The wife and I will be headed to Durango from Colorado Springs tomorrow morning for some business... We'll probably eat a lunch/early dinner in town and then will be looking to head back in the direction of the Springs - but would like to stop and camp for the night.
Any suggestions for a quasi-scenic place where we can pitch a tent for the night w/o the need to hike in too far? I'd just head to the dunes, but we'll have the dog with us, and don't think he's allowed.
I know this is a tall order at 10pm, but hey someone may be up reading this!
It all depends on your route. You could go from Durango to Silverton, continue north to Montrose, grab Highway 50 east and then north on Hwy-135 out of Gunnison, right at Almont and take that past Taylor Reservoir to the Cottonwood Pass road, where you'll find a multitude of paradise-like campsites. Then come down the east side of the pass into Buena Vista, breakfast at Jan's and then head back to the Springs.
I'll second Todd's recommendation. I drove that route last fall for the first time and was blown away - gorgeous, especially between the pass and the reservoir. This was taken at the pass.
Just a follow-up. I would NOT call this off-topic. This is just the kind of info I think this forum is all about.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on June 19, 2006 at 11:10 AM
Mmmmm...breakfast at Jan's.
I've not done this route as Todd has described it, but I've driven all of those roads and its a really good route. Cottonwood pass is very nice and if you don't find a campsite on the west side there are more sites on the east. I've car camped at cottonwood lake before and its not bad for car camping (though crowded)
Discussion
4 repliesAny suggestions for a quasi-scenic place where we can pitch a tent for the night w/o the need to hike in too far? I'd just head to the dunes, but we'll have the dog with us, and don't think he's allowed.
I know this is a tall order at 10pm, but hey someone may be up reading this!
Thanks
I've not done this route as Todd has described it, but I've driven all of those roads and its a really good route. Cottonwood pass is very nice and if you don't find a campsite on the west side there are more sites on the east. I've car camped at cottonwood lake before and its not bad for car camping (though crowded)