10 days in Colorado in June

[Snowman9000]

Besides RMNP, what are your top three or four places to see in Colorado in June?

We won't be jeeping, hiking, or riding horses. Mostly I'd like to hear about great towns and scenery. A little someplace to walk around in the day, and then a great place to camp.

Dry campsite ideas are welcome too. We are driving a 25 foot Class C.

Most likely we will be starting up north, and working our way down to New Mexico. If you think a particular routing is especially good for that, please say so.

Thanks!

(I'll be cutting and pasting similar questions for some other states.)

[Snowman9000]

Thanks everyone!

I should clarify, we hike a little for the walk and fresh air. But not what most people call "hiking".

[TyroneandGladys]

After RMNP go to Rifle Falls State Park not Rifles State Park but Rifle FALLS 3 minute walk from your campsite and your at the falls.
Then to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison from there Durango. While at Durango explore Mesa Verde National Park and take the Durango Silverton Railroad.
Then head off to the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway which is a loop that connects Taos, Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Red River and Questa and circles most of the tallest mountains in New Mexico. The route that I would take from Durango would be East to Pagosa Springs then South on 84/64 to Taos. If you have time after the Circle head to Santa Fe.

[DannyA]

Bob & Ann wrote:
Our favorite are is Durango, Silverton and Ouray. Georgios scenery. We stay at Alpen Rose in Durango and tour the area. They call Silverton Ouray and Telluride the Switzerland of America. There are campgrounds in Silverton if interested.

Agree with these places, very pretty.

[2gypsies1]

Since you're heading into New Mexico definitely plan a stop at Pagosa Springs and take a morning to do some soaking. It in a beautiful setting overlooking the river. There are many small pools of varying temperatures. Folks move from one to another. The place is immaculate and has showers and lockers. It has nice patio areas around the pools so you can bring a cooler with lunch, snacks or drinks. They also sell light meals at the patio. We absolutely love stopping there.

http://www.pagosahotsprings.com/

We stay at North Fork campground in the San Juan national forest. There are others in the area. Explore this site for good information on forest service campgrounds in every state. We love them. If you have a senior pass they are 1/2 price.

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/rockymtn/sanjcmp.htm#west fork

From Pagosa take Hwy 84 south into New Mexico. Abiquiu Corp of Engineer campground is very nice in the painter's, Georgia O'Keefe's, home area. Beautiful area. It will take you into Santa Fe which is a nice medium-sized town for exploring, museums, good restaurants and a great Farmer's Market.

[Busskipper]

Snowman9000 wrote:
Besides RMNP, what are your top three or four places to see in Colorado in June?

We won't be jeeping, hiking, or riding horses. Mostly I'd like to hear about great towns and scenery. A little someplace to walk around in the day, and then a great place to camp.

Dry campsite ideas are welcome too. We are driving a 25 foot Class C.

Most likely we will be starting up north, and working our way down to New Mexico. If you think a particular routing is especially good for that, please say so.

Thanks!

(I'll be cutting and pasting similar questions for some other states.)

If you don't hike then a day will do you in RMNP - Grand Lake maybe a few days - neat town - lake headwaters of the Colorado River - then Kremmling might be fun for a 1/2 day - then head down to the City - ski town of Breck - really too many people for me - Up to Leadville - Turquoise Lake - Red Cliff - History - town - Quincy's - Down to Buena Vista - K's for lunch then the Collegiates for a great drives on the gravel roads - maybe to Crested Butte - Rt 82 in the Toad to Maroon Bells - now you have the new National Monument Browns Canyon - Just love this area. BUT a couple of really neat spots to Lose yourself in the Mountains that would be Lake City - Rivers - drives - Lakes - History - just comfort and away from the world. Need a little more civilization - Ouray and Telluride will be fun - Then if you still need a couple of places that are just special - Redstone and Marble off Rt 133 towards Carbondale. If you follow these spots on a Point to Point - you will likely loop the center of Colorado - then out to Moab and down to New Mexico.

These places will fit this description - "great towns and scenery. A little someplace to walk around in the day, and then a great place to camp."

Personally I think if I could get the Family out to these spots I could spend the rest of my life in these Great Towns.

But I Love Boulder and Golden too - just hard to find a great spot to camp without a lot of luck.

Let us know what you do and then how you liked it.

Best of Luck,

[Thom02099]

We won't be jeeping, hiking, or riding horses. Mostly I'd like to hear about great towns and scenery. A little someplace to walk around in the day, and then a great place to camp.

That could possibly/probably change some recommendations. So...great towns and scenery.

You could start in Grand Lake. It's a fun town, lots to see and do, though on a smaller scale. Paddle boats/canoes on Grand Lake, incredible vistas, some short hikes if you change your mind. The "quiet" side of Rocky, you could camp at Timber Creek CG inside the park; it's all first come/first served and a great place to stay. If you've got a Senior Pass, it's half price. Also 2 commercial CG in the area and 4-5 USFS CG also in the area.

Summit County. Frisco, Silverthorne, Dillon, Breckenridge. So much to see and do there, you could spend a lot of time there and not see everything.

As Thunder Mountain said, Chaffee and Lake Counties, the heart of the Upper Arkansas Valley. Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Poncha Springs. Set up camp somewhere in those towns and you've got the Valley as well as going over in to South Park to Fairplay as a day trip, or to Alma. Go up and over Cottonwood Park and behold the beauty of Taylor Park. Go up and over Poncha Pass and the expanse of the San Luis Valley awaits you. Go up and over Monarch Pass and the Gunnison Valley and Black Canyon of the Gunnison await you. At the top of Monarch Pass, there's an aerial tram that takes you to the high point on the south side of the pass with views that are what Colorado is all about. You could spend the entire month of June in those 2 counties and not run out of things to see and do.

Antonito. The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. Crosses the CO-NM border multiple times and is an experience of a life time. Take the train one way, and there's a bus that brings you back the other way. You can start on the Antonito side, or the Chama side, there's no right or wrong.

There's so much more, this is just the tip of the Colorado iceberg!

[Bob___Ann]

Our favorite are is Durango, Silverton and Ouray. Georgios scenery. We stay at Alpen Rose in Durango and tour the area. They call Silverton Ouray and Telluride the Switzerland of America. There are campgrounds in Silverton if interested.

[Thunder_Mountai]

Forget the crowds in RMNP. Try Chaffee and Lake counties.

[Colo_Native]

Mesa Verde, Sand Dunes, Colorado National Monument, Black Canyon are a few