# Leadville, Co????



## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

We had a fantastic trip to Montrose over the 4th- no problems at all hauling over Monarch pass. We did stop in Salida for the night at Walmart (our first Walmart camping experience- and although "free" I spent $47 in Walmart on things I could have done without so I think it may not really be the cheaper option!!!!).

Now that we have our first real mountain pass under our belt, we are thinking of a trip to the Leadville area in a couple of weeks. We've not been there, not been past Buena Vista. We will be coming from CO Springs, probably up through Buena Vista. How is the road to Leadville? I know the elevation is high.....

Any suggestions on a quiet, priviate campground? I'd prefer boondocking for free if there are those types of places around the area.

And do you know of any "free" overnight places to stop for the night in Buena Vista (I don't think there is a Walmart).

Thanks for your help!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Once you get to Bueney there are no passes on the way to Leadville. Now after Leadville is all big passes. You wont have any trouble at all.

Carey


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## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

Good to know! The road to leadville seems to always be closed (Cottonwood Pass maybe), so I assumed it must be a hard road to get up.


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## Colorado Outbacker (Jun 6, 2005)

Glad to here your trip went well, I was think about you today. I went through Montrose this morning on my way to Durango. I was up on Grand Mesa this weekend learning the area for next summer. BEAUTIFUL is all I can say.

Anyway Leadville... We stayed in a very nice federal campground on the shores of Turquoise lake. I too prefer staying in the forest but don't know enough about that area as far as free spots. The road from Buena Vista on up to Leadville is fine. Cottonwood pass takes you over to the Taylor area... we will be up there for 10 days at the end of this month dry camping and ATV riding.

Make sure to visit the national Mining Museum when you are in Leadville. It is very nice and so interesting. We also visited Baby Doe's mine and home. You will learn all about her while you are up there. Interesting Lady!!!

Take care and have yet another super camping trip. 
Tony


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## Ish (Jun 15, 2010)

Colorado Outbacker said:


> We stayed in a very nice federal campground on the shores of Turquoise lake. I too prefer staying in the forest but don't know enough about that area as far as free spots.


I thought I just saw an article in trailer life or camping life magazine about Turquoise lake and the campgrounds around it. Sounds like a beautiful area that we need to visit someday!

Has the pine beetle made its way up there yet? We were in Winter Park a couple of years ago and it was just devastating to see all the dead pines.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Cottonwood Pass is west of Buena Vista. The way to get to Leadville from Buena Vista is north up hwy 24.

Cottonwood Pass takes you to twin lakes and eventually to Crested Butte or Gunnison. Or it can take you to the backside of the Aspen area.

Carey


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

There is a great dry camping place 1/2 way between Buena Vista and Leadville. Its just south of Granite, Co. Its called Clear Creek Resevoir. You can take the county road west of there and see old ghostown Vicksburg and Winfield.


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## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

Colorado Outbacker said:


> Glad to here your trip went well, I was think about you today. I went through Montrose this morning on my way to Durango. I was up on Grand Mesa this weekend learning the area for next summer. BEAUTIFUL is all I can say.
> 
> Anyway Leadville... We stayed in a very nice federal campground on the shores of Turquoise lake. I too prefer staying in the forest but don't know enough about that area as far as free spots. The road from Buena Vista on up to Leadville is fine. Cottonwood pass takes you over to the Taylor area... we will be up there for 10 days at the end of this month dry camping and ATV riding.
> 
> ...


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## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

Tony- We were actually in Cimarron on a friend's family's working cattle ranch. It was more than expected. So lucky to live in Colorado. If I can figure out how to post pics I'll do it.

I haven't seen an infestation of pine beetles like in Grand County anywhere I've been in Colorado. We lived in Winter Park for 8 months (moved there from Houston, Texas 3 years ago) and felt like we were going up in flames at any time. Some of the beetles have crossed over through the RMNP into Estes Park, but not at all like WP, Fraiser, and especially Grand Lake.

I'll check out clear creek res. I've been scared to take off on a dry camping trip worried that I'll get all the way there and there won't be a place available!


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## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

Colorado Outbacker said:


> Glad to here your trip went well, I was think about you today. I went through Montrose this morning on my way to Durango. I was up on Grand Mesa this weekend learning the area for next summer. BEAUTIFUL is all I can say.
> 
> Anyway Leadville... We stayed in a very nice federal campground on the shores of Turquoise lake. I too prefer staying in the forest but don't know enough about that area as far as free spots. The road from Buena Vista on up to Leadville is fine. Cottonwood pass takes you over to the Taylor area... we will be up there for 10 days at the end of this month dry camping and ATV riding.
> 
> ...


We are planning a trip through Durango for Labor Day- prob won't haul the TT as I want to do an off road type road trip. But it will be our first trip to Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Pagosa Springs!


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## jstew03 (Feb 11, 2007)

My neighbor has raved about Turquoise Lake as well, though I have never been there to vouch for the availability of RV spots it sounds like they are there? As noted several NF campgrounds around it, which are fairly cheap. I have it on the to-do list as well.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

Conrats on the first pass! Now I bet you want to go out and climb them all.

I think I lost count of the number of passes we pulled in CO last summer. I was even driving down a road heading to Dinosaur NM saying to my wife: "Hmm, it looks like we are driving into a box canyon.... I didn't think we had a pass today, but now I'm beginning to wonder....." 5 miles later, I knew for sure....









This year we're in the Appalacians so we are just driving up through "gaps" 
There isn't that much elevation, but man I wish they could figure out how to build a switchback out here rather than trying to go straight up the side....


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## Colorado Outbacker (Jun 6, 2005)

_We are planning a trip through Durango for Labor Day- prob won't haul the TT as I want to do an off road type road trip. But it will be our first trip to Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Pagosa Springs!_

Hi

Be sure to make reservations early. We have a small motorcycle rally every year on the Labor Day Weekend. It is no Sturgis but it does take up a lot of the Motels and RV spots.

We love the drive to Silverton, Ouray, Ridgway, Telluride it is Awesome. I have lived down here for 30 years now and I still caught myself taking pictures out the window this past weekend when I drove over from Montrose. We pull our 28RSS over Red Mountain often, just gear down, stay between the yellow line and the edge and enjoy the ride. If you need anything let me know and I will do my best to help ya out.

Take care and have fun in Leadville!
Tony

PS: Attached a couple photos I shot from the window of my car. First one is near Ridgway the second is near Silverton, the last one in near Telluride. Telluride is in the lower left of the picture. The last two photos were shot the third week of September a few years back.


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## randtbrown (Mar 10, 2010)

Colorado Outbacker said:


> _We are planning a trip through Durango for Labor Day- prob won't haul the TT as I want to do an off road type road trip. But it will be our first trip to Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Pagosa Springs!_
> 
> Hi
> 
> ...


BEAUTIFUL! Is there any reason we should start from the North and drive South from Montrose to Durango then East, or should I go West and drive North through Silverton, Ouray, etc? I'll let you know if I run into any more questions- thanks!


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## Colorado Outbacker (Jun 6, 2005)

BEAUTIFUL! Is there any reason we should start from the North and drive South from Montrose to Durango then East, or should I go West and drive North through Silverton, Ouray, etc? I'll let you know if I run into any more questions- thanks!
[/quote]

The drive is truly beautiful either way. I do like it from the North to the South just a little better. Wolf Creek Pass between Pagosa Springs and South Fork is no problem either direction. Seeing the mountains that surround Pagosa Springs as you come from Durango going east are beautiful. Some day in your many travels try to get over to Telluride as well. It is amazing where they tucked that little town. Ride the Gondola, its free, kids love it.

We are going to be playing in the Taylor Park area the last week of the month. We are meeting up with 12-15 other family's with their RV's dry camping for 10 days in the forest east of Taylor Reservoir. It's our annual retreat with family and friends. We go over Wolf Creek then over Cotchetopa _(North)_ Pass to get to Gunnison from here. It is a lot easier on the rig and family...car sick! Then just before school starts we will be towing over Red Mountain to Ridgway State Park...Dramamine is good stuff! We just take our time and get there when we get there. Mistakes on Red Mountain or Molas passes are unforgiving. We like visiting the Hot Springs and Box Canyon Falls in Ouray. The kids like to play on the beach at Ridgway. Nice way to wind down the summer for the kids. Then the hunting seasons start falling into place for us.

Take care and bring a camera!
Tony


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## COCostas (Aug 13, 2010)

Well this is a little late to the conversation, seeing how Leadville is getting VERY cold at night already! The drive to Leadville from C Springs is not bad at all if you take HWY 24. The only pass is west of Lake George and hardly seems like a pass at all. For a town as high as Leadville, it really is easy to get to. Twin Lakes is a beautiful area just south of Leadville and Turquoise Lake is just north. Pick a place and go - it's gorgeous. We've been to/around Leadville plenty of times, just not yet to camp. We hope to get up that way next season with our "new" Outback. It was a little too far of a haul with our elderly Avion.


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