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 accomadations 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!

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 - imagesIf 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!!!

Cincinnati to Vail | Good Sam Community

Thom02099
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2018
H E R E - Leadville area are the places to stay in and around the Leadville area. Rather than trying on line, you may want to call any of them that interest you, see if they have had any cancellations for the date(s) you need, or get on their list for cancellation. Might start with the commercial places first, they may be able to also get you into any overflow area they may have.
cinandtim
Explorer
Aug 03, 2018
Thanks Thom! I was able to speak with someone from the ranger district. Apparently there is a large marathon going on the weekend we plan to be there. We may have to find something a little North.
RedRocket204
Explorer
Aug 03, 2018
If I were you, I would just hang out in the Buena Vista/Salida/Poncha Spings area unless you are saying the Leadville 100 is causing crowding problems down there too???

That whole Arkansas River Valley area is just beautiful with many things to do and really provides the "CO experience".

Much further north you could look into areas like Fraiser, Grandby or Grand Lake and be on the west side of RMNP for day trips into that National Park... lots of other things to do in those areas as well.
Busskipper
Explorer
Aug 03, 2018
cinandtim wrote:
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?

Did you Look Here - Camp Hale is a possibility on RT 24 as are many spots in the Collegiates.

Pretty sure you will "Get Lucky and Find something"

Best of Luck,

edit - Camp Hale link

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