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Any of you all camped and explored Colorado at all? I'll be coming through CO then heading South through it going to AZ and UT then back around the northern part of Colorado on my way back. Looking for the best scenic route maybe down through the Great Sand dunes towards the northern tip of AZ close to Monument Valley.

 

The route from Grand Junction to Durango via Ouray and Silverton on the Million Dollar Highway was mindblowingly awesome when I did it last May. Road miles, but very scenic.

 

Remember the highway numbers or anything exactly? You talking about strictly HWY 550?

 

Ouray and Silverton are in a tight mountain valley. It's the only road. Rt 550, just looked it up.

Google "Animas Forks" and "Poker Alice" as well.

There is a lot of good stuff in that area. Black Bear Pass, Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass (all part of the Alpine Loop), Silverton is a great lunch stop and Avalanche Brewing is based there. Ska Brewing in Durango is a good one too. Modus Hoperandi and Mandarina are delicious IPAs.

Hot Tomato in Fruita right outside Grand Junction is great for Pizza as well. Gotta try the pesto pizza if you go there. The line is out the door around 5pm with the locals and out of town bikers as well. That's how you know it's good.

 

Depending on were you are entering CO, but CO-139 from Rangely, South to on US-50, then stay South on US-550 in Montrose until you hit Durango. Heading to AZ, take US-160 to Cortez and then to the Four Corner Area. I am not sure how far South and West you plan to go, but staying on 160 through Red Mesa is a beautiful ride. US-191 South through Rock Point and Round Rock are some really cool Indian Reservation areas. You can take it to 264 and then head west to 77 and go through Indian Wells. I would hit AZ-15 and take that to Flagstaff.


I did the reverse of this route I just mentioned on a motorcycle. Something I wont ever forget.

 

I did part of this on the way home from Durango. I'll second this recommendation.

 

I'll be entering from the East (Hwy 70) then going South, Southwest towards AZ! Circling around and coming back up next to Moab and back through Denver area on my way back! In AZ i'll be just staying in Northern AZ area. (Horseshoe bend, Northern Grand Canyon, etc.)

 

Lake City area is nice. I did some geotechnical stuff in the animas canyon a few years back, it's nice too.

 

Bahahahah WTF

 

miniature glamping

 

We have a similar experience with Denver folk flocking to Moab.

"How do you know its spring in Utah? The license plates turn green"

 

check out Durango and silverton. Th Durango has great showers for 7 bucks at the community center and silverton has some epic off roading. We did a week out there last summer.

 

Finally! Warm weather needs cold beer!!

Running off solar for the past week straight. No low voltage cut outs. Stays at a cool 36°F. Used T-nuts on the bottom of the wood platform with stainless hardware for a clean look.

 

How many watts of solar and what's it powering. I am doing solar soon.

 

100w renogy panel with an Amazon PWM charge controller to a 105ah AGM battery. It powers a

$1,270 dometic CFX 50w CFX 50W 12v electric powered portable cooler, fridge freezer

dometic CFX 50w fridge. The cfx "w" has a WiFi feature so I can monitor the battery without running wire.

 

Does the fridge run from the load terminal on the controller, or the battery posts? I assume the load terminal on controller?

 

The Battery post, the fridge has its own low voltage cut off too. I have a NOCO 12V female outlet to a fused ring terminals.

 

I like the finished plywood, purties the install.

 

When you come MedlinAround in Colorado and the general area, please leave only footsteps. Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation. And, if you can pick up trash from previous campers that would be a nice touch.

If you fish, please don't leave line and hooks, gather it up the best you can and take it out.