June trip to explore Colorado

DutchmenSport wrote:
Narrow it down pretty fast. We are planning a trip to Denver the last 2 weeks in July, be there a total of 9 days. We wanted one location for a base camp so we could explore and branch out from there. We scoured the internet high and low to find a campsite. They were all booked in the area, even splitting the time up, it was almost impossible to get in anywhere for the one week-end coverage. We finally found a spot and took it immediately!

You're going in June. Book those campground reservations now! They are going fast, if not gone already!

This^^^^^

The 180 day window for most non-commercial places opened some time ago for bookings in June. For weekends, you'll be hard pressed to find anything in National Parks or USFS CGs. This past weekend (Feb 3) was the opening of the 180 booking window for August 3, and they book fast. If week days you may have a bit more success. Or consider commercial. Even those are booking fast.

Narrow it down pretty fast. We are planning a trip to Denver the last 2 weeks in July, be there a total of 9 days. We wanted one location for a base camp so we could explore and branch out from there. We scoured the internet high and low to find a campsite. They were all booked in the area, even splitting the time up, it was almost impossible to get in anywhere for the one week-end coverage. We finally found a spot and took it immediately!

You're going in June. Book those campground reservations now! They are going fast, if not gone already!

The Dunes are neat in early to mid June when Medano Creek is still flowing across the lower part. Starts drying up toward late June, but depends on the winter snow pack.

Cumbres & Toltec Steam Railroad is also a great train ride.

I would not skip the dunes, especially if you have kids. But it is a one day stop at the most and a half day would probably do.

In June the middle of the country is going to be hot and there is not much I need to see again. I still do the 1500 miles to CO in two days and the best ways to see Kansas is at night or from 30,000'. I would spend 3 weeks and 3 days of your month in CO, but that's just my preference.
I like the above post's ideas and hopefully Busskipper will add his ideas.

I would skip the Dunes and add Chama, NM. Go up to Pagosa Springs from Santa Fe to see the Georga O'keefe country and maybe stop in Chama for a train ride. Good State Park camping at Heron Lake near Chama.

Go on over to Mesa Verde area. Unhook and drive back to Durango and up to Silverton or take the train. Visit Mesa Verde then drive up through Telluride to Ridgeway. Camp there and drive up to the top of Red Mountain Pass to see why you do not want to pull your 5er over that route.

Use US 50 over Monarch Pass to Salida and then up the middle valley to I-70.

The Great Sand Dunes is not a pleasant place to be in summer. Mosquitoes swarm and it is hot. It is a impressive pile of sand but you must hike to get to it and even with repellent the bugs are bad. Once you get to the dune all you can do is take a picture. Have you ever tried to climb a sand dune?

If you really wanted to see the dune drive down from Salida and then use US 160 over La Vita pass to I-25 then up to CO 69 at exit 52 and back North/west to US 50 and the middle valley.

BTW: the valley the Dunes are in is NOT scenic just flat and covered in scrub brush.

Mountain Directory West would be a good resource.