Favorite campground on the Gunnison River

docsouce wrote:
Great info. I appreciate it. I'm glad I posted about Rt 82. Will avoid it. This suggestion on avoiding Rt 82 has prompted me to go over my Routes heading into Mesa Verde. Looks like research and a new post!!!
Thanks again.

Some quick advice about going in to Mesa Verde -- fuel up outside the park, and preferably in Cortez where it will be significantly cheaper. There is fuel available at the Farview Campground store but it is insanely higher than outside the park. And distances in the park are very deceiving. It's ~4 miles to Farview Campground and ~11 miles from the entrance of the park to the Farview Lodge area, and then another 10-15 miles to any of the major sites that you might want to visit. There's also 2 mesas to explore, which means a lot of driving inside the park to get from point to point.

Great info. I appreciate it. I'm glad I posted about Rt 82. Will avoid it. This suggestion on avoiding Rt 82 has prompted me to go over my Routes heading into Mesa Verde. Looks like research and a new post!!!
Thanks again.

4runnerguy wrote:
The section of road/river between Sapinero and Gunnison isn't particularly scenic. I guess what I should say is there are few trees in this area. When we need a night or two along US 50 between Gunnison and Montrose we stay at the Cimarron CG. It's a NPS CG between the road to South Rim of Black Canyon and Sapinero. Flush toilets and a dump station. Some of the sites have some pretty good sized cottonwood trees for shade.

I might suggest heading north of Gunnison to Almont and take the road up to Taylor Park Reservoir. A number of NFS CG's along this road, some with reservable sites. Also Lake View CG above Taylor Park. From there you can drive to Tincup which still has a lot of houses standing, many are now summer cabins. Drive up to and past Crested Butte to Gothic for some of the most outstanding fields of wildflowers in Colorado. There are ghost towns and mining ruins throughout this area.

From this area, you can now drive over Cottonwood Pass which drops you right into Buena Vista.

Plan an extra day or two in Silverton and rent a jeep. There are so many ruins in this area that you simply can't reach with your rig. Red Mountain, Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, Yankee Boy Basin Road above Ouray. You can spend quite a bit of time exploring some amazing places in the Silverton/Ouray area. Most ghost towns to explore in this area than in the Salida/Buena Vista area.

I'm not sure you'll want to venture over Independence Pass on CO 82 with your rig. There are places on the west side where the road is very narrow. There are places where the road is around 12'-13' wide. I've met dually's up there and someone has to back up to find a place to pass.

Make sure you continue on the old railroad grade up past St. Elmo to Hancock. If you're feeling up to it, there's a trail to the collapsed east portal of the Alpine Tunnel. Well worth the hike.

Better ghost town hunting north in the valley around Leadville.

Think Ken is giving you the info you are looking for - he's been in these parts for Years (Whole Life) so he can lead you to the things few really Know.

If you need a CG with FHU's there is one on RT 50 that could work as you were going from A to B - https://www.blackcanyonrvpark.com/

Rico on the western side of where you will be on RT 145 might also be of interest with the Public Hot Springs........ just a thought.

Sounds like you will be having a great trip, Ken is correct on the perils of RT 82 - Independence Pass - While you will not be breaking the law it will be in just a couple spots, very tight - but it is not normally a heavily traveled route. Last take time to stop at Devils Punch Bowl - Devils Punch Bowl images

Best of Luck,

The section of road/river between Sapinero and Gunnison isn't particularly scenic. I guess what I should say is there are few trees in this area. When we need a night or two along US 50 between Gunnison and Montrose we stay at the Cimarron CG. It's a NPS CG between the road to South Rim of Black Canyon and Sapinero. Flush toilets and a dump station. Some of the sites have some pretty good sized cottonwood trees for shade.

I might suggest heading north of Gunnison to Almont and take the road up to Taylor Park Reservoir. A number of NFS CG's along this road, some with reservable sites. Also Lake View CG above Taylor Park. From there you can drive to Tincup which still has a lot of houses standing, many are now summer cabins. Drive up to and past Crested Butte to Gothic for some of the most outstanding fields of wildflowers in Colorado. There are ghost towns and mining ruins throughout this area.

From this area, you can now drive over Cottonwood Pass which drops you right into Buena Vista.

Plan an extra day or two in Silverton and rent a jeep. There are so many ruins in this area that you simply can't reach with your rig. Red Mountain, Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, Yankee Boy Basin Road above Ouray. You can spend quite a bit of time exploring some amazing places in the Silverton/Ouray area. Most ghost towns to explore in this area than in the Salida/Buena Vista area.

I'm not sure you'll want to venture over Independence Pass on CO 82 with your rig. There are places on the west side where the road is very narrow. There are places where the road is around 12'-13' wide. I've met dually's up there and someone has to back up to find a place to pass.

Make sure you continue on the old railroad grade up past St. Elmo to Hancock. If you're feeling up to it, there's a trail to the collapsed east portal of the Alpine Tunnel. Well worth the hike.

Better ghost town hunting north in the valley around Leadville.

Thanks Bussippper. We're planning on 4 or 5 days at Mesa Verde NP then it's into poke mode. Ghost Towns, that are accessible with our RV, are the theme for this trip. After Mesa Verde, and all these plans are subject to change at a moments notice, I was thinking of spending a night at Silverton then see if the roads will allow us to make it to Eureka, camp there then if conditions permit on to Animas Forks, then back to Silverton. Then, as you mentioned, Ouray and Ridgway enroute the Curecanti Recreation area, Gunnison river. Find a good camp there and then a couple day trips. Now we would like to do the Gunnison Gorge boat trip, but we might move to the South rim Campground, not sure. Then head north to Marble and Crystal and loop to Buena Vista via Rt 82 and St Elmo's.

docsouce wrote:
I've checked out the various campgrounds on the Gunnison River between Sapinero and Gunnison. Campgroundreviews, Google and the others seem to rate them as OK. I'm wondering if any of you folks have any favorites, private, state or whatever, in that area. We're planning to stay in the area for about a week and have no problem bouncing from one place to another to take in the different sights. We will be traveling in our Class C no tow. We will be working our way north to the South Rim Black Canyon campground then over to Buena Vista to visit St Elmo's.
Will be in Colorado for the month of July.

July will likely require reservations - and unless you get some elevation you might need some electric for A/C.

Hoping you have included - Ouray - Ridgway - possibly Marble - Crested Butte - Maroon Bells - ...............on and on.

Thinking you are just stopping to Sleep so the issue is really not the CG as a base but as a place along your route. So some sort of route with the stops would help. Where will you start and what will be the Mission.

Does that make any sense?

Free campsites Colorado - link might help some.

Here is a Map of a drive around in Colorado in the RV, I had worked up for all the Granddaughters this summer for a trip that failed, as they had too many activities to get away for three or four weeks. It would allow you to see much of Colorado that we've grown to Love - MAP while this may be way too intense a pace for most, it's a big state with soooooo much to see and do.

Best of Luck,

May be of interest

https://www.pbase.com/sparker1/root%26view=tree

https://lynn.smugmug.com/Travel/Colorado-Mountains-and-Aspens/i-tsVRkXg

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f42/ouray-and-san-juans-rock-n-roll-3-days-to-visit-442372.html