CO brethren... need your help

A buddy of mine is coming into town for the 4th of July weekend.

He wants to go 4-wheel camping.

Obviously that weekend is challenging to find good camp spots as everyone and their mother is up in the hills.

So does anyone have good suggestions? I live in Boulder and am willing to drive a decent way for some trails and good camping. I know how some spots are sacred but if you PM me I promise to keep my mouth shut

Also I'll be solo (in terms of vehicles) so I'm hoping there isn't too much snow making the trails impassable.

Thanks in advance
MM

 

what area are you looking at? how far you willing to go? are you looking to 4wd into a camping area or camp and go wheeling? by 4-wheel camping it sounds like you want to 4wheel into camp, correct?

 

my wife and i were just up in the trails north of idaho springs over the weekend. there was just a little bit of snow on some spots of the trail, but it was easy to get through it. when i called the rangers station up there, the lady said that all the trails north of idaho springs except for yankee hill were passable. i had also asked about the trails around georgetown and she said that they were all covered in heavy snow and not passable.

 

colorado springs/pikes peak region would be a sure bet for least amounts of snow and national forest areas for free camping/exploring

 

This is correct. I want to 4-wheel to a nice camping spot: no campsites and (hopefully) away from lots of traffic

I have one just behind Boulder I go to, but that's typically reserved for a one-nighter. Two days and two nights there would get rather boring.

I'm willing to drive to say Buena Vista (or any comparable driving time - I live in Boulder).

Two things:

1. I'll be solo, so I'd prefer to keep it to moderate forest service roads and/or jeep trails

2. I have no idea what the snow pack is still like. I've heard that even Vasquez Rd in Winter Park is still unpassable. Which is unbelievable. Also with run off being at a ridiculous rate/height/scope etc... solo creek crossings seem sketchy to me.

Thanks

 

there are some trails down by Westpark, CO that have alot of camping areas in or by the trails...and snow will not be an issue

 

Westpark? Do you mean Westcliffe by chance?

Time to start busting out the ol' Gazetteer

 

westcreek

or deckers


sorry spaced out between looking at the map and typing

trails nearby http://www.traildamage.com/google_colorado.php

goose creek road
metberry/longwater/hackett gulch
cedar mountain road
long hollow road/missouri & illinois gulch
rule ridge
phantom creek

 

Cool. That's weird, I was just looking at some old trails I used to hit by Deckers.

Haven't been there in ages. Well before the Hayman fire. Wonder what it's like now?

 

from metberry gulch and hackett gulch earlier this year...

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/off-roading-trails/158448-gulches.html

 

Wow. Still a wasteland. Good to see the aspens starting to come in strong though.

Nice photos, thanks for sharing.