Suggested Itineraries for Colorado Road Trips

Six interesting itineraries just to get your "wheels" turning.....

1. Six Days of Rivers, Rails, Roads, and the Rockies
2. Stay and Play
3. Rails and Trails
4. Colorado Scenic Byways
5. Adventure Itinerary for Active Guests You'll need Adobe Reader to view this Itinerary. Don't have Reader- Click here
6. Canyons and Buttes

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Six Days of Rivers, Rails, Roads, and the Rockies

"For those who leave no stone unturned"

Day 1: Denver to Vail
-Stop and enjoy scenic Idaho Springs, Copper Mountain, Shrine Pass and Vail Pass along the way
-Stay in Vail or beautiful Edwards along Eagle Creek
Day 2: Vail to Aspen
-From Minturn to Tennessee Pass, Leadville, the Arkansas headwaters, and Twin Lakes.
-Stop and view any one the many historic railways, towns, or rivers
-Stay in Twin Lakes at the base of Colorado's highest mountain, Mount Elbert.
-Or continue on to Aspen over Independence Pass
Day 3: Aspen to Crested Butte
-From Carbondale travel McClure and Kebler Passes
-Along the way visit historic Marble, where Grants Tomb was mined, Crystal River Resort, or Lake Irwin.
-Stay in Crested Butte, Colorado's largest National Historic District
Day 4: Stay and Play
-Kick up your heels on any one of the many classic benches in downtown Historic Crested Butte.
-Shop, Dine and visit the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum
-Visit one or more of the 2 Million Acres of public land surrounding Crested Butte
-Fly fish, Raft, or Relax
Day 5: Crested Butte to Salida
-From Gunnison over Monarch Pass this will be the shortest day of driving.
-Visit Gunnison's Pioneer and Train Museum, events in the park, rafting, fishing, scenic Gondola rides above the Continental Divide
-Stay in Historic Salida, home of the Arkansas River
Day 6: Return to Denver
-Travel HWY 50 along the Arkansas River and view the geological formations, the Royal Gorge, Canon City.
-Final Stop Denver via Colorado Springs (optional departure from Colorado Springs Airport)

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Stay and Play

"2 Million Acres of Awesome possibilities, Pure and Simple" Back to Top of Page

Day 1: Suggest mid day arrival
-Denver to Gunnison
-Arrive Gunnison and stay two nights
Day 2: Take a float trip on either the Gunnison or Taylor Rivers
-Visit its many shops and restaurants, and the Pioneer and Train Museum
-Music in the Park
- Dine along the River
Day 3: Travel to Crested Butte and stay three nights
-Horse back ridding or Nature hike in the High Country along the Lower loop trail
-Shop Downtown Crested Butte, Colorado's largest National Historic District
-Visit the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum to learn all about the colorful mining culture
-Choose from many fabulous restaurants and shops on Elk Ave
Day 4: Ride the lift at Crested Butte Mountain
-Suggest an early morning chair lift ride
-Picnic in the wildflowers or at one of the sunny decks located at the Base Area
-Afternoon drive to Gothic, a Historical Mining town, and home of Rocky Mountain Biological Lab, a summer biology school.
-Participate in a seminar or just enjoy the history, or a short hike to Jud Falls
-Eat somewhere new, options are plentiful, menus diverse
Day 5: Fly Fishing or Flight Seeing
-Get some instruction from a local Outfitter
-Explore the many lakes and streams right outside of Crested Butte for your afternoon activity
-Or take a scenic flight of the area by Hot Air Balloon, or Plane
-Enjoy Music in the Park for free and see a play presented by local talent.
Day 6: Return to Denver
-For a little adventure travel over Cottonwood Pass to Buena Vista, and Denver
-Or take the tried and true (Paved) HWY 50 over Monarch Pass, Buena Vista....

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Rails and Trails

"View railway history from the comfort of your own car" Back to Top of Page

Day 1: Depart Denver for Gunnison
- Stay in Gunnison
Day 2: Learn some History
-Visit the Pioneer and Train Museum and learn all about the rail ways in Gunnison County.
-Travel to Historical Tin Cup for Lunch
-Visit the Alpine Tunnel
-Cross Cumberland Pass into Taylor Park
-On to Crested Butte for the night
Day 3: Tour Crested Butte, Colorado's largest National Historic District
-Visit The Heritage Museum, Original Train Depot, and other Railway sites
-Drive the old stage line into Ohio Creek Valley
-View the magnificent Castles
-Stay in Gunnison
Day 4: Visit the most expensive section of railway construction in history
-Drive to nearby Cimarron to visit the train depot and museum
-View the Back Canyon from the rim at East Portal
-Travel along the Blue Mesa, Colorado's largest manmade lake
-Return to Gunnison
Day 5: Return to Denver via alternate route to visit the Royal Gorge

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Colorado Scenic Byways

"September Splendor" Back to Top of Page

Target date are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks in September

Day 1: Denver to Aspen
-From I70 drive Tennessee Pass through Leadville, the Arkansas headwaters, and Twin Lakes where you will be greeted by a fa'ade police officer at the entrance to town.
-Stop and view any one the many historic railways, towns, or rivers
-Stay in Twin Lakes at the base of Colorado's highest mountain, Mount Elbert.
-Or continue on to Aspen over Independence Pass
Day 2: Aspen to Crested Butte
-From Carbondale travel McClure and Kebler Passes Home of the 3d largest organism in the world (the aspen grove at the top of Kebler Pass)
-Along the way visit historic Marble, where Grants Tomb was mined, Crystal River Resort, or Lake Irwin.
-Stay in Crested Butte, Colorado's largest National Historic District
Day 3: Crested Butte to Lake City
-Drive Ohio Creek Road to view spectacular colors among the picturesque Castles to Gunnison.
-Travel along the states largest lake to Lake City a quaint village beneath some of the states highest mountains
-If time allows drive the Alpine Loop.
Day 4: Lake City to Salida
-Creed, South Fork, San Luis Valley and miles of wide open vistas prevail on the longest day of the circuit.
-Stay in Downtown Salida along the Arkansas River
Day 5: Return to Denver via South Park, Kenosha Pass and Turkey Canyon.

Salida to Crested Butte: 4 Night Bus Tour - Outdoor Recreation and Cultural & Heritage Tourism Options

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Day One Overnight in Salida - official visitor information and lodging options on ColoradoHeadwaters.com

At this point you are 134 mi/216 km from Denver and 100 mi/161 km from Colorado Springs

Dinner at Dakota's International & Regional cuisine in Salida or at Fiesta Mexicana Day Two

Overnight in Gunnison - official visitor information and lodging options

At this point you are 65 mi/104 km from Salida, 10 mi/16 km from Almont, 28 mi/45 km to Crested Butte, 65 mi/104 km from Montrose, home of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and 172 mi/277 km from Durango

Dinner at Garlic Mike's Italian Restaurant on the Gunnison River

Day Three Overnight in Gunnison - official visitor information and lodging options

This can easily be a full day. Scenic drive up Taylor Canyon Road to Taylor Reservoir and view of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area; along the way Big Horn Sheep viewing areas, ½ day Duckie, rafting and fishing trips available at Three Rivers Resort and Almont Anglers; fishing and horseback riding at Harmel's Ranch Resort. Lunch options: Three Rivers Resort Smokehouse, Almont Resort and Harmel's Ranch Resort; depending on transportation, well graded, hard pack dirt road will take you another 25 minutes up to the historic 1880's mining town of Tin Cup. Frenchy's Restaurant for lunch, a visit to the General Store and easy walk around town to the Town Hall.

Day Four Overnight in Crested Butte, a registered National Historic District and Wildflower Capital of Colorado - official visitor information and lodging options on GunnisonCrestedButte.com. At this point you are 28 mi/45 km back to Gunnison to Highway 50, 172 mi/277 km from Durango or 126 mi/203 km from Grand Junction

Dinner at the historic Slogar (family style chicken dinner with all the fixin's), Cowboy's Bar-b-que or a catered group dinner under the stars at the Lazy F Bar Ranch up Brush Creek Road.

Today, head west on Highway 50 to Blue Mesa and Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado's largest body of water with over 92 miles of shoreline, just 15 minutes west of Gunnison. The Blue Mesa follows along Highway 50 for nearly 25 mi/40 km for spectacular scenery along with grand mesas and the Dillon Pinnacles, an interesting geological formation and the Gunnison National Forest. Stop at Morrow Point (just 25 minutes west of Gunnison) for a scenic boat tour* and then stay on Highway 50 to the main entrance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Montrose. From there, you can head northwest to Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument or southwest to Mesa Verde National Park and the Durango area.

* 25 mi/40 km on Highway 50 west to Morrow Point Canyon Boat Tour in Currecanti National Recreation Area available Memorial Day to Labor Day; 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM tours.

Our suggested route for an easy days drive with lots to see and do along the way, and overnighting in either Redstone, Glenwood Springs or Aspen is to divert off of Highway 50 west on to Highway 92 west at the Blue Mesa Dam. (Before Morrow Point) This is a much more scenic drive and views the south rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park which keeps you on the West Elk Scenic & Historic Byway.

On 92 you will travel through the historic towns of Crawford and Hotchkiss in the North Fork Valley, a prominent fruit-growing region and home of the Hotchkiss/Crawford Historical Museum. When you come to Highway 133 in Hotchkiss, we suggest you head north on Highway 133 to Paonia where you will find some of Colorado's best wines and fruit orchards. Make a visit to the Alfred Eames Cellars by Puesta Del Sol (call ahead or email for a group tasting! 970.527.3269) eames@alfredeamescellars.com)

From there, continue on 133 north where you will still be on the West Elk Scenic & Historic Byway and a drive through the historic coal mining town of Somerset and take in beautiful vistas of the Paonia Reservoir and Paonia State Park. Further on up the road and over the spectacular McClure Pass (paved and 4 lane) take in more incredible vistas and head on down in to the Crystal River Valley. A "must see" is the historic and quaint town of Redstone where the 1880's coke ovens line the highway (a great place for lunch or an overnight at the imposing and historic Redstone Inn). The Crystal River follows along much of this section of Highway 133 north and takes you on in to Carbondale. From Carbondale you can either head west on Highway 82 to Glenwood Springs or east to Aspen.

Resources:

www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com http://www.coloradoheadwaters.com/

http://www.westerncolorado.org/ (Crawford, Hotchkiss & Paonia information) http://www.alfredeamescellars.com/

http://www.redstone.com/ http://www.redstoneinn.com/

http://www.aspenchamber.org/ http://www.glenwoodchamber.com/

http://www.visitmontrose.net/ http://www.visitgrandjunction.com/

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