Texas to Colorado Itinerary

[astepatatime]

I'm in the planning stages of a 10 day trip for July 2017 and looking for feedback and advice on campgrounds and activities.

We'll be leaving from San Antonio area. It'll be my wife and I with our older daughter and her husband (they are 30) and our youngest son (15). Originally wanted a full two weeks, but couldn't make the timing work. That means we have to leave some sights out that we wanted to get to (including RMNP).

Our goals: see beautiful scenery, be active - hiking, fishing, etc.

Here's the current plan:

Day 1: Drive to Amarillo (530 miles)

Day 2: Drive to Buena Vista (400 miles). Stay 3 nights. Will do white water rafting for sure, some fishing.
Suggestions on campgrounds and other activities in Buena Vista? Looking at KOA or Valley RV

Day 5: Drive to Ouray (180 miles). Stay 3 nights. Take a jeep tour. Drive back up to Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Looking at KOA or Ridgeway SP. Other ideas?


Day 8: Drive to Durango (150 miles). Take 145 instead of 550/Million Dollar Highway. Stop at Mesa Verde NP on way.

Day 9 & 10, return drive back.

As I said, we would have like to make it to RMNP and/or Colorado Springs, but don't have enough days. So, in addition to the questions above, a few more

- Instead of doing our current plan (BV, Ouray, etc), we could just go straight up to RMNP and spend days there. If could only do one or the other, which would you do?

We could cut a day from Buena Vista or Ouray and add it to Durango. Worth it?

Thanks in Advance!

[Heisenberg]

Junction Creek campground is a nice place to enjoy the woods @ Durango. 50 amp electrical in a forest service campground. Really close to town.

[Busskipper]

astepatatime wrote:
I wanted to do a followup post in appreciation for all those who took time to share their experiences. We've now firmed up the trip plan and reserved most campsites. Holy cow does Colorado book early....many sites at our preferred campgrounds were already booked! So here's the current plan:

Books early but the weekends are the worst, (Many Cancelations) so with the exception of a few State Parks you can still squeeze in.


Day 1: drive from New Braunfels TX to Amarillo. May just use hotel points for a quick getaway the next day.


Day 2: drive to Buena Vista Co. Reserved at Valley RV for 2 nights


Day 3: white water rafting (1/2 day) and then explore, maybe Cottonwood Lake or up to St. Elmo


Take a look at Independence pass and Aspen/Maroon Bells - just Beautiful! - a Hike in the Collegiates is Great - K's in town is fun for Lunch - Crested Butte is just over the Mountain - Browns Canyon was just made a National Monument - so much to see/do.........

Quincy's in Leadville for a Steak Dinner - Worth the drive.

Fly Fishing to Die For!


Day 4: drive to Ouray. Likely stop at Black Canyon of Gunnison along the way. Stay at Ridgway State Park for 3 nights. Reserved in Elk Ridge section.


With your schedule - no time for adult beverages :W - get to bed early and get up to see the sunrise then just GO - Crystal Mill - Marble - Redstone - just a few names to drop/see along the way.


Day 5 and Day 6. Explore area. Possible jeep tour.


Have your fishing gear and camera gear READY!

Alpine Loop? - Telluride - Trout Lake - Lizard Head - Silverton - Lake City - Train Ride - Note here***** Be sure to have a good Camera and good Batteries with a lot of Memory, take 2 or 3 pictures every time you think one will do.


Day 7: Drive to Durango. Possibly stop at Mesa Verde NP along the way. Stay at Durango Riverside park on a river spot.

Option on drive is Rt 550 or Rt 145 both are Great drives - if Mesa Verde is on the route then 145 might just be better, possible side/slide trip into Uncompahgre National Forest, if your toad is good (4X4) - Telluride and Trout Lake are also on this route.


Day 8: Durango train ride and zip line experience at Soaring Colorado -


While the train ride is not to be missed - it is a long slow ride and you might look at the one way option with a bus ride back? IMHO a lot of time.


Day 9: Drive to Carlsbad NM


Flash lights and jackets - buddy up to one of the older Rangers, possibly he'll give you a private tour - we got one once was great - Flashlights really help -


Day 10: Quick stop at Carlsbad Canyon then drive home

I wish we had another few days to extend each stay. I've got the vacation days but our young adult children are new in their careers and couldn't take any more days. So we're fitting a lot in! That's okay...we're all very active and want to see and do things instead of just relax.

Just a thought on the 4 days travels to and from Colorado..........an option might be a fly in fly out for the kids to extend the days and Adventures in Colorado and not waste time on the drive to and back - Just a thought, we have often done the repositioning in the Coach and picked the Kids up at the airport to expedite the available travel days, and it has proved valuable in saving time and extending adventures.

I did not see your Coach or Toad listed so advise is just general in nature. Sounds like the trip of a Life Time - Lots of Pic's and a Daily Group shot in the Morning and in the Evening will be a great way to document your Adventure.

Best of Luck and be sure to get back to us with a report and Pictures after you finish the adventure.

[astepatatime]

I wanted to do a followup post in appreciation for all those who took time to share their experiences. We've now firmed up the trip plan and reserved most campsites. Holy cow does Colorado book early....many sites at our preferred campgrounds were already booked! So here's the current plan:

Day 1: drive from New Braunfels TX to Amarillo. May just use hotel points for a quick getaway the next day.
Day 2: drive to Buena Vista Co. Reserved at Valley RV for 2 nights
Day 3: white water rafting (1/2 day) and then explore, maybe Cottonwood Lake or up to St. Elmo
Day 4: drive to Ouray. Likely stop at Black Canyon of Gunnison along the way. Stay at Ridgeway State Park for 3 nights. Reserved in Elk Ridge section.
Day 5 and Day 6. Explore area. Possible jeep tour.
Day 7: Drive to Durango. Possibly stop at Mesa Verde NP along the way. Stay at Durango Riverside park on a river spot.
Day 8: Durango train ride and zip line experience at Soaring Colorado
Day 9: Drive to Carlsbad NM
Day 10: Quick stop at Carlsbad Canyon then drive home

I wish we had another few days to extend each stay. I've got the vacation days but our young adult children are new in their careers and couldn't take any more days. So we're fitting a lot in! That's okay...we're all very active and want to see and do things instead of just relax.

[Tom_Mary_Lou]

If you can manage to drive a few miles further than Amarillo there is a city run free RV spot in Dumas that we stay at a lot. Nothing to brag on but it does have electricity and water is available as well as a dumpsite. For me RMNP is a must see. Going into Estes Park on US 34 through the Big Thompson canyon is spectacular. If you don't want to boondock there are several RV parks in Estes. The other place I would go is Durango. Mesa Verde is easy from there & the train is also a must. We have ridden it 4 times now I think & it never gets boring. Do the open gondola car too. Lightner Creek has always been our home there as well. Enjoy!!!

[timandsusan]

Hello from San Antonio! I recommend either taking in the Western Slope of the Rocky Mtns or the Eastern Slope on 2 different trips. There is so much to do and enjoy in both locations. With your available time, that will give you more time to hike, fish, etc. I have been going to the Durango area since the 1960's and still return! Any questions, send me private message.

[MWJones]

Please be aware that these 150 mile drives in that part of Colorado takes TWO to THREE times as long as they do in Texas. The are VERY mountainous with lots of 15 & 20 mph hairpin curves. Some have 10 MPH curves!!!! Save RMNP for another trip. Stay with Southwest Colorado!!
IMO it is the best scenic part of Colorado.

[MWJones]

Please be aware that these 150 mile drives in that part of Colorado takes TWO to THREE times as long as they do in Texas. The are VERY mountainous with lots of 15 & 20 mph hairpin curves. Some have 10 MPH curves!!!! Save RMNP for another trip. Stay with Southwest Colorado!!
IMO it is the best scenic part of Colorado.

[astepatatime]

Wow! So many fantastic responses and valuable information. I really appreciate it.

I think we'll stick with the original plan instead of RMNP. Going to make a few tweaks to it based on all your info.

Thanks!

[huachuca]

Sounds like a good plan. 500+ miles on the first day is a hard push but we did it many times before retirement and I understand where you're coming from.

If you'll be camping that night in the Amarillo area, I'd highly recommend Palo Duro Canyon SP and possibly the outdoor drama 'Texas'. When travelling from NC to the southwest, we always schedule a stop there but, since our trips are usually Spring or Fall, we've never stayed when the play was being performed. It was written by Paul Green who also wrote 'The Lost Colony', performed here on our coast and an event we've enjoyed many times over the years.

I don't think you can reserve a specific site at Texas SPs and all three RV campgrounds are good but our favorite is Mesquite if you can get a spot there.

[Golfcart]

Id recommend sticking with your original plan. Sounds like a fun trip!

RMNP anywhere near july 4th means its going to be VERY busy. Id recommend taking that trip on the edge of the off season and use the extra days to fully enjoy/explore it. the whole Estes Park area is nice and there is a ton of things to do

[4runnerguy]

astepatatime wrote:
Day 2: Drive to Buena Vista (400 miles). Stay 3 nights. Will do white water rafting for sure, some fishing.
Suggestions on campgrounds and other activities in Buena Vista? Looking at KOA or Valley RV

Take a trip up to the ghost town of St. Elmo. If you want an interesting hike, continue on up the old railroad grade past the site of Hancock to the trailhead for the Alpine Tunnel. Interesting historical hike - easy but high altitude. Great wildflowers above timberline. Spend one evening down in Salida visiting the very interesting stores that have stuff from local artists and grab a bite at one of the many fine restaurants that have opened in the last few years.

Day 5: Drive to Ouray (180 miles). Stay 3 nights. Take a jeep tour. Drive back up to Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Looking at KOA or Ridgeway SP. Other ideas?

Black Canyon NP is nice, given your very limited time frame, I wouldn't backtrack all that way. Instead of a jeep tour, rent one and drive yourself. Head over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton. Head up past the site of Eureka to the ghost town of Animas Forks. Depending on how confident you are feeling, head on over to the Engineer Pass road and return to the highway. In Ouray, plan an afternoon or evening at the Hot Springs Pool. Amazing views while you soak.

Day 8: Drive to Durango (150 miles). Take 145 instead of 550/Million Dollar Highway. Stop at Mesa Verde NP on way.

I might stay only two days in Ouray and plan another day in Durango, just so you can take the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Absolutely stunning scenery and a very interesting experience on the train. I'm not a big fan of tourist attractions, but this is one I really, really like. As far as Mesa Verde is concerned, that's almost a full day even for a rather minimal visit. It's a fair climb up to the mesa and a bit of driving when you get there. Another problem is the one main cliff dwelling (Spruce Tree House) one can access without a guide or permit has been closed for quite some time with no estimate of when it will reopen. So many of the other fine cliff dwellings require a permit one must obtain from the visitors center up to two days in advance, so if you get there in the afternoon, chances are you'll find they are sold out for the day. Mesa Verde is very interesting, but given the logistics of visiting the park and your very limited time frame, I'd skip it this time.

Day 9 & 10, return drive back.

As I said, we would have like to make it to RMNP and/or Colorado Springs, but don't have enough days. So, in addition to the questions above, a few more

- Instead of doing our current plan (BV, Ouray, etc), we could just go straight up to RMNP and spend days there. If could only do one or the other, which would you do?

Your plan. Personally I find the mountains of SW CO around Ouray, Silverton, and Durango to be every bit as scenic as RMNP.

We could cut a day from Buena Vista or Ouray and add it to Durango. Worth it?

Yes, as I noted above, although you could take a day from DV instead of Ouray if you wished.

[Busskipper]

Thom02099 wrote:
I think your original plan is well thought out and planned. You could tweak a few things here and there, but by and large I'd say that would be a good trip, with a lot of memories for your family.

Now, this is not to say that I don't recommend Rocky. I do. It's where I spend a lot of my time, as well as in the Poudre Canyon area NW of Fort Collins. That said, trying to add in RMNP to your itinerary would make you feel rushed for the time you have reserved. Staying with the plan for central and southwestern Colorado gives your trip more of a sense of purpose.

For Mesa Verde NP, you may want to consider camping inside the park at Morefield. There's a LOT of driving involved with MVNP, and being inside makes it a bit more convenient.

Durango is a fun town, don't overlook the historic downtown area, where there's a lot going on most weekends. Lightner Creek is where I've stayed and is recommended, although there are others in the area that are also highly recommended. The Silverton and Durango RR is a must do, spending some time in Silverton is a lot of fun. There's also some hot springs in the area that can be enjoyable for soaking after a hectic day.

And while in Ouray, don't forget the downtown there as well as the Ouray Hot Springs. Both the KOA north of town, as well as Ridgway SP are excellent choices.

Can't say enough about the Arkansas River Valley area around Buena Vista. So much to see and do, the vistas of all the 14ers in the area is impressive. Take some time to visit downtown Salida as well the Victorian homes in Leadville. Up and over Cottonwood Pass is the Taylor Park area, with excellent camping and fishing, and ATV activities.

With all that to see and do, you won't miss RMNP. Unfortunately, most folks do Rocky in one day, go up on Trail Ridge Road, and that's it. There's so much more to see in the park if one gets off the beaten trail, and there's more than enough hiking to spend several days there. Should really be a trip unto itself, perhaps combined with some of the other sights in the northern Colorado area of Poudre Canyon,North Park, and Steamboat Springs.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

^^^^Hard to add to this^^^^

As usual Thom has summed it up pretty well, it will be interesting to see what you decide. Remember to get back to us with any revised plans.

BOL,

[Thom02099]

I think your original plan is well thought out and planned. You could tweak a few things here and there, but by and large I'd say that would be a good trip, with a lot of memories for your family.

Now, this is not to say that I don't recommend Rocky. I do. It's where I spend a lot of my time, as well as in the Poudre Canyon area NW of Fort Collins. That said, trying to add in RMNP to your itinerary would make you feel rushed for the time you have reserved. Staying with the plan for central and southwestern Colorado gives your trip more of a sense of purpose.

For Mesa Verde NP, you may want to consider camping inside the park at Morefield. There's a LOT of driving involved with MVNP, and being inside makes it a bit more convenient.

Durango is a fun town, don't overlook the historic downtown area, where there's a lot going on most weekends. Lightner Creek is where I've stayed and is recommended, although there are others in the area that are also highly recommended. The Silverton and Durango RR is a must do, spending some time in Silverton is a lot of fun. There's also some hot springs in the area that can be enjoyable for soaking after a hectic day.

And while in Ouray, don't forget the downtown there as well as the Ouray Hot Springs. Both the KOA north of town, as well as Ridgway SP are excellent choices.

Can't say enough about the Arkansas River Valley area around Buena Vista. So much to see and do, the vistas of all the 14ers in the area is impressive. Take some time to visit downtown Salida as well the Victorian homes in Leadville. Up and over Cottonwood Pass is the Taylor Park area, with excellent camping and fishing, and ATV activities.

With all that to see and do, you won't miss RMNP. Unfortunately, most folks do Rocky in one day, go up on Trail Ridge Road, and that's it. There's so much more to see in the park if one gets off the beaten trail, and there's more than enough hiking to spend several days there. Should really be a trip unto itself, perhaps combined with some of the other sights in the northern Colorado area of Poudre Canyon,North Park, and Steamboat Springs.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

[Flapper]

Just did a trip through that area in Sept.

KOA in Buena Vista is decent - note that they abut some national forest, so there is a trail over a style, and into a web of nice walking trails. Not too big, so makes for a good morning/evening stroll. Judging by the tracks, Mtn. Bikers also use the trails. Fishing access nearby is limited - an almost hidden access point at the bridge in Johnson Village, or at the drive to town park in Buena. Other access points are further up or down the highway, and require more of a drive. To me, wasn't worth getting the gear out and making a try for any of it. Look into the drive up to St. Elmo from Buena to view a classic "ghost town". You may want to consider an out-and-back trip to Cottonwood pass from Buena. Very scenic, and very high!

Ridgeway is pretty nice! Lake levels were very low, but one of the campgrounds is right on the river - so you can easily walk from the campground to the river for a brief bit of fishing early in the morning, or in the evening. Plus they have two ponds for fishing right in the campground. Lots of mule deer come into camp.

Mesa Verde really needs almost a day - or at bare minimum 1/2 day. The drives between basic overlooks are longer/slower than you would think, so between the drive, Mesa, and setting up camp, things might get pretty pushed for time.

Durango itself is not such a much, but as a jumping off point for the railway, the drive on the Million Dollar Highway, etc. it serves nicely. We stayed at Lightner Creek Campground and were very pleased with it. With your limited time, it is a tough choice, but I would advise adding the day to Durango.