wendy17

Hi all,

So, I have spent some time on an itinerary for our trip from San Diego to Breckenridge and back. I will be travelling with my 2 boys, 5 and 7, and my mom. I want to do different routes there and back, at least through Colorado. I think I've maximized my vacation time....the biggest pain is the stretch from home to Flagstaff, but I hate to break that up and waste vacation days just getting to Flagstaff

By way of background.......while I'd love to spend a full day at some of these places, travelling with two young boys will only give me a couple of hours before the "I am tired and my legs don't work" speeches, so some of the places that may warrant more time are really just places to stretch legs.

My main questions are....should I reverse my itinerary. I really want to do the drive from Silverton to Ouray, but the way I have it set up now is that we are driving SOUTH on a SUNDAY on the Million Dollar HIghway and I've read that this isn't ideal. I suppose I can just try to reverse my route. Also, suggestions for Breckenridge....we are there almost a whole week. Thank you!

8/11 San Diego to Flagstaff. Just looking to hang our hats in a budget hotel with a pool. Any suggestions?

8/11-8/13: Flagstaff to Cortez. Staying at Baymont Inn. Have 1/2 day first day and full second day for Mesa Verde.

8/14: Driving to Breckenridge. Planning to take 160 to 285 to allow a stop at Chimney Rock National Monument and maybe a stop to stretch legs in Salida (?). Doesn't matter when we arrive in Breckenridge, as we are there from 8/14 to 8/21 when we depart. Any ideas for Breckenridge?

8/21-8/23: Breckenridge to Ouray with 2 nights at the Hot Springs Inn in Ouray. Plan to just hang at the Hot Springs and do a little hiking.

8/23: Ouray to Flagstaff. A long day of driving, but I'd like to route it via the Million Dollar Highway and then through Monument Valley. Just plan to arrive late in Flagstaff before driving home the next day.

Thank you!!!!!

Gretchen

Can you stay IN Mesa Verde at Far View. MUCH better and time saving to do that.

Gretchen

Gee, just saw you have a whole week in Breck. Another day in MV?

DebitNM

8/11 Flagstaff to Cortez will be over 4 hours especially with a restroom stop that you might need. You might want to stop at Four Corners. Your kids might find that fun.

You then will check in and have lunch. Heading to from Cortez to Mesa Verde will take 10-15 minutes and then almost 45 minutes to get to the main areas.

You might consider doing some other things in Cortez that afternoon instead of going to MV.

Cortez --
Cortez Cultural Center

In Dolores - a short drive up 145 --
The Anasazi Heritage Center
Rio Grande Southern Railroad Museum.

I am not sure why you are going up to Breck and then back down to Ouray and drive Million Dollar Highway and then back to Flagstaff.

IF you can change the dates in Breck - I would drive from MV north to Ouray, stay there, and then head to Breck.

Or I would head to Breck via 145 going via Telluride. That is also part of the Million$ Hwy. The views are really nice. Depending on how much time you have for the drive up - a quick stop in Telluride [or Mountain Village at top] for lunch maybe, riding the free gondola up, and down. You can also go to Mtn. Village, eat, take the gondola down, see Telluride and then ride gondola up and continue trip to Breck.

I would also add more time at MV. It is really special and worth the time.

If your reason for Ouray is hot springs, there is a nice one in Durango.
https://trimblehotsprings.wordpress.com/ They are nicer than the ones in Ouray.The one in Ouray look like big swimming pools. All cement. Tremble Spring has a nice grassy, tree filled area and you can picnic.

Hope this helps and doesn't throw your plans for a loop

wendy17

Thanks for the replies so far....I will look in detail at them, as they peaked my interest right away.

A couple of clarifications that I should have made. One, our week in Breckenridge is a timeshare and so dates are not flexible, although we could probably arrive a day later or leave a day earlier.....always a possibility (except it's basically free, so I am adding on lodging costs somewhere else).

Or alternately, we could leave a day earlier from home, giving us more time in MV. My reasons for going to MV that first day were to get tickets for the next day's guided tours. I am concerned about not getting them if I wait until the same day....or maybe that is not a concern? Or maybe I am just totally confused from doing so much research.

We chose Cortez because I can get a place with a kitchen and with 2 small boys and with all of us being vegetarians, we will eat so much better than if we rely on restaurant food. Although Dolores did look appealing as well.

I looked at Telluride, but lodging is so much more expensive and next year is another month long Germany trip, so I was trying to do it on a budget as much as possible. But maybe driving through there instead of Ouray is desirable.

I am open to many changes. I need to basically keep my Breckenridge week as it is (minus a day of arrival or departure if needed) and I'd like to see MV. Although with a 5 and 7 year old, I don't know how much extra time will benefit us. I'm already worried how they will do on the tours (not behavior, but ladders, etc).

Keep the suggestions coming! I appreciate them!

DebitNM

You can buy MVNP tickets at the Cortez Welcome Center:
http://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/news/1...ets_at_cwc.htm

I didn't mean you should stay in Telluride, just pass it on the way to Break.

As far as how much your boys can/will do - not all of the sites require climbing ladders; Spruce Tree House has none.

I really would be concerned about young children on the ladders of Cliff Palace and Balcony House. There is no other way out...if there is an issue, they have to get a ranger to come down and take you out the way you came in; they really don't like doing that as you can imagine.

At least you have your mom with you; there is one set, that has side by side ladders so you would go up after 1 child and your mom would go up behind the other one. Trickier with only 1 adult, 2 helps.

Perhaps doing Spruce Tree and then doing the scenic drive where you can stop, park and see the cliff dwellings from viewing spot. I recommend doing this in any case.

Not that you have mobility issues per se, but this will help you understand:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisi...l-mobility.htm

This might help you see whats involved:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ladd...IVgw-SCh0JngH4

wendy17

Yeah, MV is a tough call with kids....my mom worries me more than the kids. Maybe Cliff Palace for all of us and hopefully she can keep them busy while I do Balcony House the morning before we leave....ahh the days of backpacking alone were so much easier.

I've added Four Corners to the list.

Michael

You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it. In it, I have s suggestion for maximizing your time in Mesa Verde. You can do it in 1.5 day without any problem; staying in Far View would shorten travel time, but I suspect that given your request for suggested budget motels with swimming pools, Far View might turn out to be a splurge.

Gretchen

I think you would find MV to be a really good educational stop for your kids and would encourage it to be longer. I really consider it a wonder of the world.
While in Breck you might enjoy some dinosaur days with your kids. There is Morrison on the outskirts of Denver (1.5 hours from Breck) with a nice small museum and exhibit as well as Dinosaur Ridge nearby.
If you are going toward COSprings, Woodland Park has a TERRIFIC exhibit.
There is also the train near Idaho Springs and a gold mine tour, on the way toward Denver. It could be a "day".

lindagj

Our grandkids thought Four Corners was a hoot, touching all four states at one time, especially seeing it on a map ahead of time. However it is not a place for a bathroom stop. Disgusting porta potties. At least when we were there a few years ago.

Have to disagree about Ouray Hot Springs. Lots of fun for kids that age. Slide if older one is tall enough. Rental pool toys and an adjacent pond full of turtles and fish. Kids liked that alot. Sits next to a nice large city park with trees, picnic tables and plenty of parking. I think there is playground equipment also. Easy to go in and out between pool and park.Scenery is stunning.