We will be flying to Denver,Oct. 9 for 8 days. We would like to head out of the city immediately either to Grand Tetons/Yellowstone (9-10 hr.drive from Den.?) or Ouray/Durango (6-7 hr. drive?)We could stay at Signal Mt.Lodge in Tetons. Would the weather in one location be more predictable than the other? Our main interests will be light hiking/scenic driving. We don't mind driving long distances. I know both areas are outstanding-how do we choose?

Having been to both areas more than once, I would select the Tetons and Yellowstone. However, if geysers and what must happen to cause them don't interest you, then I suggest Ouray.

If you go to Ouray, Yankee Boy Basin is a must, I think. I do not know if you can get a car as far as the Camp Byrd Mine now or not. You might call in advance to the Chamber of Commerce and ask. Jeep tours are available, but I prefer to do my own.

Ouray is more like 5 hours.
And Yellowstone is definitely 10.

Thanks for the advice--4 wheeling is my husband's favorite hobby--so Ouray has definite possibilities---we have never traveled through Colorado or Wyoming--so we would like to see a variety of sites (primarily mountains)
I have read several other itinerary posts--so I think I can come up with a feasible itinerary if we can choose the primary destination. I just hate to be this close (10 hrs.) and not see Grand Tetons/Yellowstone.
I know our arrival date is late for "leaf looking"--besides being prepared for the possibility of snow--any other suggestions? Thanks!

If you've never driven through Colorado it will take you much longer than you think because you'll be stopping every few hundred feet to take another picture! We LOVED Colorado and especially Ouray. We stayed at St. Elmo's Hotel and had a two room suite that was fabulous. Don't know what it's like today because it's been a few years. We also loved the Tetons and Yellowstone so I certainly don't envy you your choice but we flew to SLC and then drove to the Jackson Hole area. It's a much shorter drive than from Denver. Either way, you'll love both areas!

My opinion is that if you want to do Tetons/Yellowstone, you should fly into Salt Lake City.

We've done both areas many times and just got back from Jeeping in Ouray. If your husband enjoys this, Ouray is the mecca.

We've used Switzerland of America the last two years with excellent service and new Jeeps. They will also give you excellent advice for what roads fit your four wheeling experience.

Listen to them. They made it well known to not do Black Bear on your own and the day we were doing Ophir and Imogene, a couple rolled off of Black Bear on the switchbacks above Telluride and died.

Another couple had their own Jeep and didn't stop to ask anyone about the roads. They took Engineer off of 550. They were experienced four wheelers and really wished they had never taken it.

It's thrilling, beautiful, scary and for the driver, tense and constant hard work but you will be very proud of yourselves when you're back in town.

They have experienced drivers that will take you if you don't want to drive yourselves.

Take warm clothes and waterproof gear. In late July we were in a heavy snow on Imogene. Unfortunately, we couldn't see the fabulous views from Imogene Pass.

I would not take a car very far from town on the road going to Yankee Boy Basin. It is pretty rough.

As far as scenery goes, this area is fabulous as is the drive from Denver. The prettiest drive to me is from Ridgway over Dallas Pass to Telluride (a regular highway). The Sneffels range looks like a small version of the Tetons to me.

The only problem is your timing. I don't know when they usually have to close the roads in the Ouray area.

Thanks for the Ouray trail advice. We are used to 4 wheeling in the mountains of NC/TN/VA. where the terrain is steep hills, ditches and creeks-not rocky steps and switchbacks, etc. We are used to being on trails versus roads but I'm not sure about starting out on our own in CO. Are there "beginner" trails/roads?
Thanks for your help.

I can recommend a few roads that might be a little rough, but don't require a lot of technical expertise. i'm scared of heights and don't have a lot of 4WD experience, but I have managed each of these drives without a problem (except Ophir, but I drove it in the wrong direction with a standard transmission jeep).

One of my favorites is the road up La Plata Canyon between Durango and Mancos, CO, north from US 160. It takes around an hour and a half to the top, which is a beautiful alpine cirque loaded with wildflowers in July and August. By October, the flowers will probably be gone, but the view from the top is still lovely: a 180 degree view of mountains spread all around you. There might be a dusting of snow on the peaks by then.

Old Lime Creek Road is actually okay for high clearance 2WD vehicles, but it's very rocky. The road leaves US 550 to the east at the base of Coal Bank Pass between Durango and Silverton, and rejoins the highway on the other side of the pass. Since the road never goes above timberline, the views are of forested slopes and cliffs, very rugged. There is a parking area at a beaver pond that has an easy (just over a mile each way) and locally popular trail to Spud Lake.

The last drive I'd recommend is Ophir Pass, a road crossing the Animas/Dolores Divide from just north of Silverton to just south of Telluride. It can be driven in a 2WD (I've seen a Neon on that road), but a jeep is better. The east to west direction is easier because you're on the inside of the narrow, rocky section on the west side of the pass. It is a high route above timberline. I drove it with my parents the first week of October a few years ago, and the first snow had just happened the night before. The road was clear, and the snow was just enough to make the peaks look crisp and fresh.

There are several other well-known routes closer to Ouray that I haven't driven yet. A sad note, a couple was just killed in the last couple of days when their jeep rolled 800 feet after they pulled off at a turnout on the Imogene Pass road. Most locals won't drive Imogene or Black Bear.

When I wrote "the last drive I'd recommend, I meant the THIRD drive". Ophir is a really gorgeous road, and should be fine for you. I always tell people that my definition of "good road" changed when I moved to Colorado, just like my definition of "a little outdoorsy".

Thanks everybody for your advice. We live in the Asheville, NC area--so we are used to driving through mountainous terrain--just 6,000 ft. mountains--not 10,000-14,000. Even if we don't rent a jeep in Ouray--I know the drive from Denver to Ouray will be spectacular.

I really hated to hear about the couple dying on Imogene.

Actually, Imogene is a fairly congested road it's so popular.

We are flatlanders from east Texas but my husband has a lot of four wheel drive experience (on flatland). We've done Imogene the last two years because the Jeep rental people suggested it.

There are several roads they don't want you on but Imogene isn't one of them.

Ouray may be better weather than Tetons in October. The only people you will see in Ouray that time of year are hunters. Wear your orange as they will be everywhere and I would not advise hiking or straying from the main road.

If the weather (snow) turns out to be so bad you can't do either then I would suggest driving to Moab, Utah. It has to be the capitol of 4 wheel drive roads and close to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse State Park and miles upon miles of 4 wheel drive roads. There are places in Moab to rent Jeeps.

Utahtea