Trip #3: 7-Day Western Colorado Fall Colors / Hiking / Hot Springs/ Wineries Circuit

COcamper
COcamper Member Posts: 43
in Camping & Travel
September 21-27, 2017
Dear Diary: Our 2017 Fall Colors trip was amazing! Thank you Tuesd@y our T@B for the cozy hospitality, providing us just what we needed, and not so much that we were tempted to live inside like we saw many RVers doing.  As longtime backpackers / tent campers, we're loving the ease of mobilization / demobilization so we can spend our time doing all the things we're on our trip to do! What a fantastic purchase Tuesd@y has been! We officially have The How-Do-We-Do-This-(Nearly)-Full-Time Bug. 

Day 1: Front Range / Denver -> Glenwood Springs
Day 1 Highlights: 
  1. About 4 miles hiking creekside and past waterfalls through a lush forested valley opening up to incredible canyon views on Jess Weaver Trail.
  2. Iron Mountain Hot Springs from dusk to closing.
Day 1 Campsite: 
Ami's Acres.
Rating: Fair. Elec / Water / Sewer. Definitely use your water filter. Blech! Decent bathroom and showers. Many resident RVs. Tightly packed. It's not bad, but suggest spending waking hours elsewhere. 
Day 1 Pics: 


Day 2: Glenwood Springs -> Grand Mesa National Forest / Cedaredge
Day 2 Highlights: 
  1. 45 1/2 Road Scenery
  2. Stopped at Powderhorn Ski Resort; reconnaissance for future ski trip
  3. Abandoned ski area hike with dogs offleash, through golden aspens, with creek crossings and much solitude
  4. Grand Mesa NF & scenic byway with lakes and aspen views
Day 2 Campsite: 
We got snowed out of our plans to camp in Grand Mesa National Forest, so headed to warmer temps at lower altitude at Shady Creek RV Park in Cedaredge.
Rating: Fair. Elec / Water / Sewer. Walk to town. Lots of shade. Many resident RVs; geared toward veterans. Quiet & small, tightly packed. Terrible bathroom. 
Day 2 Pics: 


Day 3: Grand Mesa National Forest / Cedaredge
Day 3 Highlights: 
  1. Grand Mesa Blizzard. Light rain in Cedaredge changed to snow on Grand Mesa with about 6" accumulation. We hiked 2 different trails in complete solitude. Tuesd@y stayed parked in Cedaredge. 
  2. Honeycrisp apples fresh direct from growers' farmstand
  3. Wineries and scenic drive under clearing skies in the Cedaredge / Surface Creek area
  4. The "Challenge" Butter brand creamery building
Day 3 Campsite: 
Shady Creek again. 
Day 3 Pics: 


Day 4: Cedaredge  -> North Fork Valley (Hotchkiss, Crawford, Paonia area)
Day 4 Highlights: 
  1. Short dog walk in Delta at Confluence Park. Nice trail around the park's lake. Parked at Bill Heddles Rec Center where we saw the 1st and only T@B on this trip: an older grey/white T@B, older dark van
  2. Pastoral North Fork Valley agriculture and mountain backdrop. Gorgeous.
  3. Paonia Mountain Harvest Festival, with the hula hoop girl, the 3 girls holding 3 swaddled pups, and Big Bs Cherry Cider
  4. The local paper
  5. Crawford State Park sunset
Day 4 Campsite:
Crawford State Park
Rating: Great. Elec & water. Dump Station. Fantastic scenery. Dark night sky & stargazing, Quiet time of year offering walkup only. Electric & water hookup campground was about 20% occupied. No-hookup campground had 1 RV. Decent amount of space between sites. Good bathrooms with running water, showers are $1. Be aware of minimal shade. Camp host was from North Carolina and super friendly. Large flocks of Pelicans. 
Day 4 Pics: 


Day 5: North Fork Valley
Day 5 Highlights:
  1. The Needle hike
  2. Wineries
  3. Pumpkins with gigantically fat stems
  4. Delicious Orchards farm walk with dogs, u-pick raspberries, the mercantile, and the rope swings
  5. Picking up the last loaf of chocolate chunk bread from Paonia Bread Works for Chocolate French Toast with Maple Butter on Day 6
  6. Draining Tuesd@y's water lines and emptying tanks as best as possible in anticipation of 25-degree overnight temps for the next 3 nights. A nightly ritual. She fared well! Alde water was already empty. 
Day 5 Campsite:
Crawford State Park again 
Day 5 Pics:


Day 6: North Fork Valley  -> Redstone / Carbondale
Day 6 Highlights:
  1. Chocolate French Toast with Maple Butter (see Day 5) 
  2. Hwy 133 drive on a Tuesday. Empty and enjoyable
  3. McClure Pass and a hike with offleash dogs among aspen with mountain views
  4. Redstone scenery and the Percheron horses at Redstone Stables behind the historic coke ovens
  5. True Nature Healing Arts Peace Garden in Carbondale with reflexology path and labyrinth 
  6. Penny Hot Springs from sunset to dark 
Day 6 Campsite:
Redstone Campground
Rating: Great. Elec & water. Very popular, must reserve well in advance (we reserved about 5 months ahead) Fantastic redstone cliff scenery. Away from the road. No direct river access. Thick Gambel oak between sites creates good privacy. Good bathrooms with running water and free shower. The sites farthest north are the most private. 
Day 6 Pics:



Day 7: Redstone  -> Home to the Front Range 
Day 7 Highlights:
  1. Hike up Coal Creek to see aspens and mountains with our dogs offleash
  2. A real live cattle roundup (leashing where appropriate) on the same hike
  3. A Washington State full-timer's van at the same trailhead (the only other vehicle there) 
Day 7 Pics:


That's a wrap! Until next time.. Happy T@bbing everyone. 
2017 CS-S Silver / Red Trim "Tuesd@y" | 2019 F-150 Abyss Gray | 13 States
On Instagram: @dogmomming
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