Just what is a Jeep Tour ???
 

I see this all over my search about Colorado---but do you drive them yourself or have a guide ???

It depends. You can go on a tour with a guide (which is a good idea if you don't have experience driving on 4 wheel drive roads). If you have some 4wd experience and would like to rent a jeep and drive yourself, you can do that too. You can get a 2-hour guided tour for $30/up, and I think you can usually rent a jeep to drive yourself for about $130/day (someone correct me on the price if I'm off - the $30/$130 range is for the Silverton area).

A jeep tour with an experienced driver is probably the best idea. If you don't know what the term "high centered" means then it's better to have someone else do the driving. Then there is no question as to whether it's safe to climb up that little rocky area.

The origin of them is kinda cool. A real estate agent in Sedona took clients to see remote homes in his jeep. He started getting a lot of calls and finally realized that people were calling to get out and about in the countryside in his jeep and weren't really interested in buying a house. He and his wife went to Hawaii on vacation and stayed at the pink hotel. They discussed it on vacation, came back and painted his jeep pink and started giving tours. The tour business went off and so much for real estate!

How many of us have good ideas and just don't act on them?

Oops...just realized I didn't give a direct response to the question. So mari5 won't jump down my throat and grab my tonsils, I'll respond directly to the question. If you are used to driving off road in a jeep, a rental would be fine. If you are going up in the mountains and over the continental divide, I'd take a guided tour.

Does anyone know of a "back door" approach to Lake City?

gracieb, I have never done this myself, but I have talked to people who have. You can get to Lake City from Silverton via EXTREMELY 4wd roads - it's called the Alpine Loop. Going into Silverton from 550/Milltion Dollar Hwy, go thru town on the main street, and just past the park at the opposite end of town, follow the road as it goes uphill and curves left. Pretty soon the road will turn into a nice wide dirt road. Keep going until you get to the old mining town of Gladstone (abandoned). When you get to the place where the road forks, take the narrow road uphill (it will be on the left side of the big dirt road). There is a little sign that says "4 Wheel Drive Only" or something like that. You should be able to follow that road to Lake City. I did a quick google search and this is what I found on the Alpine Loop http://sangres.com/byways/alpine.htm . I'm not sure where the Ouray access is - I think just north of town. I hope that's what you meant by "back door" - definately not like going in from Creede or Gunnison!

Thanks! I'm going to save this for my next trip!