Contributor I
Headed out to Colorado for the first time. 3 week long road trip from FT Myers, FL. Looking for some great places to get off the grid. As well as see some great sights. Would anyone like to share a favorite location of their’s?
Colorado Overlanding
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Enthusiast III
It has been a while since I have lived in Colorado so some of the details of these places are a little vague. Hopefully, you get a few ideas from this.
Hwy 14 out of Fort Collins to FR156 to Long Draw Reservoir. Very beautiful area! It is the only place in Colorado I have ever seen moose. There was an awesome hiking trail somewhere past Long Draw Reservoir, but I cannot remember the name of it.
Even though it is very commercialized, it was always nice to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Lake.
Another one of my favorite areas was to take Hwy 285 west over Kenosa Pass, down in the valley, left on FR56, and in to the Lost Wilderness area.
I always loved the drive on Boreas Pass Road from Como to Breckenridge. Lots of dispersed camping along the route.
Driving from the east side of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range over Medano Pass down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park is another one of my favorite drives.
Now that I live in Arizona and not in Colorado I try to make it up to south western Colorado and the San Juan mountain around Ouray and Silverton often. Endless mountain beauty in this area. Lots of mountain passes to drive over. Lots of camping and hiking in the area. Let me know if you want more information about this area. My latest trip in this area was a year ago. We camped in Anvil campground near Silverton and did Ophir Pass, explored Alta Lakes, Stony Pass, and California Pass.
Hwy 14 out of Fort Collins to FR156 to Long Draw Reservoir. Very beautiful area! It is the only place in Colorado I have ever seen moose. There was an awesome hiking trail somewhere past Long Draw Reservoir, but I cannot remember the name of it.
Even though it is very commercialized, it was always nice to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Lake.
Another one of my favorite areas was to take Hwy 285 west over Kenosa Pass, down in the valley, left on FR56, and in to the Lost Wilderness area.
I always loved the drive on Boreas Pass Road from Como to Breckenridge. Lots of dispersed camping along the route.
Driving from the east side of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range over Medano Pass down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park is another one of my favorite drives.
Now that I live in Arizona and not in Colorado I try to make it up to south western Colorado and the San Juan mountain around Ouray and Silverton often. Endless mountain beauty in this area. Lots of mountain passes to drive over. Lots of camping and hiking in the area. Let me know if you want more information about this area. My latest trip in this area was a year ago. We camped in Anvil campground near Silverton and did Ophir Pass, explored Alta Lakes, Stony Pass, and California Pass.
Member III
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1. Yankee Boy Basin- outside Ouray, great trail up to the basin and Mt. Sneffels. Camp there at Angel Creek NFCG or Thistledown NFCG.
2. Alpine Loop- from Lake City to Ouray. Great campground on the Loop...Lake San Cristobol NFCG and my favorite on the Loop, Mill Creek NFCG.
3. La Garita Wilderness- just south and east of Lake City with numerous NF roads with the best Stagecoach Trail going east to west along the Gunnison River and two 10-12K passes. Spectacular. Lots of developed camping in small NF camgrounds.
By now you've noticed a theme...all my favorites are in or around the San Juan Mtns. Been coming back for over 40 years. Oh and the folks here really support the off-road community. (Ouray and Lake City)
2. Alpine Loop- from Lake City to Ouray. Great campground on the Loop...Lake San Cristobol NFCG and my favorite on the Loop, Mill Creek NFCG.
3. La Garita Wilderness- just south and east of Lake City with numerous NF roads with the best Stagecoach Trail going east to west along the Gunnison River and two 10-12K passes. Spectacular. Lots of developed camping in small NF camgrounds.
By now you've noticed a theme...all my favorites are in or around the San Juan Mtns. Been coming back for over 40 years. Oh and the folks here really support the off-road community. (Ouray and Lake City)
As mentioned, Southwest CO around the San Juans is awesome and only a few hours from Moab for a short detour. I picked up this book before I went as a little bit of research help but now most everything is online. There are a bunch of websites that show current trail conditions and what’s open if you search around (good during snow conditions, fires, etc). Colorado is awesome for encouraging people to get outdoors 
OP: Do you have a particular part of Colorado you're headed for or just winging it?
What activities outside camping looking for?
Are you tenting, pulling a trailer, renting accommodations?
Like others here, Colorado is our gold standard for outdoor activities. But we head to different areas depending if we're rafting, fishing, backpacking, off roading, etc.
Give us more details on what you're looking to do and folks will steer you right.
What activities outside camping looking for?
Are you tenting, pulling a trailer, renting accommodations?
Like others here, Colorado is our gold standard for outdoor activities. But we head to different areas depending if we're rafting, fishing, backpacking, off roading, etc.
Give us more details on what you're looking to do and folks will steer you right.
Enthusiast III
This looks amazing! We are trying to put a trip together to Colorado also. I was thinking the Silverton area but a little nervous on If our Mild built Tundra would be ok to tackle some of the passes that are part of the alpine loop. I am more into amazing views and less about technical terrain, beautiful camping locations and less about tourism. With that I'm afraid this area may be to busy for us. What has your experience been?
Enthusiast III
I cannot speak specifically for a Tundra or : Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass, but I have done Ophir, California, and Stony passes in a stock 2019 4Runner TRD Pro. While at the top of Stony Pass there was stock Tahoe. While at the top of California Pass there was a stock Sequoia with maybe 1 inch taller tires. He said he has done all of the passes in the area. He and his family would come to Ouray or Silverton every year in their Sequoia.
You may want to plan on at least two trips. The first trip just plan on doing the easier passes to see what the Tundra can do. The area is awesome enough that seeing only once is not enough.
Enthusiast III
Thanks this is great information. I looked at stony pass, and Imogene pass and maybe Yankee boy basin all look like they have incredible views and possible camping.
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Ophir pass is a good one to try. Cinnamon Pass I've done in a '74 Toyota Hilux, a '98 CRV AWD, a '95 T100, a '99 Tacoma, a 2000 Wrangler, a 2007 FJ Cruiser,and next year taking my GX470. Key is dry road and taking your time in the rough spots. Both the campgrounds...Mill Creek and Thistledown had vacancies in July so you odds are good, and both had campsites on the river with awesome mountain views.
Thought of another good one just north of Ouray with freakin spectacular view of the entire San Juan Range: trail to Owl Creek Pass and campground at Silver Jack Reservoir.
Couple more shots from the La Garita Wilderness.
More Pictures of the Alpine Loop.
A stock vehicle driven carefully can get you to some pretty amazing places in the San Juans.
Thought of another good one just north of Ouray with freakin spectacular view of the entire San Juan Range: trail to Owl Creek Pass and campground at Silver Jack Reservoir.
Couple more shots from the La Garita Wilderness.
More Pictures of the Alpine Loop.
A stock vehicle driven carefully can get you to some pretty amazing places in the San Juans.
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Enthusiast III
THIS IS AMAZING! I am blown away for sure these are some great photos and i certainly appreciate it! This will help for sure.
Flightdoc
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Contributor I
What a timely thread. I'm headed to CO to meet some buddies in Gunnison and want to spend some time exploring that area. Can't wait! Have a 2015 JKU, 2.5" lift and winch, but because I'm toting around a bum left arm for now, I definitely don't want any challenging off roading since I'll be alone for part of this trip.
Explorer I
Heading that way after I take care of some VA appointments. I can't wait to get there. Just spend a month in New Mexico.
Savin yours
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Enthusiast III
Enthusiast III
I was just in Colorado. Here are a couple of places that were really nice.
Crystal Mill near Marble
Alta Lakes near Telluride
Crystal Mill near Marble
Alta Lakes near Telluride
USStrongman
Rank V
Influencer II
Check current conditions daily. Monsoon rain has been extremely heavy causing a lot of back country trails to close.
Black Bear was closed, now open due to unstable roadway from a mudslide.
Imogene is still closed with an unknown reopen date. One report said it had a partial road washout on the west end at about waypoint 5.
Bridal Veil Falls road to Via Ferrata was closed for 2 days but is back open. 35' wide mudslide trapped 2 dozen people for most of Monday in the falls parking area.
Stony Pass (east of Lake City) eastern water crossing is impassible in the afternoons due to increased snow pack melt from the rain. 4wd vehicles with enough height have been traversing it in the mornings before the afternoon picks up speed and depth.
Black Bear was closed, now open due to unstable roadway from a mudslide.
Imogene is still closed with an unknown reopen date. One report said it had a partial road washout on the west end at about waypoint 5.
Bridal Veil Falls road to Via Ferrata was closed for 2 days but is back open. 35' wide mudslide trapped 2 dozen people for most of Monday in the falls parking area.
Stony Pass (east of Lake City) eastern water crossing is impassible in the afternoons due to increased snow pack melt from the rain. 4wd vehicles with enough height have been traversing it in the mornings before the afternoon picks up speed and depth.
Enthusiast III
Great pictures. For all of those years I lived in Colorado, I never made it to the Crystal Mill. I guess I will have to put it on my list to travel to from Arizona someday. What is the second picture?
Enthusiast III
It's at Alta Lakes, near Telluride. There are about 15 free campsites there near the lake.
Enthusiast III
Oh yea, I see it now. I was there last year. I did not get as good of pictures as the one you posted. It was really crowded the day we were there, but, most of the camp sites were still covered with snow. Here is the best picture of the ones I took.
The one trail that you need to avoid is Mineral Creek off the highway just south of Ouray. It is part of the Alpine loop, but would be to difficult to tackle with the tundra. Not worth taking any unnecessary risks while enjoying your vacation. You can start your adventure from Silverton if you want to do the historic Alpine loop. There are so many places to enjoy and the scenery is second to very few, and though it is very busy place, just take it at your own pace and it will be a place you will long to go back to. Like I have said in so many other threads, my favorite place to go in Colorado and I try to go there every chance I can.
Since my wife doesn't like to do shelf roads so she sends me off with her blessing, I have been searching out dispersed camp sites that she won't mind the drive to so that we can enjoy some hiking and the towns in the area.
