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Old 12-27-2019, 06:39 PM   #1
SLC
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Colorado road trip

Hi everyone!

We are starting to plan a trip to Colorado and were
wondering if anyone has any tips, suggestions or info they would not mind sharing on big rig friendly campgrounds, must see/do’s?

Some places we want to see are
Rocky Mt NP
Durango
Telluride
Buena Vista (collegiate peaks)

Thanks!
 
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Old 12-27-2019, 07:00 PM   #2
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I can tell you that I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs is a MESS!! Constructions almost the entire stretch, barrier walls and stop and go traffic. Awful. We did it in May this year. Construction is expected to last a long time.
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Old 12-27-2019, 07:07 PM   #3
Mikendebbie
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Colorado

This past summer we stayed at the KOA north of Fort Collins as a base camp because we wanted to spend time in Cheyenne and Estes Park. It is a very nice park. Frankly - I chickened out and did not want to pull the Monte up or down Hwy 34.

In Estes Park we drove thru Elk Meadow Lodge and RV Resort and there were lots of Montana’s and big rigs. Nice place! We will stay there next time.

We lived in Greeley and Denver in the 80s and early 90s, and we camped in many parks at Estes but we were in a pop-up and a tent. Same thing for Durango so I do not have current info for camps to accommodate the Monte.

Fort Collins is a neat town, lots of traffic and crowded. Lawrence KS is also a college town and we visited this past summer. It reminded us of Fort Collins except without the homeless and the bums.

I agree with previous post about conditions on I25. Its like driving on a bombed out runway.
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Old 12-27-2019, 07:53 PM   #4
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I'm not sure where "Old Bridge" is located so I don't know from which direction you will be entering Colorado. But ...

You mentioned these places:

Rocky Mt NP
Durango
Telluride
Buena Vista (collegiate peaks)

If you are coming in from the east let us begin at Rocky Mountain National Park as an example. I will assume that you will make reservations in one of the Estes Park campgrounds. None of them is ideal but several can take care of your big rig. I know most about Spruce Lake because I've stayed there several times. I believe it is a good as any. Elk Meadow is owned by the same people and is right at the Park Entrance. Mary's Lake is some kind of publicly owned campground and is a bit less crowded

Anyway, no problem for big rigs, but reservations necessary and not inexpensive. From there you could make Buena Vista your next stop. If you are not afraid of mountain driving I recommend the Peak to Peak Highway which will totally avoid Denver and bring you out to I-70 west of that city. I can give more complete directions if you request.

Buena Visit remains one of our favorite spots in Colorado. There are two campgrounds I place at the top of the list: Arrowhead Point north of town and the KOA south of town. There are lots of other choices, but I will stick to this recommendation.

From Buena Vista (on your way to Telluride) you have some good options which I will recommend: Gunnison/Crested Butte and Ouray. Plenty of good campgrounds at all of these places. You will have to come close to get to Telluride anyway. You will be very close to Ouray, another of our favorites and near the turn-off to Telluride. Telluride is not one of our stops but I'm including it as you wish to visit there. I know nothing of campgrounds there. But if you wish to go on from Telluride to Durango you will pass right by Mesa Verde National Park which is certainly worth a visit.

If you have never been to Durango you will surely want to take the train to Silverton (I recommend taking the bus back; the train both ways is a very long day) Many good choices for campgrounds in Durango. We have stayed at United and like the chance to see the train come right through the campground. Otherwise it is typical of older in town RV parks.

Now I will leave you in Durango, but depending on where you are headed for home I'm sure I could give you some suggestions of great places for other stops along the way.

We have been going to Colorado from East Texas for more than 50 years and with an RV for over 20 years. Before that cottages, tents, and backpacking. If you wish to PM me I'll be glad to respond with more specific comments or to answer any questions you may have.
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Old 12-27-2019, 08:12 PM   #5
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Buena Vista is a nice area. A nice hilly and narrow drive N and West to Aspen if you want to see some nice expensive places to dine!

We stay at Snowy Peaks in the past, but tried Mt Princeton last year. Snowy is kind of narrow and a little older - Princeton is newer I think and wide sites.

Definitely go to Leadville for the train ride if you like those sort of things (we do).
We have stayed at Winding River west of Rocky Mt NP several times. Bring your horses if you want!. It has wifi at some sites. On the East side we stayed at Estes Park in Elk Park or something like that. It was okay. Downtown has a lot of dining places and shopping.
In Durango we have stayed at Durango Riverside Resort which is so-so, but not much better in the area. While here drive up to Silverton for some site seeing after the train ride.
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Old 12-27-2019, 09:25 PM   #6
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We have stayed a couple of times at Priest Gulch Rv Park, an absolutely beautiful park. It’s about 40 minutes from Telluride (actually Mountain Village, where you take the free gondola ride to Telluride), and an hour and a half or less to Ouray or Mesa Verde. It’s at about 8,000 ft. so it’s nice and pleasant in the summer. If you don’t mind long days then you can do day trips from there to Durango or even Moab UT. Beware however, if you’re lucky enough to get a spot on the river you may not want to go anywhere. Reversations need to be made ASAP!
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Old 12-28-2019, 07:27 AM   #7
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Thanks to all for your quick reply’s.
Already researching some of your suggestions.
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Old 12-28-2019, 08:05 AM   #8
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We were in that area in 2014, and partly again in 2018.

Rocky Mountain Nation Park is beautiful. We stayed at Elk Meadow Park, and had no issues. Lots of space, easy pull through sites, etc. Estes Park the town can get very busy with traffic and pedestrians.

We stayed at Cortez KOA and took a day trip to Telluride. A nice drive is from Silverton north, called the Million Dollar Highway. If you follow it further you would get to Telluride. I'm not sure I would want to take a rig on that road due to the tight turns. You would want to stop and take pictures anyway, and there would be no room to pull over with a rig.

We also took a little gold mine tour near Silverton. We did the train up and back, but the next day we drove there.

We took the 2014 trip after Labor Day. We did the four states (CO, UT, NM AZ. We started with CO (Colorado Springs), then continued south and west from there. The Wolf Creek Pass is very nice (Highway 160). Before heading home, we went back into CO (stayed at Cortez) and drove to Telluride. The sky was blue, snow had fallen in the past week, the aspens were golden, and the views to die for. In Telluride there is a free gondola ride to the top of a hill. It's very nice.

Mesa Verda NP is definitely worth a visit.

We stayed in Buena Vist (KOA) last year on our way from Estes Park to Chama, NM for the train ride. We did not really see much of the place as it was an overnight stop. The Chama train ride was nice.
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Old 12-28-2019, 02:20 PM   #9
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We had a great time riding our side by sides out of Silverton CO this summer. Snow most likely has it blocked off now. There were a couple of big rig friendly campgrounds and you can ride your side by side right out of them thru town to the trails. The Alpine Loop is an all day 4x4 adventure that crosses several passes above the tree line. It's one of those "postcard at every turn" kind of places.
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Old 12-28-2019, 05:14 PM   #10
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The KOA at Rifle is right on the Colorado River.... riverside sites available, some paved with covered picnic tables. The Rifle Falls State Park is an unbelievable side trip, and Colorado National Monument (Near Grand Junction) is well worth a visit is you are on the west side of Colorado.
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Old 12-31-2019, 03:09 PM   #11
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Take the road to nowhere out of Grand Junction if you have a chance. Beautiful sight at night looking over the city. Drove up just before sunset so could enjoy the scenery
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