Denver-Moab-Mesa Verde-Colorado Springs

[lewisr]

Last 2 weeks of July we are planning a trip to Colorado. 2 nights each in Golden, Moab, Mesa Verde and CS with a 3rd night in one of those. The DW and kids 21, 19, 17, and 10. Looking for suggestions for campgrounds with at least W, E and a pool. Also what to see beyond Arches, Mesa Verde, Pikes Peak. What’s the best sights for the day and a half we’ll be in each.

[2gypsies1]

lewisr wrote:
Dead horse is on the agenda as well as canyon lands. Question on route. since I’ll be taking 313 to Dead Horse, is it worth the drive to take 142 to canyonlands on a different day than Dead Horse? Is 142 drivable? How long is the drive from Moab up 279 to 142 to Island in the sky vositor center?

Canyonlands is comprised of three separate units: The Maze (difficult to access); the area around Dead Horse Point State Park and the Visitor Center (paved roads, 4x4 trails - called Island in the Sky, and south on 191 taking the paved 211 to The Needles area - nice hiking, nice campground and serious 4-wheeling.

Here's a map link to all three sections. It's a huge park.

https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/maps.htm

Each national park has a wonderful web site with things to do, camping, road information, maps, special alerts and more. Check them out.

https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm

[FirstTracks]

paulj wrote:
Years ago I camped along 279 (at BLM free site), then on up to Island on 142. Then back down on Long Canyon Trail (just north of Dead Horse Pt), and camped on the otherside of Moab - in one day.

Long Canyon is certainly cool, but can go from fascinating to terrifying in one short moment. Shortly after moving to Utah in 2005 we drove up Long Canyon from Potash in a 2004 Land Rover Discovery II (the old boxy style). It was a capable vehicle, even stock, but my offroad skills weren't anywhere near what they've since become. When we were about 300 vertical feet from the rim, however, it started drizzling, the worst possible occurrence in clay. We had to give up and turn around, as did a trio of heavily modified desert Jeeps who had been traveling near us.

Trying to get back down was an event unto itself. Wet clay clings to tires and doesn't shed, so you've now got wet clay on wet clay, which is slipperier than elephant snot. My wife got out and walked, which was quicker than driving but she had a hard time even remaining on her feet. Several times I slid diagonally towards the edge at a half mile per hour, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the door latch ready to bail at any moment.

I've never been so happy to again see asphalt. I've done much harder trails in the Moab area since (most recently Top of the World, to give you an idea), but I still haven't returned to Long Canyon.

[paulj]

Years ago I camped along 279 (at BLM free site), then on up to Island on 142. Then back down on Long Canyon Trail (just north of Dead Horse Pt), and camped on the otherside of Moab - in one day.

This was in a 4x4 S10 pickup. I used 4H on one step near the start of 142, and 4L on the steeper descent on Long Canyon. 279 along the Colorado is paved, and worth a drive out and back. 142 is dirt. The initial part can vary as it winds past the potash mine ponds. The rest can vary depending on traffic and any grading. You can pick up trail descriptions and info in town.

So for an RV or car, stick with paved 313 to both Dead Horse and Island.

Another nice paved, but curvy drive, is the FS loop through the La Sal Mtns to the east of Moab. This gets up to aspen levels, which can be quite beautiful in the fall.

[FirstTracks]

Here's a photo looking the other way that I found on TripAdvisor via Google, which really shows the shelf well.

[FirstTracks]

CR-142 is the dirt Shafer Trail -- don't attempt it in anything other than a 4WD with decent ground clearance, and definitely not towing anything. The switchbacks up to the canyon rim are barely over one lane wide but nevertheless carry two-way traffic, and scare most people silly. Here's one of my photos of Shafer Trail when the light was unfortunately coming from completely the wrong direction:



Yes, that dropoff in the foreground is every bit as huge as you think it is, and it's actually steeper than vertical as the shelf is slightly undercut in several spots. The switchbacks in the background aren't much better.

At the time that photo was taken the switchbacks were in pretty good shape. The stretch from Potash to the junction with the White Rim Road (which BTW passes "Thelma & Louise Point" from the final scene of that movie) was a bit less so. Conditions will vary substantially based on recent weather and what effect that weather has had on the road surface. Driving times will therefore vary considerably as well.

[lewisr]

Dead horse is on the agenda as well as canyon lands. Question on route. since I’ll be taking 313 to Dead Horse, is it worth the drive to take 142 to canyonlands on a different day than Dead Horse? Is 142 drivable? How long is the drive from Moab up 279 to 142 to Island in the sky vositor center?

[TundraTower]

In Moab, be sure to check out Dead Horse State Park which is across the street from Canyonlands National Park. We found it to be much nicer than the national park and better views.

Amazing amount of stuff to do at CS - Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, Air Force Academy chapel, etc. A nice surprise was a first class zoo, one of the nicest I've seen. We stayed right in downtown Manitou Springs which I wouldn't do again.

[lewisr]

Thanks NMDriver. The lows temp at night are great as opposed to the 100 degrees days and nights in New Oleans and southern Louisiana a couple years ago. Gives the A/C a chance to take a nap.

[NMDriver]

Moab will be hottish upper 90's and some 100+ days but 60's at night. Cortez will be cooler, mid 80's to upper 80's, low 90's some days with 50's at night. No to bad really, watch for snow/sleet on the high passes even in July.

[lewisr]

Busskipper wrote:

lewisr wrote:
You’re not late we’re not going until end of July. We need to wait until it warms up a bit.:)

THANKS!

Not to Worry it will BE HOT in July. Really HOT.

JMHO,

Yeah, we’re aware. But it’s dry heat. :E

And we’ll only be there 3 days.

[Busskipper]

lewisr wrote:
You’re not late we’re not going until end of July. We need to wait until it warms up a bit.:)

THANKS!

Not to Worry it will BE HOT in July. Really HOT.

JMHO,

[lewisr]

You’re not late we’re not going until end of July. We need to wait until it warms up a bit.:)

THANKS!

[fanrgs]

I realize that I'm late to this thread, but in the Mesa Verde area, don't miss the outstanding Anasazi Museum near Dolores. In fact, I recommend that visitors spend a few hours there BEFORE going to Mess Verde NP because you will have a much better understanding of Anasazi archeology and artifacts than you get at the museum in Mesa Verde.

For route and campground suggestions, take a look at the "US 160 west of Pagosa Springs" section of my blog at https://2fanrgs.blogspot.com.

[lewisr]

FirstTracks wrote:
You say that you are prepared, but personally you wouldn't catch me dead in that area in July.

If I only lived a few hours away I’d probably agree, but when it’s days away and you can fear the heat or see the beautiful US of A.