Colorado route advice needed
Nov 23rd, 2007, 03:18 AM
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Colorado route advice needed
Hello all,
Have posted lots of questions lately as i am at the planning stage of next years holiday to Colorado (we're from UK).
Have most of it sorted but need advice about the return (heading back eventually to Denver airport)
Its after our visit to Durango that i'm at odds with.
Have two possible routes, which is the nicest and not too extreme for driving as we will be in a convertable.
Final aim is to see Salida then up to Breckenridge via leadville stopping at Georgetown.
It's the bit in the middle i need help with.
Here goes.
Do we take the 160 from Durnago to pagosa springs onto Alamosa up 17N towards Salida OR
Do we take 160 to South Fork and then the 149 silver thread route to stop and visit Lake City. then continue upto Gunnison heading on 50 towards Salida?
I hope somone can help as I am punch drunk from reaing and looking things up on Fodor's for an answer, which i cannot find.
We are not hikers, we do 'social' walking,we like nice towns to mooch around in, its mainly the scenery we are going for.
Thanks Ann
Have posted lots of questions lately as i am at the planning stage of next years holiday to Colorado (we're from UK).
Have most of it sorted but need advice about the return (heading back eventually to Denver airport)
Its after our visit to Durango that i'm at odds with.
Have two possible routes, which is the nicest and not too extreme for driving as we will be in a convertable.
Final aim is to see Salida then up to Breckenridge via leadville stopping at Georgetown.
It's the bit in the middle i need help with.
Here goes.
Do we take the 160 from Durnago to pagosa springs onto Alamosa up 17N towards Salida OR
Do we take 160 to South Fork and then the 149 silver thread route to stop and visit Lake City. then continue upto Gunnison heading on 50 towards Salida?
I hope somone can help as I am punch drunk from reaing and looking things up on Fodor's for an answer, which i cannot find.
We are not hikers, we do 'social' walking,we like nice towns to mooch around in, its mainly the scenery we are going for.
Thanks Ann
Nov 23rd, 2007, 06:46 PM
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Interesting question. That's going to depend upon several things.
#1) How punch drunk you will be of driving after spending all that time in the San Juans. The route through Lake City is longer, and you are backtracking on that route.
#2 How much time you dedicate to driving that day, because......the route through Lake City is longer, and you are backtracking on that route.
I can't emphasize enough the amount of time it takes to drive through the mountains. What seems like a short distance on the map, can really take a long time to travel going only 30 or 40 miles per hour (50 - 65 kilometers per hour).
The route from Durango to Salida via Lake City will be a bit more scenic, BUT.... it also requires you to cross the continental divide THREE times in one day - a feat that does take time out of the day.
The route from Durango toward Alamosa, then up Hwy 17 is no slouch on scenery either. If you go this way, I'd suggest bypassing Alamosa. Take 160 from Durango to Del Norte, then take Hwy 112 from Del Norte to Hwy 17. At this point you could do one of 2 things. The first would be to continue up Hwy 17 paralleling the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range all the way to Poncha Springs and Salida. The second would be to take a short side trip into the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and THEN head back and continue up Hwy 17 paralleling the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range all the way to Poncha Springs and Salida.
This is probably a decision that you may want to leave until the day you actually have to do it, in that by that time your own physical and emotional fatigue/adventurousness ratio might be different than it is now, or even at the beginning of your trip.
Add mud and stir.
#1) How punch drunk you will be of driving after spending all that time in the San Juans. The route through Lake City is longer, and you are backtracking on that route.
#2 How much time you dedicate to driving that day, because......the route through Lake City is longer, and you are backtracking on that route.
I can't emphasize enough the amount of time it takes to drive through the mountains. What seems like a short distance on the map, can really take a long time to travel going only 30 or 40 miles per hour (50 - 65 kilometers per hour).
The route from Durango to Salida via Lake City will be a bit more scenic, BUT.... it also requires you to cross the continental divide THREE times in one day - a feat that does take time out of the day.
The route from Durango toward Alamosa, then up Hwy 17 is no slouch on scenery either. If you go this way, I'd suggest bypassing Alamosa. Take 160 from Durango to Del Norte, then take Hwy 112 from Del Norte to Hwy 17. At this point you could do one of 2 things. The first would be to continue up Hwy 17 paralleling the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range all the way to Poncha Springs and Salida. The second would be to take a short side trip into the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and THEN head back and continue up Hwy 17 paralleling the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range all the way to Poncha Springs and Salida.
This is probably a decision that you may want to leave until the day you actually have to do it, in that by that time your own physical and emotional fatigue/adventurousness ratio might be different than it is now, or even at the beginning of your trip.
Add mud and stir.
Nov 23rd, 2007, 07:29 PM
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Ann -
I don't check the U.S. board much, mostly Europe, so I just saw you're planning a trip to Colorado. I can't help you with your two route choices, as I'm not real familiar with that part of the state. Except that you know you're driving some pretty good distances through pretty deserted areas, right?
What about Salida in particular makes you head for there? (I don't know much about Salida, except that I drove through there a couple of years ago. But I'm not sure that I woudl categorize it as a nice town to mooch about in.)
I am familiar with the Breckenridge area, as we have a condo there (we live in Denver). After the night in Salida (or are you driving from Durango to ? all in one day?), you'll drive through Leadville, then to Breckenridge, then to Georgetown? That's a bit of a roundabout trip because Leadville is not on the way to Breckenridge, so it doesn't make sense unless you specifically want to visit both Leadville and Breck.
Leadville is a nice little town, a former BIG mining area. There's a narrow-gauge train there that bores me, but that my kids love, and a mining museum that would bore most people, but that I enjoy. Unless you're interested in mining, I'm not sure that I'd go out of my way to visit Leadville. If you skipped Leadville, then you could drive straight to Breckenridge via Fairplay.
Georgetown you would visit AFTER Leadville and Breck; it's on I-70 on the way back to Denver.
IMHO, all parts of Colorado are beautiful, but you will enjoy Durango and other parts of SW Colorado. I haven't seen all of your itinerary, but are you visiting Mesa Verde? I hope so, as it's a World Heritage Site, and there's nowhere else like it.
About the pine beetle, you've probably heard more than you want to, but I don't think it will effect too much your appreciation of the state. By next September, it probably won't have hit SW Colorado too hard. By the end of this summer, it was spreading south into the Breckenridge area. At this point, however, tourists don't always realize what it is - I saw a quote in the local newspaper that one tourist asked what the species of pretty brown tree was. When the trees are first effected, they do look a prettyish light brown, and once they're dead, they look more gray. But (for right now), the dead trees are still standing there, just a different color. And the aspens, of course, are not effected.
I'll try to help in any way I can; I've gotten enough help over the years from those on the Europe board (including a trip to England).
I don't check the U.S. board much, mostly Europe, so I just saw you're planning a trip to Colorado. I can't help you with your two route choices, as I'm not real familiar with that part of the state. Except that you know you're driving some pretty good distances through pretty deserted areas, right?
What about Salida in particular makes you head for there? (I don't know much about Salida, except that I drove through there a couple of years ago. But I'm not sure that I woudl categorize it as a nice town to mooch about in.)
I am familiar with the Breckenridge area, as we have a condo there (we live in Denver). After the night in Salida (or are you driving from Durango to ? all in one day?), you'll drive through Leadville, then to Breckenridge, then to Georgetown? That's a bit of a roundabout trip because Leadville is not on the way to Breckenridge, so it doesn't make sense unless you specifically want to visit both Leadville and Breck.
Leadville is a nice little town, a former BIG mining area. There's a narrow-gauge train there that bores me, but that my kids love, and a mining museum that would bore most people, but that I enjoy. Unless you're interested in mining, I'm not sure that I'd go out of my way to visit Leadville. If you skipped Leadville, then you could drive straight to Breckenridge via Fairplay.
Georgetown you would visit AFTER Leadville and Breck; it's on I-70 on the way back to Denver.
IMHO, all parts of Colorado are beautiful, but you will enjoy Durango and other parts of SW Colorado. I haven't seen all of your itinerary, but are you visiting Mesa Verde? I hope so, as it's a World Heritage Site, and there's nowhere else like it.
About the pine beetle, you've probably heard more than you want to, but I don't think it will effect too much your appreciation of the state. By next September, it probably won't have hit SW Colorado too hard. By the end of this summer, it was spreading south into the Breckenridge area. At this point, however, tourists don't always realize what it is - I saw a quote in the local newspaper that one tourist asked what the species of pretty brown tree was. When the trees are first effected, they do look a prettyish light brown, and once they're dead, they look more gray. But (for right now), the dead trees are still standing there, just a different color. And the aspens, of course, are not effected.
I'll try to help in any way I can; I've gotten enough help over the years from those on the Europe board (including a trip to England).
Nov 24th, 2007, 03:44 AM
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don't skip leadville to go through fairplay and the flats on rte 285 to breckenridge. not that taylor park is unattractive but because leadville is in the center of maybe a dozen 13,000' to 14,000' peaks. the views are absolutely stunning and there in no other like it in colorado.
the drive through south fork and lake city & gunnison is much prettier than going through alamosa so that would make my choice for me. either way durango to breck will take 6-7 hours driving time plus stopping time. i might consider stopping a night in gunninson to break the drive up.
the drive through south fork and lake city & gunnison is much prettier than going through alamosa so that would make my choice for me. either way durango to breck will take 6-7 hours driving time plus stopping time. i might consider stopping a night in gunninson to break the drive up.
Nov 24th, 2007, 04:22 AM
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Many thanks to all, sorry did not realize it was Thanksgiving in USA.
This is our present itinery which i am fine tuning.
arrive Denver 1st night in Aurora onto Gunnison along 285 stay night in gunnison.
then on to ouray for 1 night then onto Durango for 1 night then on to pagosa springs for 1 night then south fork area for 1 night then up 285 towards salida staying 1 night then onto Breckenridge staying 1 night, possibly stopping in Leadville, onto airport hotel for morning flight home but stopping in Georgetown for train journey.
We mostly don't want to do more than 50/70 miles a day though i know the odd inbetweens are a bit more.
We don't want to go up into very mountainess areas. Impression we have is driving along roads with lovely views all arounds not being stuck up a mountain pass nearly having a heart attack at its scariness.
Have we got the wrong part of Colorado for this...
This is our present itinery which i am fine tuning.
arrive Denver 1st night in Aurora onto Gunnison along 285 stay night in gunnison.
then on to ouray for 1 night then onto Durango for 1 night then on to pagosa springs for 1 night then south fork area for 1 night then up 285 towards salida staying 1 night then onto Breckenridge staying 1 night, possibly stopping in Leadville, onto airport hotel for morning flight home but stopping in Georgetown for train journey.
We mostly don't want to do more than 50/70 miles a day though i know the odd inbetweens are a bit more.
We don't want to go up into very mountainess areas. Impression we have is driving along roads with lovely views all arounds not being stuck up a mountain pass nearly having a heart attack at its scariness.
Have we got the wrong part of Colorado for this...
Nov 24th, 2007, 07:53 AM
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That's a lot of "one night stays". You'll certainly be "seeing" a lot of Colorado, but with that itinerary I wonder just how much of Colorado you'll be "experiencing".
Not that thats bad.
If "seeing" is what you're after for your holiday, then you've got am ambitious schedule.
It's just that I worry that you may not be able to experience much of each place if you stay only one night, and if half your day is spent getting there and getting settled.
Not that thats bad.
If "seeing" is what you're after for your holiday, then you've got am ambitious schedule.
It's just that I worry that you may not be able to experience much of each place if you stay only one night, and if half your day is spent getting there and getting settled.
Nov 24th, 2007, 11:29 AM
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Tahnks all,
Our dilema is we have 10 days to get from Denver airport to the ouray/durango area (which is what people have told us is the best to see) and then make our way back to to Airport.
My logic was to break the days up so that hubby is not doing too much driving each day, and that we hopefully will get to each new location early afternoon (2ish) with good few hours to mooch around.
Having seen all the sights on our journey from each A to B.
Am open to suggestions and advice as we don't know the areas or the terrain at all, so please all feel free to give us alternative ideas if you think that they might serve us better.
Ann
Our dilema is we have 10 days to get from Denver airport to the ouray/durango area (which is what people have told us is the best to see) and then make our way back to to Airport.
My logic was to break the days up so that hubby is not doing too much driving each day, and that we hopefully will get to each new location early afternoon (2ish) with good few hours to mooch around.
Having seen all the sights on our journey from each A to B.
Am open to suggestions and advice as we don't know the areas or the terrain at all, so please all feel free to give us alternative ideas if you think that they might serve us better.
Ann
Nov 24th, 2007, 12:59 PM
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If it's open - stop at the South Park museum in Fairplay - very rustic, but a fun look back at a different way of life.
You'll love Pagosa - nothing's better than floating around in a hot spring at night when it's about 25 degrees (F not C!!) and snow is coming down.
You'll love Pagosa - nothing's better than floating around in a hot spring at night when it's about 25 degrees (F not C!!) and snow is coming down.
Nov 24th, 2007, 01:54 PM
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Ann, I really feel that I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't address your question in the following quote: "We don't want to go up into very mountainess areas. Impression we have is driving along roads with lovely views all arounds not being stuck up a mountain pass nearly having a heart attack at its scariness... Have we got the wrong part of Colorado for this...
While I haven't personally been in Colorado for nearly 15 years, I believe that you need to know that driving those curvy mountain roads with all of the switchbacks is going to be very challenging to your husband who is not used to driving on the 'wrong side of the road'. The Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Durango sticks out in my mind as extremely challenging, although I no longer remember if going south on that highway puts you on the inside on most of the hairpin turns... (Deb can you help me with that?) My fear is that he'll find himself unsure of his vehicle's position on the road and will hug the right shoulder, just as I found myself hugging the left shoulder while driving my first time in Ireland... Not a good thing with thousand feet dropoffs above the treeline!
You might want to consider taking the Narrow Gauge Railroad from Durango to Silverton for the view and leave the white knuckle driving experience to a bus driver for your return trip to Durrango? Don't really have alternative routes to recommend.... Sorry!
While I haven't personally been in Colorado for nearly 15 years, I believe that you need to know that driving those curvy mountain roads with all of the switchbacks is going to be very challenging to your husband who is not used to driving on the 'wrong side of the road'. The Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Durango sticks out in my mind as extremely challenging, although I no longer remember if going south on that highway puts you on the inside on most of the hairpin turns... (Deb can you help me with that?) My fear is that he'll find himself unsure of his vehicle's position on the road and will hug the right shoulder, just as I found myself hugging the left shoulder while driving my first time in Ireland... Not a good thing with thousand feet dropoffs above the treeline!
You might want to consider taking the Narrow Gauge Railroad from Durango to Silverton for the view and leave the white knuckle driving experience to a bus driver for your return trip to Durrango? Don't really have alternative routes to recommend.... Sorry!
Nov 24th, 2007, 02:06 PM
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Ann, your trip sounds great. I think it is smart not to go through Lake City, it would slow you down a lot. Pagosa Springs to Salida will not take you long. You can see Great Sand Dunes from the highway, it is a boring side trip to see up close what you can see from 285.
I thought Salida was a nice little affordable farm town with stunning views of the mountains on each side! Also Leadville.
Just to give you perspective, I drove from Santa Fe NM though Salida to Silverthorne CO (La Quinta) easily in one day, then to Omaha NB the next day. You will not be going this far, so will have spare time to mooch around.
This is a good route to take to see the most mountains without driving over many high passes.
You are going to have a wonderful trip.
I thought Salida was a nice little affordable farm town with stunning views of the mountains on each side! Also Leadville.
Just to give you perspective, I drove from Santa Fe NM though Salida to Silverthorne CO (La Quinta) easily in one day, then to Omaha NB the next day. You will not be going this far, so will have spare time to mooch around.
This is a good route to take to see the most mountains without driving over many high passes.
You are going to have a wonderful trip.
Nov 24th, 2007, 02:43 PM
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Again, many thanks to all who have taken the time to reply.
On the driving, luckily hubby never seems to have a problem ajusting to driving on on the right side of the road when we visit USA. (This is about our 11th trip to your lovely country!)so hopefully that wont be an issue.
So lets hope those roads in colorado will not scare us too much..
again, all thoughts taken on board and hopefully we will have a lovely holiday.
On the driving, luckily hubby never seems to have a problem ajusting to driving on on the right side of the road when we visit USA. (This is about our 11th trip to your lovely country!)so hopefully that wont be an issue.
So lets hope those roads in colorado will not scare us too much..
again, all thoughts taken on board and hopefully we will have a lovely holiday.
Nov 24th, 2007, 03:26 PM
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On the roads and how scarey they might be. I have not taken the Million Dollar Highway, so I can't say anything about hairpin turns or the narrowness of the road or shoulders.
But for the rest of the route, I don't think you will find it scarey. I have a fear of heights, and I'm familiar with the parts around Salida, Fairplay, Leadville and Breckenridge. You will be driving on two-lane roads in good condition with the usual wide American shoulders. No steep dropoffs, other than 20 feet or so, and no areas with dropoffs and no guardrails. If you've driven in the Alps, I can think of roads in the Alps or the mountains of Italy that I was much more nervous about than anything in Colorado (but remember, I haven't taken the Million Dollar Highway). I-70 does have some areas with dropoffs of several hundred feet, but then I-70 is a divided highway with 3 lanes in each direction and a guardrail for all dropoffs except one one-mile stretch (as a person with a fear of heights, I know which areas make me nervous - but I'm only nervous there when I'm driving at night during a snowstorm).
Another factor to keep in mind. If you're driving east on I-70 (which is the road that Georgetown is on), avoid doing so on weekend afternoons in September. The return traffic to Denver then is pretty horrendous.
But for the rest of the route, I don't think you will find it scarey. I have a fear of heights, and I'm familiar with the parts around Salida, Fairplay, Leadville and Breckenridge. You will be driving on two-lane roads in good condition with the usual wide American shoulders. No steep dropoffs, other than 20 feet or so, and no areas with dropoffs and no guardrails. If you've driven in the Alps, I can think of roads in the Alps or the mountains of Italy that I was much more nervous about than anything in Colorado (but remember, I haven't taken the Million Dollar Highway). I-70 does have some areas with dropoffs of several hundred feet, but then I-70 is a divided highway with 3 lanes in each direction and a guardrail for all dropoffs except one one-mile stretch (as a person with a fear of heights, I know which areas make me nervous - but I'm only nervous there when I'm driving at night during a snowstorm).
Another factor to keep in mind. If you're driving east on I-70 (which is the road that Georgetown is on), avoid doing so on weekend afternoons in September. The return traffic to Denver then is pretty horrendous.
Nov 25th, 2007, 11:50 AM
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Whats wrong with aurora? We picked it purely as somewhere to get to quickly after we leave denver airport as we will be ready only for a light meal and bed.
Is it some sort of ghetto or !! just seemed easy to get to for 1st night, its not part of our sight seeing etc, its just a base
If its a no go area where do you suggest?
Ann
Is it some sort of ghetto or !! just seemed easy to get to for 1st night, its not part of our sight seeing etc, its just a base
If its a no go area where do you suggest?
Ann
Nov 25th, 2007, 01:33 PM
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No reason to freak out about Aurora! There are plenty of hotels/motels along the highways in Aurora that are perfectly safe and fine. All of Aurora is not a ghetto; I work there and know the area. Near the airport, along I-70 or I-225, it's a good choice as a place to stop the first night. I suspect people who are afraid of Aurora never set foot in the 'hood!
Nov 25th, 2007, 01:43 PM
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I work in Aurora too, and will agree it's not all ghetto.
It's just that from Ann's previous posts I thought she was looking at more striking locales.
Ann, just let us know which hotels you're considering.
It's just that from Ann's previous posts I thought she was looking at more striking locales.
Ann, just let us know which hotels you're considering.
Nov 25th, 2007, 02:18 PM
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Hello,
Booked 1 night at a motel 6 on 1-225 at Iliff avenue, E Iliff avenue, exit 5.
Good price seeing as its just somewhere to lay our head so to speak with a diner next door.
Our holiday proper will start bright and early next morning as we head south along the 285 to Ouray.
But please, if this is a bad choice then let me know whats better, we don't want to drive too far after landing and we don't want to spend too much on this 1st night as i said its a bed and a clean room only that we need.
all advice appreciated.
Ann
Booked 1 night at a motel 6 on 1-225 at Iliff avenue, E Iliff avenue, exit 5.
Good price seeing as its just somewhere to lay our head so to speak with a diner next door.
Our holiday proper will start bright and early next morning as we head south along the 285 to Ouray.
But please, if this is a bad choice then let me know whats better, we don't want to drive too far after landing and we don't want to spend too much on this 1st night as i said its a bed and a clean room only that we need.
all advice appreciated.
Ann
