Colorado Trip in June

[cgaskins]

Good morning everyone. My wife and I finally finished our planning for our two week trip to Colorado this summer (June). I am looking for comments / criticisms on the route, number of days in locations, and suggestions on activities.

Route Info to Colorado

• We live in Austin, Texas so our trip will originate from there.
• We will take US 183 north from Austin all the way to Brownwood, Texas.
• In Brownwood, we will take US 84 to Abilene, TX
• In Abiline, take US 83 north to Childress, TX
• In Childress, take US 287 to Texas 86 to Caprock Canyon SP
• We are planning on staying 2 nights at Caprock Canyon SP
• Leaving Caprock we will take TX 86 to I-27 to Amarillo
• In Amarillo, take US 87 North all the way to Raton, NM and get on I25 NOrth
• From Raton, Take I25 North to Pueblo, Co
• From Pueblo, take US 50 out to Canon City / Royal Gorge
• We plan on staying 3 nights in the Royal Gorge / CAnon City area
• Then we will go to Colorado Springs via Colorado 115
• We will spend 3 nights in Colorado Springs
• From Colorado Springs, take I25 north of Denver to Colorado 66 West which will take us to Estes Park
• We will spend 4 nights in Estes Park, CO

The return home trip is as follows:

• Leave Estes Park, CO via Colorado 66 East to I25
• Take I25 South all the way to Raton, NM
• Spend one night in Raton, NM
• From Raton, take US 87 to Amarillo
• From Amarillo, take I25 south to Lubbock, TX
• Spend 2 nights in Lubbock (My daughter is considering Texas Tech so we want to check it out..)
• From Lubbock, take US 84 to I20 then I20 east to Abiline
• From Abiline take US 84 to Brownwood
• From Brownwood, take US 183 back to Ausin
  
  Thanks,
  Chris

[Jolu]

Chris,
Looks like you have a very nice Colorado trip planned for this summer. While you are in Canon City, CO be sure to stop by. We live in the town of Canon City.
Joe & Lucy

[BB_TX]

Sounds like you have it well planned.
We take 287/87 from north TX to Colorado every summer. To avoid downtown Amarillo, we take loop 335 around the east/north side to pick up 87 to Dumas. 335 loops the outskirts of the whole city. Or we take I-40 west to Vega, 385 north to Hartley, then pick up 87 again. That not only avoids downtown Amarillo, but Dumas as well. Neither are too bad, just a number of lights and slow speed limits. The route thru Vega is a few miles farther, but only one 4 way stop in Vega.
I-27 will end and put you onto US 87 thru the middle of downtown Amarillo. Again, not too bad. But you can miss that by taking I-40 west from I-27, or even taking loop 335 around the southwest side to I-40 west. 335 is a good road and only a few lights and several miles shorter that way.
Joe can give you a better idea of what to do in the Canon City area. But we found about 2-3 hours was all we needed for the gorge itself.

[cgaskins]

quote:Originally posted by Jolu

Chris,
Looks like you have a very nice Colorado trip planned for this summer. While you are in Canon City, CO be sure to stop by. We live in the town of Canon City.
Joe & Lucy

Thanks Joe and Lucy.

[cgaskins]

quote:Originally posted by BB_TX

Sounds like you have it well planned.
We take 287/87 from north TX to Colorado every summer. To avoid downtown Amarillo, we take loop 335 around the east/north side to pick up 87 to Dumas. 335 loops the outskirts of the whole city. Or we take I-40 west to Vega, 385 north to Hartley, then pick up 87 again. That not only avoids downtown Amarillo, but Dumas as well. Neither are too bad, just a number of lights and slow speed limits. The route thru Vega is a few miles farther, but only one 4 way stop in Vega.
I-27 will end and put you onto US 87 thru the middle of downtown Amarillo. Again, not too bad. But you can miss that by taking I-40 west from I-27, or even taking loop 335 around the southwest side to I-40 west. 335 is a good road and only a few lights and several miles shorter that way.
Joe can give you a better idea of what to do in the Canon City area. But we found about 2-3 hours was all we needed for the gorge itself.

Do you go through Dalhart, TX? Looks like the railroad overpass there is only 13 feet high.

-Chris

[BB_TX]

Yes we do go thru Dalhart. And to be honest, I never noticed a sign stating the RR underpass was that low. Just haven't paid any attention to it since there are so many RVs of all types and sizes go thru there.
Have not raked anything off yet. And there are 5ers much larger than us go thru there.
Edit. I did a google street view look and the sign says 13'-7".

[sreigle]

You'll be in some beautiful country there in Colorado, especially the Estes Park area. And don't forget Palo Duro Canyon near Amarillo. Enjoy the trip!

[mainer]

Looks like you have planned a great trip. It is definitely beautiful country. We were there in June 2010 and the weather was perfect, not too hot or cold.

While there we visited the Air Force Academy, Valley of the Gods (a really neat park right in the middle of the city), Manitou Cliff Dwellings, The Seven Falls & Pikes Peak. We enjoyed all of them. So much to see and not too far to drive.

Enjoy and have a safe trip.
Jim & Marge

[SAndreasen]

While you are in Estes Park take the walk around Bear lake. VERY VERY pretty. It's an easy level walk. Been there twice.

[CamillaMichael]

It sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned...we, too, hope to make it to that part of the country some time in the not too distant future. Until then, we will have to enjoy the trip second hand through lucky travelers like you! Enjoy and have a safe trip.

[coyoterick]

quote:Originally posted by mainer

While there we visited the Air Force Academy, Valley of the Gods (a really neat park right in the middle of the city), Manitou Cliff Dwellings, The Seven Falls & Pikes Peak.

That should read "Garden of the Gods", which is on the west side of Colorado Springs near Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs. Also visit the Cave of the Winds which is nearby the Cliff Dwellings!

[mainer]

Thanks for picking up on that and correcting it. It is a great place to visit.