Colorado July 2017
Hi all, We normally try to avoid making our month-long trip at this time of year, but circumstances beyond our control dictate our dates this time. Plan is to leave home Tuesday, June 27th and retu...
Forum Discussion
One more vote for Salida/Buena Vista/Leadville area. Turquoise Lake CG's fill early, so check down by Twin Lakes, up Chalk Creek, or O'Haver Lake near Salida (all NFS CG's). Hiking, fishing, 4x4 roads, ghost towns, lots to do. Plan on an afternoon/evening checking out downtown Salida's wonderful art shops and restaurants, then walk down by the river. We typically spend a week or two in this area every year.
Maroon Bells is gorgeous. (Tried to ride our bikes up there Sunday but got stopped by snow 1/2 mile from the lake.) A couple of NFS CG's are options in this area. Difficult NFS CG is east of Aspen on CO 82. With your toad you can't get there over Independence Pass so come through Glenwood and Aspen. (Note that Difficult is closing for the season in mid August this year, but you should be north before that.) Off CO 133 south of Carbondale there's Bogan Flats on the road to Crystal and Marble. Near Redstone there's Redstone CG. This NFS CG actually has a few sites with 15a electric and there are showers there. Besides Maroon Bells, spend some time exploring Redstone then head up to Marble and on to Crystal (and beyond with your jeep if you'd like). The quarry near Marble is where stone for the Tomb of the Unknowns and part of the Lincoln Memorial was mined. Still lots of Marble chunks laying around. The Lead King Basin Loop above Crystal has great flowers in late July. The road over Schofield Pass is quite challenging but gorgeous. On foot, explore further up into Lead King Basin or hike up toward West Maroon Pass on the other side of Schofield Pass to see some of the most amazing wildflower displays in the state. Something about the red rocks seems to make the flowers prolific and vibrant.
Besides the historic Hot Springs Pools here in town, there's also a new facility down by the river called Iron Mountain. It's actually a collection of a number of smaller pools rather than a couple of large ones like the big pool. More romantic. Lots of good restaurants in GWS. Slo-Groovin BBQ in Marble has outdoor seating in an amazing setting.
Maroon Bells is gorgeous. (Tried to ride our bikes up there Sunday but got stopped by snow 1/2 mile from the lake.) A couple of NFS CG's are options in this area. Difficult NFS CG is east of Aspen on CO 82. With your toad you can't get there over Independence Pass so come through Glenwood and Aspen. (Note that Difficult is closing for the season in mid August this year, but you should be north before that.) Off CO 133 south of Carbondale there's Bogan Flats on the road to Crystal and Marble. Near Redstone there's Redstone CG. This NFS CG actually has a few sites with 15a electric and there are showers there. Besides Maroon Bells, spend some time exploring Redstone then head up to Marble and on to Crystal (and beyond with your jeep if you'd like). The quarry near Marble is where stone for the Tomb of the Unknowns and part of the Lincoln Memorial was mined. Still lots of Marble chunks laying around. The Lead King Basin Loop above Crystal has great flowers in late July. The road over Schofield Pass is quite challenging but gorgeous. On foot, explore further up into Lead King Basin or hike up toward West Maroon Pass on the other side of Schofield Pass to see some of the most amazing wildflower displays in the state. Something about the red rocks seems to make the flowers prolific and vibrant.
Besides the historic Hot Springs Pools here in town, there's also a new facility down by the river called Iron Mountain. It's actually a collection of a number of smaller pools rather than a couple of large ones like the big pool. More romantic. Lots of good restaurants in GWS. Slo-Groovin BBQ in Marble has outdoor seating in an amazing setting.
