get to some elevation you will not need the Air so you could actually "Camp" - :E

Between Thom and 4runnerguy - these two Really Know Colorado - they should be able to locate a spot for you - Ridgway would be my first choice, for your group, as Thom said they fill fast but often during the week they have holes in the Schedule (Vacacy's/Cancellations) but to be In Town on the river is really not bad, tight but easy - hot springs pool and All. Usually in August they should have something going On. https://www.ouraycolorado.com/events

Optional CG's are also available in Silverton - Jeep rental will likely be in your Future. Alpine Loop - is slow and Easy - MY DW called it the most Beautiful Drive I ever took her on, so ........

Lake City has a few sites/CG's, the National Forest is dotted with Spots - Montrose - in a pinch for a day or two..........

Get on the phone - You'll find something - we rolled in for a few days one year to Marble - next thing you Know they started the Marble Marble Festival - was Great. https://www.marbleinst.org/

After a week of Vail you will be Ready to get out and "Rough It" for a while.

Keep us all in the loop - we'll help if we Can - ;)

Best of Luck,

Busskipper

Edit - One more who has a lot of good Info Fanrgs

Busskipper, Thom and 4runnerguy...we do appreciate any camping recommendations. After leaving Vail, we plan to take Busskipper suggestions. We will visit Ouray and surrounding areas for 3-4 days and then head back in the direction of Denver with possible stops in Gunnison/Crested Butte, Collegiates/Beuna Vista. We are good with dry camping, but would appreciated showers. Any and all suggestions are very welcome! We did check back with aridgeway SP. they have plenty of availability, but the swimming area is closed and there is a fire ban. We would love to find a place in the woods where we could have a camp fire.
Again, the group is interested in hiking (not super strenuous hikes because if the kiddos), rafting and/or floating, renting 4 wheels, swimming holes and exploring.
Thanks so much!

possible stops in Gunnison/Crested Butte, Collegiates/Beuna

We stay most frequently at Tall Texan in Gunnison, but there are also: KOA and Mesa campgrounds there. There is a new park in Crested Butte. but you'd already have to have reservations there. It is a great park but expensive and there is NO sewer or dump station at all.

In Buena Vista, our two favorites are Arrowhead Point north of town and the KOA south, out at Johnson Village.

Buskipper, 4runnerguy, or anyone else out there...we are trying to find reservation for the weekend of August 17-19. Within a couple of hours of a Denver. We have rafting reservations in Beuna Vista that Friday. We are not finding Thursday night a problem. We are very interested in the Leadville area. We are fine with dry camping, boon-docking, or staying at an rv resort. We are just hoping it will be clean with activities nearby. We do understand that this is very last minute, but hope to find something! Can anyone give us some suggestions?