CO - Alpine Loop Trail to Vail, CO (and possibly Moab, UT)

[ARIZ ST 8]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

 

[Neal A. Tew]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

How much time do you have in CO? is there something in particular you're looking to do in Leadville and Vail?

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

How much time do you have in CO? is there something in particular you're looking to do in Leadville and Vail?

Have about 1 - 2 weeks. I've been through Leadville before and had a fun time exploring, plus it'll get us towards I-70 for me to head back to IL if we spend all of our time in CO.

Really just looking for a good route to take the kids on an adventure. The geography is also different from the SW portion of the state in the Alpine Loop area vs Eagle County. But I'm open to other suggestions for things to do / explore.

 

[KonzaLander]

This was a route I was working on for a group trip that never happened. It follows your desired route pretty well!

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

This was a route I was working on for a group trip that never happened. It follows your desired route pretty well!

Seriously!

Thanks - this is awesome. LMK if I can ping you with some questions once I've had a chance to review in more detail. Are you local to the area or familiar with it to give perspective?

 

[KonzaLander]

Seriously!

Thanks - this is awesome. LMK if I can ping you with some questions once I've had a chance to review in more detail. Are you local to the area or familiar with it to give perspective?

I am not local, but I have family in Salida and did live in Vail for a year. I've spent a few weeks every summer since 1999 exploring that area of Colorado and did a lot of solo exploration when I lived in Vail in 2008. Only spot I haven't personally been is the immediate area around "Cathedral". Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll do my best to answer.

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

Reviving this thread... who would have known about COVID when I first started this post. We're now considering dispersed camping along the Alpine Loop. Does anyone know if there are specific places we can camp for the night? Or more important, specific places we need to avoid to setup camp for an evening?

 

[TxJeeper75]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

I know of a couple spots. Gold King Basin or Alta Lakes just North of Ophir off 145. Gold King was my favorite site on my cross country trip last month.

 

[TxJeeper75]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

There are 5 others I know about between Poncha Springs and Leadville, off Hwy 24. I haven't stayed at any of those, but can give you coordinates.

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

I know of a couple spots. Gold King Basin or Alta Lakes just North of Ophir off 145. Gold King was my favorite site on my cross country trip last month.

If you have coordinates, that'd be awesome.

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

There are 5 others I know about between Poncha Springs and Leadville, off Hwy 24. I haven't stayed at any of those, but can give you coordinates.

That would be great to get these coordinates. Thanks!

 

[TxJeeper75]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

 

[TxJeeper75]

Hi - if anyone has advice for leaving the Alpine Loop Trail at Lake City, going towards Gunnison, then Leadville and ultimately Vail, CO please let me know. Timeframe of this trip is June, 2020 (snow melt permitting).

I'm building my route right now via GAIA.

Tips on any dispersed camping areas would be awesome. Needs to be kid friendly.

Vehicles headed out are mine (2001 Montero / Pajero) and a Gen 3 4Runner.

Here you go. From South to North. I looked on Google maps, and all seemed to be easy dirt roads,. Most had fire rings. Hope this helps, and have a good time.

Shavano Wildlife Area dispersed camping 38.5441, -106.1178

Mt. Antero Meadows dispersed camping 38.6943, -106.1424

Foothills overlooking Buena Vista
38.8323, -106.213

Buena Vista free BLM campground
38.874, -106.148 This one runs along the Arkansas River.

Dispersed County road 48 Turquoise Lake
39.2455, -106.3711

I do suggest if you get down by Ophir, checking out the Gold King Basin (pic). It is beautiful, and there are some old mines you can check out right there.
37.8776, -107.8447

 

[ARIZ ST 8]

Here you go. From South to North. I looked on Google maps, and all seemed to be easy dirt roads,. Most had fire rings. Hope this helps, and have a good time.

Shavano Wildlife Area dispersed camping 38.5441, -106.1178

Mt. Antero Meadows dispersed camping 38.6943, -106.1424

Foothills overlooking Buena Vista
38.8323, -106.213

Buena Vista free BLM campground
38.874, -106.148 This one runs along the Arkansas River.

Dispersed County road 48 Turquoise Lake
39.2455, -106.3711

I do suggest if you get down by Ophir, checking out the Gold King Basin (pic). It is beautiful, and there are some old mines you can check out right there.
37.8776, -107.8447

This is great! Thank you for helping me with these details!

 

[TxJeeper75]

This is great! Thank you for helping me with these details!

No problem. I wish I was up in those mountains right now. I'm baking out here in South Texas.

 

[JDGreens]

This is great! Thank you for helping me with these details!

So what is your time frame for your trip now? Some of our Rocky mnt. Region members are planning on being down in the Ouray area August 20th.-August 27th.
I'm kicking around the idea of heading down for a long weekend? John has perked my interest.