Colorado Sight Seeing Trip

[completesportsman]

Hello CO friends!

My wife and kids, and myself are traveling around Colorado next week. We are going to make a loop, starting at Colorado Springs, and going to Estes Park, RMNP, Glenwood Springs, (Maybe Aspen, not sure yet), Grand Junction, Montrose, Silverton, Durango (going to ride the train)

Are there any must see sites along the route? or are there any must avoid?

Is there a good way to get from Aspen to Montrose? or is best way to go back up to I70 and across, only other way I see is 24/285, and then across 50 through Gunnison.

Thanks!

 

[1989Cohunter]

From aspen to montrose. Back track on us-82 to Carbondale. From there take highway 133 south to paonia and from there to delta and then montrose. This is a much more please try drive.

 

[1989Cohunter]

Side note I’d avoid aspen like the plague.

 

[Bluehair]

Wear good glasses on the train if you get an open car. Which you should. Hot cinders suck.

FYI it’s rainy and cold in the SW, and can be anytime.

I agree on Aspen. I’d rather hang in Moab.

 

[BeanMan]

Don’t forget you’ll need reservations to visit RMNP (after 3PM you don’t) now and they get sold out in advance.

 

[nripepi]

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is pretty cool to see and does not take long to visit, but I am not sure how busy it gets in the summer or if there are preferred locations on the east side (gravel roads I think) that are not as busy as the main entrance on the west? As mentioned before, Moab is only 2 hours from Grand Junction (try to hit Arches in the evening late or early early morning if possible).

 

[nripepi]

Don’t forget you’ll need reservations to visit RMNP (after 3PM you don’t) now and they get sold out in advance.

After 3 PM is best to see the elk there in the evenings. The road over the top is pretty awesome, would be cool to take it an hour or two before sunset.

 

[ColoradoBob]

When in Durango try to go to the Bar D Chuckwagon. Good family fun. When in Durango give me a shout & we'll meet for a cup of coffee.

Mesa Verde is a must see here in SW Colorado.

 

[Deerlove]

Maroon bells lake is a must out of aspen.

 

[BeanMan]

Maroon bells lake is a must out of aspen.

You need reservations for that too.

 

[BeanMan]

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is pretty cool to see and does not take long to visit, but I am not sure how busy it gets in the summer or if there are preferred locations on the east side (gravel roads I think) that are not as busy as the main entrance on the west? As mentioned before, Moab is only 2 hours from Grand Junction (try to hit Arches in the evening late or early early morning if possible).

The South Rim of The Black Canyon BP is the paved side, you’ll get more and better views from this side. The North Side is unpaved and you look over one cliff with a straight drop of 2400’ but the rest of the views are not as good as the South side.

 

[completesportsman]

Wow, thanks for all the replies, wife already made reservations for RMNP, all this helps, thank you all!

 

[completesportsman]

Wife says they changed our train ride from the two hour trip we had reservations for to a five hour trip, which is from Durango to cascade canyon, we’re not sure if we want to spend 5 hrs on the train, what would y’all do?

 

[Bluehair]

Go all the way to Silverton. The whole canyon is spectacular. You used to be able to ride it one way and get driven back down to Durango. Don’t know about these days though.

Cascade creek is only part way up the canyon. You miss the best part.

 

[completesportsman]

Go all the way to Silverton. The whole canyon is spectacular. You used to be able to ride it one way and get driven back down to Durango. Don’t know about these days though.

Cascade creek is only part way up the canyon. You miss the best part.

You can’t ride the bus back from Silverton right now, they’ve stopped it because of the 19!

 

[Bluehair]

That’s too bad. Durango does take the hygiene theater more seriously than most.

 

[HIcountryman]

If you go through Gunnison check out Randy Clark's Traders Rendezvous store! Lots of great mounts of monster muleys. Good prices too if you want to get some souveniers

 

[feddoc]

This is a cool option if you head down to the southern (best) part of Colorado.

Schedules & Fares | Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

 

[Deerlove]

You need reservations for that too.

Yes a and a bus ride.

 

[Cohntr62]

My wife and I and another couple are coming out mid-July for a week. We are flying to Denver and making a loop in the NW part of the state. We will finish up at RMNP and yes, we have our permits.

 

[txhunter58]

From Glenwood springs or Aspen area. As stated, go south from Carbondale. But go to Redstone, Marble, and Crystal. Quaint little towns and I love to fish the Crystal river. Then south over McClure pass BUT INSTEAD OF PAONIA AND DELTA, go over Kebler pass to Crested Butte then down to Montrose. Very scenic.

 

[HIcountryman]

Pain is nice CO wine country. If you are into that

 

[HIcountryman]

Paonia ...

 

[txhunter58]

Or do both.

 

[BeanMan]

From Glenwood springs or Aspen area. As stated, go south from Carbondale. But go to Redstone, Marble, and Crystal. Quaint little towns and I love to fish the Crystal river. Then south over McClure pass BUT INSTEAD OF PAONIA AND DELTA, go over Kebler pass to Crested Butte then down to Montrose. Very scenic.

The highway from Gunnison to Montrose is closed for hours each day for road construction for the foreseeable future. https://i2.wp.com/crestedbuttereale...s/2021/03/highway-50-closure.png?w=1024&ssl=1

 

[completesportsman]

Thanks for all the comments and tips, we're rolling out in a few hours!

 

[tracker12]

Let us know how the trip went