Good day intrepid travelers! We are planning a road trip from Southeast Texas (Houston area)to Colorado in late August/early September. I'd welcome recommendations for travel trailer camping (35' pull-behind) near Rocky Mountain National Park, then west, traveling down through Ouray, etc. I'm pretty experienced pulling through mountains, etc., so any and all recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
We have stayed at the McPhee Recreational Complex, it is near Cortez. They have a nice campground, they had some electric sites but I don't think they had any with sewer/water.
Since you don't mind mountains, Hwy 50 to Montrose then jump on 550 south. How to get to hwy 50 depends on where you exit RMNP, or how direct of a route you want.
It would be my preference but I love mountain driving. It's the screaming people in the passenger and back seats that bother me.
But no help with campgrounds. Only campground in that area I stay at are FS with limited access for large trailers, or you need a 4x4 with very high clearance to get into.
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Trailer: Lifted 228BH, heavy duty springs and Yokohama tires DELAMINATED ROOF TV: 2016 GMC Sierra Z71 4x4 CC, SLT
Spare TV: Two Alaskan Malamutes
Living somewhere in ID; previously lived in Moab UT; previous to that, don't ask!
And no smoking pot while you are there! Just kidding.
Especially in a FS or BLM campground or dispersed camping areas. It's Federal land.
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Trailer: Lifted 228BH, heavy duty springs and Yokohama tires DELAMINATED ROOF TV: 2016 GMC Sierra Z71 4x4 CC, SLT
Spare TV: Two Alaskan Malamutes
Living somewhere in ID; previously lived in Moab UT; previous to that, don't ask!
Ridgway State Park - PA-CO-CHU-PUK (say that three times fast) campground. Just north of Ridgway CO and about 20 minutes south of Montrose. Your biggest problem may be finding any availability this time of year. Most campgrounds run at or near capacity nearly all summer. At times it seems like every camper in TX comes here!
You say you're pretty experienced pulling through the mountains but have you ever been on the Million Dollar Hwy between Ouray and Silverton? Google for some pictures and you'll see a very narrow section of road with a sheer drop off. Pucker factor is high for lots of car drivers. I've met semi drivers that were on pins and needles going over it the first time. My recommendation is to drive it in just your tow vehicle while you're staying in the area. When you're ready to pull south consider rerouting west to Hwy 145 past Telluride over Lizard Head pass. Still a climb but none of the drop off like Red Mountain pass on Million Dollar Hwy (US 550). It takes you through the Dolores River Valley and you get some great mountain views. An added bonus is that it brings you out of the San Juan mountains near Mesa Verde National Park.
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Barry, MSgt, USAF, Ret. & Rose
2017 Ford F150 w/ 3.5 EB
2014 Coachmen Viking 17FQ
It's the screaming people in the passenger and back seats that bother me.
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