After completing my cross-country trek, I decided I must return to Colorado. So, I am planning the return. I will be leaving from New Hampshire, and I will be taking a full week off to do this. So far, the roster is me and my buddy, both experienced riders. I'll be on my trusty DL1000, he'll be on something adventurey. We'll do plenty of twisty asphalt and plenty of dirt. I'll probably invest in a set of TKCs or Karoos for the trip. We'll be tent-camping it as much as possible. What I'd like to know is when a good time of year is. I was thinking July would probably be fine. Yay or nay? Does Colorado have a month to avoid for rain or insects or anything like that? I'd also love to hear some of the must-do stuff. I want to climb Pike's Peak and go back to US 550, my new favorite road in the country. We'll have plenty of time to cover some ground, so what do I have to see? Also, is there anything to be mindful of? Tricky laws or anything that may otherwise dampen my day? I'm looking forward to any and all advise. In return, I'll try to write up a good report with plenty of pics when this actually happens. Thanks in advance! Matt
Well I could type 10 pages on what I'd wanna hit. Bust I'll spare you. Hit the Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. Take Old Stage Road to Cripple Creek. Take Shelf Road south to Canon City. hwy 50 east to Salida area. Maybe hit local ghost town of St Elmo and take a stab at Tincup Pass. The east side is sorta maintained and the west side is sorta not.:eek1 I wouldn't go near the west side seriously but it would be a fun out and back. Hit the hotsprings at the bottom of St Elmo road for a nice break and wash. A fun local ride for bigger bikes is > Salida > Buena Vista>west over Cottonwood Pass to Taylor Park>South to town of Tincup> over Cumberland Pass to Pitkin> over Wuanita and black sage passes to highway 50>either bring Marshall pass back or melt the edges of you tires coming back over Monarch Pass back to Salida.All big bike easy. I'd then leave here and take basically the TAT trail to Lake City. If you guys have some dirt experience then Engineer Pass is pretty as it gets taking you from Lake CIty to SIlverton. Once here there's many options. There is hundreds of ways to cross the state but the above I do semi repeatedly with friends and visitors. Weathers generally good Mid June on with the high mtn passes usually not thawing until early july and sometimes later. We've got a RMAR rally scheduled in early August I believe (in Silverton) so show up to this and ride/drink with the locals.
Bugs? Nothing like you are used to. Leave them black flies behind. Weather-Maybe afternoon rains. Ride early. Sounds like you are planning to ride down towards Durango. Don't miss Lake City. Also Hwy 92 between Blue Mesa Res and Paonia. So much to see. Hard to tell ya where to start.
Thanks for the info, guys! When I went through last month, I spent a night in Durango and went up 550 to Montrose before turning east. It was unbelievable. I didn't see Lake City, though.
PM me when you're getting closer to the trip. I'll guide you for a few days if you want. Former Lakes Region resident. Cheers!
Will do! Thanks for all the input, guys! I really appreciate it. I've got a lot to go on so far; any awesome campground suggestions? I'll post again closer to the date. Maybe we can follow some local leads. Happy trails!
Because I plan for a Colorado trip in August 2012, I'm curious why you prefer September?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> Is August to crowded?<o></o> /Per
Because all the Texans are gone... Base out of Ouray for a few days for great riding. I have stayed at the KOA many times, its a good place. 550 is great, but 145 over Lizard head pass is overlooked to often and is a great road ride. If your really adventurous then look into renting the fire tower near Dolores to camp at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5202063.pdf
august is great! i just like it when it cools off some in sept. and the summer tourist traffic is gone. sometimes aug. skies can be hazy, while sept. is often clearer.
Take a trip up through Rocky Mountain National Park and through the Poudre Canyon. There are so many fantastic roads right out the back door of Fort Collins. God I miss Colorado.
Great thread - thanks for the info! I went from Pittsburgh out to Montana/Wyoming this summer and decided that I must ride more of the Rockies. I decided that this summer, I'll go on out to southern Colorado and amble north along the range.
I like mid- to late-September. Tourists are gone. Weather is good. Aspens are turning yellow. June is good, but expect frequent afternoon rains...
That fire tower looks badass, Salty! I love it! Based on the input, I think I'm leaning towards September, now. Nine and a half months away, and I'm already getting itchy for this one!
Don't leave your cold weather and rain gear behind. It can snow or rain every month of the year in Colorado. Temps can drop 20 degrees or more within minutes. If you get near the western side of the Rockies in the Aspen area, let me know.
I bought a new Roadcrafter and I have plenty of mid-layers and heated stuff. I'm ready! I'm sure I'll get on the west side. I'm hoping to cover a lot of ground. I'll let you know!
