Colorado, New Mexico & Texas Summer 2015

John259

torbrex wrote: »

I would suggest as early a start as possible

Good idea, and there's always the option of putting in a few miles before stopping for breakfast.

Murphy_The_Cat

torbrex wrote: »

The roads in Texas are particularly dull through the centre section, no corners or significant hills so if you do head east to the caverns, some car games for the family might be in order.

Cheers Torbrex

last years rental (Dodge Durango) hat seat back DVD's and the full 'entertainment' package, which was a lovely treat for the sprogs, plus, with their Kindles, they were able to while away the the time on the longer legs. By and large, they're really good with the electrical stuff and only reach for it when were on on a longer days drive. Other than that, they're happy to stay 'switched on'

Crispy_Ambulance

torbrex wrote: »

The Texas trip for me was a particularly grueling one, my mum had just passed away and I had recently started a new job and was having a bit of trouble with it. The driving was easy for me on my own but with the kittens in the back, I can see why you need to limit travelling time each day and yes for a family, a destination to aim for is a must.

For your 'big miles' day I would suggest as early a start as possible so that you actually miss any of the commuting traffic on the roads, it also gives you more time at the next stop, especially if it a one night stop up next.

The roads in Texas are particularly dull through the centre section, no corners or significant hills so if you do head east to the caverns, some car games for the family might be in order.

We've got a Texas Road trip booked for next year and some of the distances have really surprised me - the state is huge! We're being careful to try to break up the long drives with easier days the next day.

The kids are old enough to be okay in the car, with iPods etc. We did spend a while playing licence plate bingo on our last USA trip - managed all but 7 of the states. Surprisingly, we spotted Alaska and Hawaii, but it's clear the folk of Kentucky and Mississippi don't get out much . . .:p

John259

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

not truckers trying to get from A-B asap

That conjures up visions of Murphy The Cat meeting Diesel The Weasel who is actually a dog...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydmV2IxF_ow

BritAbroad

Colorado is a great state - as well as all the great places already mentioned I'd add the Front Range towns of Boulder and Fort Collins, which are both nice and easily accessible from I-25. Slightly south of Fort Collins is Loveland, from where you can drive through the Big Thomson Canyon to Rocky Mountain National Park (HIGHLY recommended!). Be sure to drive up Falls River Road (dirt road) if it's open, or if not take Trail Ridge Road to the top). Rocky Mountain is a really beautiful park and there's loads of wildlife - moose, black bears, bighorn sheep, coyotes, mountain lions, elk, etc. No rattlesnakes there! You'll also pass through Estes Park which is a quirky, if touristy little town (and home of the Stanley Hotel where Stephen King wrote The Shining).

The mountain towns are also great - a lot of the ski areas have summer activities (scenic chairlift rides, mountaintop barbecues, mountain biking hiking etc) - I-70 out of Denver goes through the mountains and you can easily access Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain amongst others. A trip up Mount Evans is well worth it - it's one of the two 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado you can drive up and the views are spectacular and we usually see loads of wildlife. If you have a National Parks pass the entrance fee is covered by it. If you go through the mountains as far as Glenwood Springs you drive through a terrific canyon. I believe there's also caverns in Glenwood Springs though I've not been to them. You can also access Rocky Mountain National Park (and the headwaters of the Colorado River) from US-40, which links to I-70. Steamboat Springs is also a really nice town with loads of accommodation options, a lot of which are reasonably priced in summer. You can also drive across Independence Pass to Aspen which is a nice trip. I'm not a huge fan of Aspen itself as it's a bit up itself, but there's there lots of nice accommodation and restaurants. The Maroon Bells and Ashford Ghost Town are well worth seeing.

Down near Colorado Springs, as well as Garden of the Gods there is Pike's Peak (which is the other 14er you can drive up). There is also a cog railway up to the summit - you'd need to book the cog railway in advance and I'd definitely recommend going in the morning as the cloud tends to roll in during the afternoon and obscure the view. You'll get a completely different experience both driving and on the cog railway. Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City are fun little places to shop and eat. Slightly further afield, there's lots of mining and gold rush history out towards Cripple Creek (there's also historic mine tours in several of the mountain towns). There's also a scenic road (US-285, I think) that runs from south of Co Springs through the mountains to Fairplay and I-70.

The front range towns/cities have loads of museums, shops, restaurants, theatres etc. Denver is a big city and there's always something going on. The Pepsi Center is the main big concert venue, but for something totally different look for an event at Red Rocks instead - a large open-air amphitheatre set into the rock, just off I-70. Very atmospheric. Driving in Denver can be tricky and they are digging up various parts of I-25 at any given time! (CDOT and COtrip are the websites to look at for driving info).

The Durango-Silverton area is fab (and the train ride is great!). I also love Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Someone mentioned Royal Gorge - if you plan to go there check what will be open by the time you arrive. They suffered a lot of damage during the 2013 fires and I know there was a lot of building work going on. The park is open but I don't know what's still being reconstructed.

Weather-wise, the summer months can be very hot (over 100f is not uncommon), but surprisingly cool at night. June is usually the wettest month, which generally means sunny in the morning, a spectacular afternoon thunderstorm then a balmy evening. The mountain areas are usually a good deal cooler and very pleasant places to be in the summer.

Didn't mean to write an essay, but hope it is helpful!

John259

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Mega-gulp!

Is that a new 7-Eleven product?

John259

BritAbroad wrote: »

The Durango-Silverton area is fab (and the train ride is great!). I also love Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Yes indeed, there's lots of excellent and varied places of interest in that part of Colorado.
More info:
Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad http://www.durangotrain.com and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_19VDqQgo
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaHE41qrKoU

cubegame

Another two things worth looking at that I've remembered.

White Sands National Monument ("near" to Carlsbad caverns) is well worth a visit. You can sledge down the crystal white sand dunes. Definitely need good dark sunglasses though!

Then up near Silverton area, if you have the vehicle for it, definitely do the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. It's astounding and you see some amazing views and ghost towns. I would choose a day doing this over the railway. Even if you're not in the right vehicle you can rent a suitable car for the day to do the loop (in fact, this might be advisable as the hire cars are almost certainly not insured for this kind of off-roading).

Also, take note that in Texas oil country (which stretches as far as Carlsbad) the hotel prices are eye-wateringly expensive (we're talking £300 per night for a Holiday Inn Express).

Murphy_The_Cat

cubegame wrote: »

Another two things worth looking at that I've remembered.

Also, take note that in Texas oil country (which stretches as far as Carlsbad) the hotel prices are eye-wateringly expensive (we're talking £300 per night for a Holiday Inn Express).

I've just priced up the Homewood in Lubbock -- ouch. Thankfully, I've got a wedge of HHonors points that I'll be able to use in a 'standard', or the 2 bedroomed suite room at the same rate.
On'tother hand, some of the Dallas rooms are ridiclously cheap.

We've currently got a couple of options from Dallas to Alberquerque

opt a) is Via Wichita Falls & Amarillo -650 miles with a stopover in Amarillo

opt b) We have a couple of nights in Austin and then go to Alberquerque that way - 700 miles and staying in (say) Lubbock to break the journey.

Sadly, going via the Carlsbad Caverns is going to happen this time - its going to add to many miles and we wouldn't have enough time to do it justice. But it would give us something to look forward to another time.

cubegame

Murphy_The_Cat wrote: »

We've currently got a couple of options from Dallas to Alberquerque

opt a) is Via Wichita Falls & Amarillo -650 miles with a stopover in Amarillo

opt b) We have a couple of nights in Austin and then go to Alberquerque that way - 700 miles and staying in (say) Lubbock to break the journey.

Sadly, going via the Carlsbad Caverns is going to happen this time - its going to add to many miles and we wouldn't have enough time to do it justice. But it would give us something to look forward to another time.

Any reason for going to Amarillo? It was a bit meh IMO.

If you can head across to El Paso via the Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad you can strike north to NM. The caverns can be done in a day.

And ditch a night in Albuquerque as it's also not that great.

And why not squeeze in Big Bend? He he heh.....