Fall Colorado Trip

I'm getting ready for my first fall trip to the beautiful state of Colorado. I'm not looking for any answers necessarily, but just comments from all of you on your Colorado experience. I live in Glendale, AZ. My agenda is the following:

Sept 28 Drive from Glendale to Glenwood Springs

Sept 29 Glenwood Springs to Maroon Bells (try to get there around 5-530am I'm sure it will be crowded!)
from Maroon Bells to Capitol Peak
Then explore CO 133 from Mt Sopris to Kebler Pass
then to Gunnison for the night.

Sept 30 Kebler and Ohio Pass, the Beckwiths, Marcelina Mountain, the Dyke, Lost Lake Slough and more if I have the time

October 1 Leave Gunnison for Dallas Divide/Mt Sneffels (CR5/7 Last Dollar rd)Telluride

October 2 Back up through Kebler and Ohio pass and explore this area further.

October 2 Gunnison to Glendale, AZ

Would love to hear your experiences with your fall trips!

Allan

Hi Allan -

You should get some great images with this itinerary - you certainly will be going, going, going! I was up along Kebler Pass a few weeks ago and the road to Lost Lake is closed because the campground is being reconstructed (with no signs of opening anytime soon). You can reach the lake by hiking from other points, but you will not be able to reach it by car.

Gothic Road out of Crested Butte has some aspen stands and foliage, so you could consider adding that to your list (lower priority than the places you have already mentioned). You might also want to travel between Gunnison and Ridgway via Owl Creek Pass. Finally, if I were you, I would plan to spend more time exploring all of the county roads between Ridgway and Telluride (CR 5, 7, 9, Silver Pick Basin, Wilson Mesa, etc). Also, the section of Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Ironton has some nice places to stop if you are going to be focusing mostly on roadside photography.

Have fun!

Allan, I'm sure you'll get a lot of advice. My two cents would be that you hit the Telluride/Ridgeway area either coming or going. Don't drive there from Kebler and then back; it's not horribly far, but it's not that close either. I'd just hang out in the West Elks for a couple consecutive days (or as long as I could), take time to get more intimate with the area, then head home through Telluride. Personally, I'd also skip the Bells in favor of more time in those other areas, but that's just me.

What Jackson said.

Thanks Folks,

This is a pretty good list. Keep’em coming.

If you don't mind shooting sunrise with 75-100 of your closest friends along the entire length of the shoreline at Maroon Lake, with some crossing their tripod legs over yours, or creating ripples putting their tripods in the water, go for it! And you will be one of those people if you don't get there until 5-5:30. To get a good spot, it's 4-4:30. Yeah, it's still worth it, and you get to meet some great people. We all want one of the best views of Colorado in our portfolio, and this is one of the best. It's a lot closer to stay in Crested Butte instead of Gunnison with that much Kebler/Ohio work. Good shooting and may we all have great light!

Off 133 there is the short trip over to Marble and Crystal Mill (depending on 4x4 skills according to the advice I was given here). I would second the Owl Creek Pass option as well as time exploring various roads around Ridgeway/Telluride that Sarah suggested. If you have never been the Maroon Bells it would be ashame to miss that...it still takes my breath away, especially in the fall. Joe Rogers

What Todd said Jackson said!

Thanks to everyone for your replies!

Sarah/Jackson Just curious why you would skip the Maroons? I may switch my agenda going thru telluride when I go home. Not sure yet. My plans were to come thru Moab going and coming. Would like to stop at Arches on the way back. But who knows, I may change my mind!

Joe - Thanks for your suggestion. I've got Owl Creek Pass down, but it looks to be out of the way somewhat. Also I've got a pickup (no 4x4 though) so I would guess Crystal Mill would be out of the picture

I was also concerned about some of the roads like Last Dollar (CR5/7). If it is dry and the weather is good, do I still need 4 wheel drive to cross it?

Allan

Morris Really? 4-430 to get a decent spot at the Bells? The reason I'm staying Gunnison is because I can get very good hotel rates thru my employer, but they do not have any of their hotels in Crested Butte.

Glenwood Springs to the bells is a long drive at 3am. Why don't you stay in Basalt or someplace closer.

You need more time, Aspen turns a week ahead of Dallas Divide from my limited experience.

Basalt is a great little town....Ive stayed there on a number of occasions....super Mexican food resturant. Only a short distance up to Aspen from there. Also right out of Basalt there is a road running up the Frying Pan River that is scenic, especially if you would like shots of fly fisherman. I understand the Frying Pan is one of Colorado's premier trout rivers, by the way. Joe Rogers

Owl Creek Pass might be out of the way but its way worth it. Last Dollar Rd is not a very technical drive at all. A little bumpy but reading your itinerary you should be used to "bumpy" by the time you get down there. I also have to agree about the Bells. It's good to suffer through it once and get it over with. Some photographers there are anything but friendly...