Super Epic Summer Colorado Adventure

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

GeoRoss

GeoRoss

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
Dec 4, 2004
Threads
100
Messages
2,564
Location
Tucson AZ
Well now I have your attention I hope I can pick your brains a little bit. It looks like we are on for the first two weeks or so of August. I/we have no itinerary planned yet except the girls will kill me in my sleep if we don't stop in Durango for a ride on the Silverton train. We didn't do it last year and I am still getting crap about it.

I'd like to pick some brains on some camping locations. We are looking at hitting Ouray and Telluride. What we most want to do is base camp and do day hikes from those locations. Primitive camping or established forest service campgrounds are ok.

We really don't like making plans, just having a big pile of options and doing what ever is fun.

This year should be "interesting". The 2 1/2 year old is at home "becoming" potty trained right now. This means we will be hitting laundry mats every so often for the obvious reasons.

Looking forward to your experiences.
 
Howdy! High mountains and cool temps, you'll just hate it. Go online and check for tickets on the train. It is frequently booked 6-12 months in advance. I took my pregnant wife, 2 and 4 years along many years ago. Ride in the enclosed coach, because the smoke will get to the kids pretty quick. You can wander around for good pix. I was hanging off the steps on the last car and got some super shots before they chased me back into the car. On the return trip they stop for water at a big old wooden tank. I got a pic of the water coming out of the spout over the Fireman and Engineer. Got it published on the front page of the hometown newspaper. You can also get neat shots of the old rails that have fallen into the river down below the tracks. I want to go back and ride in the winter next time. John
 
Sounds like a great trip, the last time I was in Ouray, I was a little one, although we discovered where the local "Pan for Gold" vender was getting his stash:) (Up the hill from his tourist trap). We ended up with a couple of small nuggets which to this date, I have no clue as to their whereabouts.:frown:
 
GeoRoss said:
Well now I have your attention I hope I can pick your brains a little bit. It looks like we are on for the first two weeks or so of August. I/we have no itinerary planned yet except the girls will kill me in my sleep if we don't stop in Durango for a ride on the Silverton train. We didn't do it last year and I am still getting crap about it.

I'd like to pick some brains on some camping locations. We are looking at hitting Ouray and Telluride. What we most want to do is base camp and do day hikes from those locations. Primitive camping or established forest service campgrounds are ok.

We really don't like making plans, just having a big pile of options and doing what ever is fun.

This year should be "interesting". The 2 1/2 year old is at home "becoming" potty trained right now. This means we will be hitting laundry mats every so often for the obvious reasons.

Looking forward to your experiences.
Click to expand...


With kids I would stay at KOA in Ouray hands down.
They have everything a family needs at a very reasonable price.
I would also consider KOA camping cabins - it rains a little to a lot just about every day.

Others
Matterhorn Campground outside Telluride

Spots fill up early so make your plans asap
 
The wife and I stayed overnight a few years back in a bed and breakfast in Silverton (after taking the train) that was situated above the french bakery in town. You grabbed an available key off the board and found the room you wanted. You ended up running across the host later and was very casual and friendly. We rented a Jeep and explored the area - alot of interesting mine, buildings, & equipment from years past. Anywhere in that are is just plain gorgeous! Looks like a mini Switzerland!
 
Are the hot springs at Ouray worthwhile?
 
GeoRoss said:
Are the hot springs at Ouray worthwhile?
Click to expand...

More so for the kids. Timing is important, any lightening or rain you are out.
For hot springs you want to go a little East to Pagosa Springs very nice and much warmer.
 
I remember driving up from Telluride to a mountain lake where people camped - very peaceful

lemme look at a map tomorrow....
 
I will be in Ouray, July 25th-30th with my kids.

I have stayed at the KOA before, it is a very nice place, but I am pretty sure that it is booked by now. Might want to call ASAP to make sure.
 
Pskhaat said:
I could give you a personal novel on places in the San Juans to camp and enjoy with the wee ones. Are you looking for camp GROUNDS or great places to camp? Are you looking to get away from it all or just hang about Tohelluride and Ouray &c?
Click to expand...


Both actually. Just trying to get a collection of options to fit out needs. Traveling with little kids often means just traveling without a plan, just going with the flow. My preference is for mostly undeveloped places that a single vehicle can safely go to.

I think we have tickets for the train, but I have to double check with my wife who is in charge of that. So far that is our only "hard" schedule.
 
I understand as I have 3 wee ones myself.

My play on the old classic "alpine loop" route taking into account AZ as a source, the important side routes I've highlighted. There's good kid-friendly camping almost everywhere along this route (and some not-so-good-for-kid mine sites so beware) and you get to see the best-of; Google doesn't connect Camp Bird into Telluride, but I assure you the road perfectly exists (you likely know this).

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...33,-107.819824&spn=1.020015,1.674042&t=p&z=10

I included Silverton as I believe you can depart and return from there as well as from Dango.
 
Well, this is turning into one of those epic vacations. The alternator started to fail on the way to Durango on Monday. Got a new one ordered and decided to have the dealership do it as I am on vacation. How hard can that be? Evidently the tech didn't like the look of one of the wires coming from the battery and helped me out by splicing in some new wiring and fixing some other stuff. 3 miles away I smell burning and start getting no charge on the new alternator. He spliced out the AM2 fusible link. :lol: I have no clue what he did, but at least Durango is a nice place to be stuck in.

attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php


The news around Durango is Phoenix's new HIGH, low temp of 96˚. :eek:

Anyone have a clue what the consequences are of mucking with the wiring of the AM2 fusible link?

Well it is my own fault, I wanted an epic vacation. :lol:
 
Of the places I have been Stuck...snowly road in BFE, Barstow, Quilcene, Wa.....Durango would have been much preffered!
 
Nice pic of the girls in the middle of a brain freeze.:rolleyes::eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom