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We are thinking of exploring the State of Colorado in late summer, early fall.  We would especially like to travel through Silverton, Durango, Breckenridge areas.  Has anyone out there taken this trip with your PC?  Any ideas on good campsites or places to explore?  We will be traveling with our small dog.  My husband has relatives scattered throughout the state so we hope to do some visiting and just plain kicking back and seeing the sights.  Thank you for any suggestions>

Margie

I have taken several camping trips to Colorado in a variety of vehicles, including motorhomes and camping in tents.  The campsites I remember fondly were ones without hookups like Robber's Roost near Winter Park and The Crags at 9000 feet elevation south of Divide.  As far as the areas you mention, I've been to Breckenridge and unless you are avid skiers there in the winter or fans of Rodeo Drive I'd bypass it.  It is a pretty upscale ski town where people go to watch for celebrities (my opinion).  The Durango/Silverton area is famous for the narrow scale railroad that I've never ridden, but is supposed to be fabulous for the experience and the scenery.  Also you're not far from one of my favorites, Mesa Verde National Park down the road from Durango near Cortez.  It's an experience not to be missed.  There is a NP campground there.  Other places I've been are Rocky Mountain National Park north of Boulder with a circular drive around the park reaching over 12000 feet and into the tundra above the treeline.  Spectacular views.  In Colorado Springs is another don't miss attraction, the Garden of the Gods.  This is a spectacular area of beautiful rock formations and will make for great pictures.  Nearby is Pikes Peak which I've passed, but never visited.  You won't want to drive it with your PC and the cog railway is usually booked for the next 3 or 4 hours, so plan ahead if you want to take it.  Also worth seeing on the western side of the state is Colorado National Monument on the way toward Arches NP in Utah and in the NW corner, Dinosaur National Monument. The one place I personally recommend against is the Royal Gorge bridge.  This is touted as the tallest suspension bridge in the US, but they don't tell you it's just a wooden board bridge built way off of any main highway as a tourist trap.  It's got an inclined railway, a cable car over the Gorge, fast food and souvenir stands, and tame deer that will stick their heads in your motorhome to beg.  For an engineer who'd always heard of this wonder, it was a major letdown.  Hope this is of some use to you.

Jerry

Margie,

We were in Colorado in 2006.  Mesa Verde is one of our favorite parks.  Very interesting.  We took a tour with the park rangers and it was very enlightening!!  We were towing a travel trailer at the time so stayed across the road from Mesa Verde at A&A Campground.  They are still open and get good reveiws and not that pricey.  You are close to the "Four Corners" when you are here.  Now, some folks say it is a tourist trap and not to waste your time. But we just had to go and actually spent four hours there.  We talked to many of the locals sellling their crafts and even had a custom arrow/arrowhead made and then signed by the "artist".  Still have it displayed in the house today.  It too was very intersting.  We have also taken the COG railroad up to Pike's Peak.  This was many years ago but that too was enjoyabale and the scenery was beautiful.  ENJOY!

Sue

Thank you Jerry and Sue for your replies.  I am just now attempting to start getting a plan in place for Colorado and your comments will be very helpful.  My husband's father actually worked in the mines in Leadville and Silverton so we are anxious to see those towns.  His father came to this country from Italy, worked and went back to Italy where my husband and his siblings were all born.  His father passed away when my husband was only two years old so he is very interested in the history in those areas.  We have been through Colorado on a couple of trips east but never spent any time exploring.  Can't wait to get out there in our PC.  Thanks again for all of your suggestions.

Margie