Scoping out another USA road trip: Colorado, New Mexico

PeacefulWaters

This is in the very early stages, built on a severe lack of knowledge of the area and likely to be timed for July. Two travellers, me and my 18 year old son for a likely 14 day duration.

Any thoughts, suggestions, relevant detail etc will be appreciated. Outline sketch route below. Wide open to change!

Denver
Colorado Springs
Royal Gorge Canyon
Santa Fe
Amarillo
Albuquerque
Durango / Garden of the Gods
Ouray
Glenwood Springs
Aspen
Rocky Mountain National Park
Fort Collins
Denver Airport

EssexExile

July hot, but the car has a/c! Depends what sort of things you like - Denver is a nice little city. I don't like cities so we stay in Golden, just to the west. Good views of the city from Lookout Mountain, Buffalo Bill's grave too.There's a great dirt road through Cripple Creek & Victor down towards Royal Gorge. We drove Durango to Silverton, couldn't wait for the train although it looks good. You can train one way (slow) & get the bus back (fast). Ouray is gorgeous. Mesa Verdi National Park is interesting, cave dwellings. If you like tacky touristy stuff get down to Four Corners. In New Mexico the pueblos are tacky too - native mud dwellings with UPVC doors & windows! My favourite was Sky City at Acoma. Good views of Albuquerque from Sandia Crest. Drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe via Madrid. Truth or Consequences is a town with an interesting name - don't bother, that's the only interesting thing down there! Rocky Mountain National Park is ok, if you drive west out of Denver visit Central City then head up to the park.

I love that part of the world.

John259

Southwest Colorado is a fabulous area:
The San Juan Skyway loop of very scenic mountain roads (Durango > Silverton > Ouray > Ridgway > Telluride > Cortez > Durango (not for the nervous driver, especially in wet weather - huge unguarded drops - and for comparison I regard the Pacific Coast Highway as an easy non-frightening drive);
The Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (old time authentic western steam train through the mountains, a great sight and sound and smell even if you don't actually take the ride);
Mesa Verde National Park (be sure to take at least one ranger-led tour to learn more about the people who built the cliff dwellings);
Further north near Montrose the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (deep steep walled canyon which you can view from the rim and also from the river);
Further north again the drive over the Grand Mesa is great.

Cortez, Durango and Montrose are all good towns to stay in. Durango is a bit touristy but done in a very acceptable way.

In northern New Mexico the drive between Chama and Raton is very scenic, over the southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains.

I didn't find southern New Mexico so interesting, but I like mountains and scenery. So I'd head for the Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming instead. Just my opinion.

PeacefulWaters

Thanks as ever.

That puts a little more flesh on the bones.

PeacefulWaters

The bad news - due to a spiteful ex we've only got eight days (me and 18 year old son).

The good news - he's happy with lots of driving and decided to dump New Mexico in favour of Wyoming and Yellowstone.

Posh flights booked out of Dublin.

Provisional route is

Denver Airport
Colorado Springs
Durango (won't be able to do Telluride I don't think)
Glenwood Springs
Rock Springs
Couple of days in Yellowstone based an hour south of Old Faithful
Beartooth Pass
Red Lodge
Riverton
Rocky Mountains National Park
Denver airport

restless6

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

The bad news - due to a spiteful ex we've only got eight days (me and 18 year old son).

The good news - he's happy with lots of driving and decided to dump New Mexico in favour of Wyoming and Yellowstone.

Posh flights booked out of Dublin.

Provisional route is

Denver
Durango (won't be able to do Telluride I don't think)
Glenwood Springs
Rock Springs
Couple of days in Yellowstone based an hour south of Old Faithful
Beartooth Pass
Red Lodge
Riverton
Rocky Mountains National Park
Denver airport

I am going to Yellowstone next year but am flying into Vegas and then an internal flight to Salt Lake City.

If your son is 18 then its up to him not his mum how long he comes on holiday for, he is an adult.
It is a long way for 8 days, but anythings better than nothing

PeacefulWaters

restless6 wrote: »

I am going to Yellowstone next year but am flying into Vegas and then an internal flight to Salt Lake City.

Fab. I did look at flying into SLC and out from Denver but the benefits were minimal for our constrained timeframe.

If your son is 18 then its up to him not his mum how long he comes on holiday for, he is an adult.

It took me over twenty years to recognise the emotional manipulation in my marriage for what it is. While your statement is wholly accurate the lad is in the early stages of trying to work out how to keep both parents happy. I'm not going to be the one making that any more difficult than it needs to be.

It is a long way for 8 days, but anythings better than nothing

It might be my one and only opportunity to holiday with my son alone.

It's going to be fantastic.

Murphy_The_Cat

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

Denver Airport
Colorado Springs

Denver airport

my family and I absolutely adored Colorado - you'll love it.:beer:
You've got lots to do/see and not a long time to do it in.
Try and fit in a drive up Pikes Peak,
rafting in Royal Gorge,
drive along Skyline Drive
above Canon City.

agrinnall

I'd take the funicular up Pikes Peak rather than drive, a hire car is going to struggle at that altitude, I know I did just walking around!

And my recommendation for southern Colorado would be to visit Mesa Verde.

Murphy_The_Cat

agrinnall wrote: »

I'd take the funicular up Pikes Peak rather than drive, a hire car is going to struggle at that altitude, I know I did just walking around!

And my recommendation for southern Colorado would be to visit Mesa Verde.

My rental car managed without a problem.:beer:
The cog railway looked fun, but takes a long time (may be an issue on an 8 day trip), plus, it wasn't a very wallet friendly way to go up PP.
The doughnuts at the top we're lovely;)

Crispy_Ambulance

Sounds like a great trip! We are going to be in the same area - we are flying in and out of Denver and visiting Cheyenne, Thermopolis, Sheridan, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Jackson, Salt Lake City, Moab (Arches & Canyonlands), Glenwood Springs, Rocky Mountain Park & Boulder in between. We do have the luxury of a longer trip than yours though.

Have you booked accommodation in Yellowstone yet?