**HELP** SW Colorado Camping???

[stanley]

Greetings Colorado Residents:

I'm planning on loading-up the Yukon XL, and coleman pop-up, and the canoe for our annual family camping trip. The last couple of years we've been exploring Southern Utah, but this year I'm hoping to get up to the Durango area. We went through there several years ago, and just fell in love with it!

Can anyone give me some tips on where to camp? I'm looking for National Forest camp grounds (not KOA type of stuff...), preferrably close to a trout lake or two where the little ones can dunk some power bait & worms to catch some fish. We're planning on camping in the area for a few days, and then likely stay in a hotel/motel in Durrango for a day or two.

Any help on camp ground suggestions (or fishing & other activity recommendations for the area...) would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance,
S.

 

[txhunter58]

I will email you with a couple of spots that I have enjoyed over the years.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[txhunter58]

Well I tried to email you some info, but it was bounced back. May want to check your posted email. Here is the info I sent:

My favorite area to camp in Colorado is called Burro Brigde campground. It is located noth of Dolores up the West Dolores river near the old mining camp/town called Dunton. I don't think that you can make reservation, but I have hardly ever been there when there were not open campsites. It has an outhouse type restroom and a old style hand pump for drinking water. The west Dolores river is full of brookies and cutthroats. Below Burrow bridge you can use worms/bait, however, above the bridge is lures/flys only. You could also hike up to Navajo lake, but it is about a 4 mile hike uphill, so I usually just fish the river. There is Groundhog reservoir west of there, but they drained it last year and are still doing some work, so I don't think it will be restocked this summer. The campground itself is kind of remote, so it is not the right place if the wife wants to run to town and shop.

Next favorite would be South Minerals campground just northwest of Silverton. South minerals creek runs right by the camp and it has some good fishing above and below the camp.

The best one near Durango that I have been to is Haviland lake campground and is north of Durango. I think there is another campgroud close to that one called Chris Park. I believe that you can make a reservation for Chris Park but not Haviland. They would be an easy drive to the sights of the area and the lake is good fishing

Next would be a designated camping area near Molas lake north of Haviland. Don't know anything about it except the location and fishing should be good. They may not have any facilities.

Here is a useful link: http://www.durangobusiness.org/ for the chamber of commerce in Durango.

Here is a link to campgrounds in the area: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan/recreation/campgroundstatus/index.shtml

It is a beautiful area, so I think you will enjoy it. If you have any other questions, just email me.

David
txhunter58

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[stanley]

You're the man David! Thanks much for the tips!

I have been nosing around a little on the internet and I had found some information on Haviland lake, but not the other spots.

We're not locked-in on a date yet, but I'm hoping it will be by the end of June. I'll shoot you a PM with a report when we return.

Thanks again!
S.

PS: I'll update my profile with my corrected e-mail address. I hadn't realized it still had my old address... Thx!

 

[Paul_Crawford]

Stanley, north of Groundhog is Miramonte Lake. Excellent camping and nice campgrounds. Fantastic scenery. PC

 

[Paul_Crawford]

Oops, I meant excellent trout fishing. PC

 

[stanley]

Thanks much Paul! I'll check it out....

S.

 

[Paul_Crawford]

Stanley, if you go to Miramonte, let me know. I can give you some tips for catching the fish there. By the way, when are you going? I'll be there the last week of July. PC

 

[stanley]

Paul:

Looks like we'll be heading-up the week after the 4th of July. We're meeting some friends who are driving down from Salt Lake City (we're driving from Phx), so I have to confirm with him as well.

Is the camping pretty nice at Miramonte? Forest Service or State Park? Just curious.... Once I lock in the date, I'll let you know and you can share some of your secrets. ;-) Do you need a boat to fish Miramonte, or can you shore fish?

Thanks again,
S.

 

[RELH]

While you are in Durango, take the narrow gage train trip to Silverton. Beautiful trip and your family will enjoy the old mining town of Silverton.

RELH

 

[txhunter58]

My family and I will be staying at my property near Groundhog Res. July 1st through 7th, so if you decide to go to that area let me know and maybe we can say howdy. Paul has already clued me in to Miramonte lake, so I am going to go fishing there for sure. If you are looking for remote (over 40 miles from town) then Dunton or Miramonte would be just the ticket.

I would recommend the narrowgauge railroad too. However, I would recommend the one way ticket or one way on the train and return on the bus. If not everyone wants to ride, we usually have someone drive up and pick us up in Silverton. We can then spend as much time as we want in Silverton and come back out our lesiure. If everyone on the trip wants to ride, then we ride one way and return on the bus. The return trip is the same track you just came up on and takes time that we can be seeing other things.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Paul_Crawford]

Stanley, the campgrounds around Miramonte are nice. Be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms. They can really get with it!! Also, it can be windy there. Besides fishing, a lot of the locals go crayfishing. The lake is loaded with them. Really tasty. They're the reason the fish grow so quickly there. 4-6 pound 'bows are caught fairly regularly.

You and txhunter should hook up for a day of fishing!!! PC