Million Dollar Highway

The Million Dollar is more than do-able in a T@b.,It could snow, but it is not probable that it would accumulate on the roads and if it did, it would probably melt.

Of course, now that I have said this, they will likely have a blizzard.

Red Mountain Pass is doable pulling a T@B, you have to go slow (15-20mph) anyway due to the sharp & steep curves. It is unlikely, but not unusual, to have snow on the 4 high elevation passes (Coal Bank, Molas, Red Mountain, Lizard Head)...if snow is forecast then we don't go. The sun melts much of the road, but many of the curves are in the shade so you still need to be really careful (you probably don't have snow tires on the T@B). We go every year in late September...one of the most beautiful drives in the country. If the aspens are in peak color we'll take 300 pictures in 2 days.

Oddly, many campgrounds (at least State and National Forest), despite the great weather and Fall colors, close in mid-September. So if you have a route (as it appears you do) check out who's open and who's not (I especially like Allstays... http://www.allstays.com/apps/camprv.htm). Here in Durango there are a couple options that you could check, United Campground at the north end of town, the KOA at the south (hey, it's a small town), the Alpen Rose (just north), and the RV park assocciated with Trimble Hot Springs (7 miles north). I'd be surprised if the (excellent) campground at Mesa Verde (about 4 miles up the road from the entrance), or the commercial RV park on Rt. 160 aat the entrance isn't open around 10/1, but I'd still check. We (and Jenn G.) came back from Gunnisoon on Rt 50 to Montrose; there are a BUNCH of campground between there and Montrose, esp. in and around Curicanti Reservoir, but again I'm not sure they're open then. East of Gunnison onn 50...Salida on to the Royal Gorge area and I-25 is a beautiful drive, but again we have no RV expeerience there (yet!). As for weather, we're hoping for good mountain weather too...we're supposeed to be in Denver around 10/1, planning on driving and motelling, but if the forecast is good we'll take the T@B and stay at Dakota Ridge in Golden (open year round)...mountain weather is notorriously unpredictable, so I'd suggest watching forecasts (several of them) up until about a week before you leave and then make a decision. Sorry about the protracted response....we LOVE living here!

Larry, it's so unpredictable here that time of year.  If you have time to hang out and wait for the snow to melt, then GO FOR IT.  We can have 5-6 inches of snow by the first week in October at 5,820 ft.  Usually that time of year, the sun will come out and melt any snow within a day or two.  But the lower elevations at Mesa Verde might be all right.  I am hoping to take a trip myself at the end of September to Lathrop State Park in southern Colorado.  I spoke to the forest ranger and he said that if the wet weather continues (we have had a WET summer), that there will be snow at higher elevations (8,000 ft. plus), so just be prepared. The unique thing about Colorado is that we have INTENSE sun, so even 3 inches of snow could be gone by the noon the next day if the sun comes out (which it usually does).  As long as you have time to spare to hang out for a day, it should be okay.  I wouldn't wait much longer that Oct. 1 though to do that trip.  

Will there be snow?  That pass, like most high passes can get snow any time of the year.  On a motorcycle trip in early September I had temps over 100 down on the flats in the desert and a couple hours later up on the pass I had bitter cold and snow.  

Just watch the the weather and have a back up route if necessary.

Nice

Yay!   We just drove over it 2 days ago...

Congrats!  Gorgeous, huh??