Colorado Alpine Loop Planning

JMorgan2432

Rank 0

Contributor II

68
Murphysboro, Illinois, USA
First Name
Jim
Last Name
Morgan
Hello Community. My name is Jim Morgan and I'm a brand new member and this is my first post.

I am from Murphysboro, Illinois (deep rural southern Illinois). I am 58 and my wife is 57 years old. We drive a Polaris Ranger XD1500. It is surprisingly capable on the trails, keeping up with Polaris RZRs, Honda Talons and other more sport designed vehicles. We are joy-riders, not thrill seekers... we go "low and slow" and enjoy the ride. I have experience in overlanding in Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming and in the Black Hills. South Dakota and the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia.

We'll be towing our ORV with a capable heavy duty truck and an 18' utility trailer.

I NEED SOME BIG HELP. This summer my wife and I are headed to the Alpine Loop of Colorado. We will be staying in Lake City, Silverton and Ouray. We've already planned the itinerary, lodging and routes for the trip. However, I've always traveled in groups and I've never been the planner or navigator on the trails. I need some help navigating the roadways, trailer parking, trail access AND MOST IMPORTANLY trail maps.

Is there ANYONE that is very familiar with the Colorado Alpine Loop and these towns that would be willing to discuss this over the phone. I'll be brief and to the point, but it might allow the fact-finding a little quicker and more efficient.

I"m basically looking for:
1-How to obtain both MVUM maps for these areas AS WELL AS the easy-to-read visitor trail maps.
2.-Secure overnight and daytime parking for my trailer and ORV at each town.
3-How to get the ORV from the parking areas to the trailheads legally.
4-Any other tips that your experience provides.

We will be spending two or three nights at each town. As mentioned, we already have our lodging and routes determined and est up. In regards to the referenced maps, below is our route for each day of overlanding.

Lake City (2 nights)
Overlanding Day: Lake City > American Basin > Cinnamon Pass > Animas Forks > Engineer Pass > Lake City

Silverton (3 nights)
Overlanding Day 1: Silverton > Corkscrew > Hurricane > California > Animas Forks > Silverton
Overlanding Day 2: Silverton > Eureka > Cunningham Gulch > Stony Pass > Silverton

Ouray (2 nights)
Overanlding Day: Ouray > Yankee Boy Basin > Governor Basin > Ouray

PLEASE HELP and thank you for this community!

Jim Morgan
618-525-1006