vacation question for those from the rocky mountain state.

[Beer Snob-50]

this year my wife and i as well as our 18 and 20 yo sons plan a trip to colorado. we want to do a variety of stuff from visiting musuems, to just hiking, to visiting touristy stuff, to whatever.

where would be a good place to start.

[GoCubsGo]

1. As a former Colorado resident....

I highly recommend:
The Great Sand Dunes National Park: http://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP: http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm

Florissant Fossil Beds NM: http://www.nps.gov/FLFO/index.htm

The town of Cripple Creek is nearby. It's fun in a touristy sort of way. And, if you find yourself in Colorado Springs, a trip up Pike's Peak on the cog railroad is worth the effort. Or, you can take your chances and drive up.

Leadville is a pretty cool town, as are Silverton and Ouray. If you are in the vicinity of the latter, check out Mesa Verde NP, which is around 100 miles from Ouray: http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

There's also Dinosaur National Monument: http://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

And, Rocky Mt. NP goes without saying.

You don't say what time of year you are planning this trip. If you are planning a summer trip, you can get some relatively reasonable lodging rates at any of the ski resort towns.

[Beer Snob-50]

4. we are planning a summer vacation

thanks for the tips this helps

[kayakjohnny]

2. Head to the Western Slope. It gets you away from the big crowds and gives you the option

of getting to the desert. Use Montrose or Grand Junction for your headquarters perhaps. Or even Glenwood Springs, though they've kind of lost the edge over the years.

Getting away from I-70 gives you the chance to drive the many cool country highway and jeep roads. I would certainly try to see Ouray, and maybe Durango or Telluride. Mesa Verde is well worth the trip down.

The Colorado National Monument is great. It looks more like Utah and is very close to Grand Junction, which is very close to the Utah line. Marble and Redstone and Crystal are a few cool little areas south of Carbondale, between Aspen and Glenwood.


Paonia and Hotchkiss are two more decent little towns on the way to Montrose or Junction.


Hope that helps. I'm real big on the Western Slope and the 4 corners area. So much to do.

Cheers and have a great trip!

[Beer Snob-50]

5. thanks for the help

my wife and i went to utah/nevada/arizona on a vacation at the end of september that was fantastic. we went to two national parks that were tremendous

[mix]

3. Mesa Verde is in the southwest corner of the state...incredible ruins.

[Beer Snob-50]

6. this picture makes me really want to go here

this is awesome thanks.

[mix]

12. It is very rugged and a real adventure to visit.

Lots of climbing and hiking...

[TZ]

7. It will be crowded BUT

I would highly recommend Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. Both incredibly beautiful. And some of the "ski resorts" like Vail are worth it just for the views...Breckenridge is particular is spectacular.

[kiva]

8. Agreed on western Colorado,

lots of places that are low-key. One of the best drives is to Telluride - it's no longer a sleepy post-mining town, but it's still beautiful. From there you can go to Durango and Cortez (Mesa Verde is a must-do). If you can deal with extreme mountain driving (no shoulder in some places, very long drops) go from Durango to Silverton and on to Ouray. If that sort of driving is not your thing, you can take the narrow gauge railroad from Durango to Silverton and back (disclaimer here: I haven't been to that area in a few years, so maybe someone can confirm that the train is still running).

Grand Junction has some interesting wineries, and if you are there in late August the peaches are great. You can go to the Colorado National Monument - worth seeing - and, if you are so inclined, you can go to Moab, Utah (about a 2 and a half hour drive if I remember correctly) and to Arches National Monument, very impressive.

Dinosaur National Monument is OK, and (if you are headed back east) you can take the northern route through Steamboat Springs (very pretty). As a former Colorado resident, I will say that you have made a good choice for your vacation.

[Beer Snob-50]

11. there does seem like a lot to do.

i think i will have to take my time and plan this thing out. that is the way we have always do vacations. i plan the whole thing out and no one has ever complained.

[kiva]

13. One thing to consider - I touched on it in my post -

is how comfortable you are driving in the mountains. When I lived in Colorado I talked to tourists who were downing multiple drinks to settle their nerves after driving on what they considered a scary mountain road; it turned out they had been on the interstate - lowest speed limit 55 MPH, sort of like mountain driving with training wheels. On the other hand, I talked to a guy who worked at a hotel in Durango and he said that when tourists pissed him off he recommended that they drive over Red Mountain Pass, guaranteed to spook the most experienced mountain driver. There are plenty of great places just off the main roads if you find you don't like the narrow road/steep drop thing.

[joeybee12]

9. Lots of good ideas...I would put an extra push in for Mesa Verde

and Great Sand Dunes...prepare to spend a while at both...lots of cliff dwellings in incredible shape at mesa Verde, and the dunes are great to climb, and since you're going on sand, it will be slow going.

[arcadian]

10. Salida would be a good base.

Not far from Great Sand Dunes. Fourteeners all around(The easy walk up ones). Breck and Aspen not far.