FayR

bailey, I did look at the groupon site you first mentioned, it's only for 1 king, 2 people. Finally got the lodging done....well, sort of.

We plan on hiking, boat rides, water rafting, but mostly hiking/walking.

6/9 Lodging: Flagstaff, AZ
6/10 -6/11 Lodging: Dolores
Mesa Mesa Verde National Park,
Durango (San Juan National Forest, Animas River Trail, Trimble Hot Springs, The Colorado Trail, Downtown Durango), water Rafting (?))

6/12-6/13 Lodging: Montrose
Telluride (Telluride Mountain Village Gondola, Bear Creek Falls), Ridgway?, Ouray? (Yankee Boy Basin, Ouray Box Canyon Waterfall, Gunnison (Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Judd Falls?, Copper Lake?)

6/14-6/15 Lodging: Glenwood Springs (Is one night enough or should I do 2 nights?)
6/14 White River National Forest, Hanging Lake, Aspen, Maroon Bells (?)
6/15 Aspen, Maroon Bells (Is route 13 from US 80 a scary drive?)

6/15-6/19 Lodging: Estes Park (RMNP)

6/20 Lodging: Grand Junction (Grand Mesa National Forest, Colorado National Monument)

6/21-6/22 Lodging: Hurricane (Zion/Bryce National Park)

I have overlapped nights in Glenwood Springs and Estes Park at this point. Is one night in Glenwood Springs enough? We will be spending most of the trip at RMNP, but we can also spend one day visiting Boulder or Denver if we choose to. Is taking one day from Estes Parks to Colorado Springs to visit AFA and Garden of Gods worth the drive/time?


Thank you for your helps!

Tabernash2

Are those dates the nights or days you're staying in places?

Sorry, but that still looks like pure misery for a family of 5. A drive-by of very beautiful spots, which you will not be able to enjoy, as you try to keep to your too tight schedule.

Maybe someone else can be more constructive.

FayR

Tabernash2, those dates are nights. I know it may seem confusing but I was trying to make a mental note of where we end up staying at the end of the day. And like I said, I need to either shorten one night in Glenwood Spring or Estes Park because there is a night that is overlapped.

The more I read about different places, the less time I realize we have for each location. Now I have to decide where to spend more time and where to just make short stops. So many beautiful places...

Tabernash2

You can use Glenwood Springs as your base for so many things: Aspen, Maroon Bells, etc. I'd take at least one night from Estes.

Montrose to Glenwood Springs is a long drive.

I definitely would NOT add another stop on your already too busy plan.

I'd actually cut out a stop. Probably Estes. You will be seeing so much spectacular scenery, you really don't need to drive there.

Tabernash2

Oops. I think I'm wrong about the length of that drive.

DebitNM

Just now seeing this. I lived in SW Colorado for 5 years. Durango IS really quaint and while Cortez isn't it does offer reasonably priced hotel rooms and several decent places to eat. It is also much close to the entrance to MVNP so that will save time.

Not sure where in Dolores you are thinking of staying but it is really more out of the way for getting to MVNP and there isn't anything really nice in way of hotel there. A couple of spots that are good to eat.

Definitely go to and stop in Ouray. The Box Canyon falls are great and water should be good this year.

Where are you staying in Montrose? Ouray has some cute places to stay and some good restaurants.

I adore MVNP and would give it more time, even if it meant cutting out something else. A full day at a minimum.

Trimble Hots Springs is ok, but nothing to different from other hot springs.

Raft the Animas River or walk the Animas Trail, no need to do both. Rafting is going to take the better part of a day.

You really should think about quality over quantity. Rushing through this beautiful area isn't what it's about.

bailey123

I think we have an OP that has received a great deal of good advice. Interesting there are many comments reflecting the same observation that OP continues to not be planning good use of time.

FayR

Thank you again for your reminders on not to rush through places. It is my desire to take time and enjoy the places we decide to visit. My first concern was to know where to stay and for how many nights. The latest itinerary listed multiple places for each lodging location, but it's not a 'must-do' list. I put them there to keep track of suggestions people have given me. On the other hand, if the plan looks like it has too many stops, well, I don't see making too big of an adjustment because I do not want to spend a day driving through beautiful places and not taking time to enjoy it. So we will be spending the nights here and there as we make our way to RMNP. The one long drive we will be making is from Glennwood Springs to Estes Park, correct?

bailey123

As both debitnm and I have previously mentioned, Dolores shouldn't even be on your radar except as a drive through to Telluride

Gretchen

You have 5 nights in RMNP (I think you must have the 15th wrong), but as beautiful as it is, it is too long with everything else you've got going. More in Mesa Verde.
I say "no" to COSprings with all this other.

bailey123

Just two weeks until you arrive in CO and you haven't nailed down your lodging? Good luck!

Tabernash2

Wow, I hadn't realized the trip is just a couple of weeks away.

Are we being trolled?

bailey123

I don't think we are being trolled. I think we are responding to an OP that asks for a lot of advice and has received a great deal of good advice but ignores the Cassandra warnings.

Tabernash2

We'll see. Will the OP come back with a reasonable plan?

FayR

DebitNM, In the beginning of my plannings I found and booked Sophia Retreat and Event Center sophiaretreatcenter.com in Dolores which is quite different from typical motel/hotel. After looking at other locations/places I've decided to keep this place. I am aware it is not as close as from Cortez to MV or Durango, but it's on the way to our next stop, Telluride. The reviews are good, price is excellent ($79/night) and it's unique so I am going to give this place a try.

Gretchen&Tabernash2, I have decided to cut one night from Estes Park and add to Glennwood Springs. Thanks.

bailey123 and all, Thank you very much for your advices and warnings. I really appreciate your help. I knew I had to quickly find lodgings so I booked the hotels once I decided the route from SW to RMNP skipping (regretfully) Colorado Springs and Denver. Lodgings are set so it's hard to make changes to one location without affecting the others. I also have a list of places to see and things to do, but I am sure I will have to make some adjustments once we get there, especially depending on how much time the family wants to spend at particular places.

Thank you all once again for your help. Hope you have a great summer as well!

bailey123

Enjoy your trip!

Tabernash2

Enjoy yourselves!