Visiting Colorado. Tourist-free places to see? (Denver, Canon City: houses, camper, vs)

[Parnassia]

Just out of curiosity and I know this is a bit offtopic but I have to ask anyway. I never intended to pass as a native speaker, but I can't see anything wrong in my syntax. What makes it so obvious that I'm not a native?

Some answers to your question are in bold:

Originally Posted by ATimeTraveler

Hey guys! Let's rule out the canyon (what is that?), Aspen, the Rocky Mountain (there's more than one "Rocky Mountain". Its an entire range of mountains):... I could be visiting the US next year (sort of obvious), with my camera, and I'd like to know what places do coloradans visit in their daily life. Lakes, mountains, roads with great views, small cities... that kind of places that only coloradans know and that there are little to no tourists at all.

[Mike from back east]

We actually want to help visitors with their questions, but post #1 didn't give us much to work with, e.g., the time of the year matters a lot when visiting Colorado as winter weather plays hell with traveling in or across the high country, and much of the state, etc.

[reed303]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

Picketwire Canyon contains the largest set of dinosaur tracks North America, but you have to hike 11 miles round-trip to get to them. During the spring, the river can make getting to the tracks difficult, and in the summer it's hot, there's little shade, and rattlesnakes are common.

There is a guided auto tour of Picketwire available.

See https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/234166

Also there is pre-historic rock art, if your "into" that sort of thing.

We were there years ago when you could drive in about a mile from the tracks and art.

[reed303]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Downtown Craig, Colorado. Coal is dying.
Yuma, Colorado. Hometown of Senator Cory Gardner.
Branson, Colorado. Just 64 people.

Maybe also the Alferd Packer Grill at CU in Boulder ?
https://www.colorado.edu/umc/dining/alferd-packer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alferd_Packer

or Slumgullion Pass & Earthflow
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slumgullion_Earthflow

Or Buffalo Bill's Grave
Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave - Golden, Colorado

and of course, Casa Bonita
Casa Bonita — Denver Mexican Restaurant | Taste the Magic of Mexico!

[hikenbike]

Originally Posted by ATimeTraveler

Just out of curiosity and I know this is a bit offtopic but I have to ask anyway. I never intended to pass as a native speaker, but I can't see anything wrong in my syntax. What makes it so obvious that I'm not a native?

I'd like to know what places do coloradans visit in their daily life. Should be 'I'd like to know places that Coloradans visit in their daily lives.'



'... that kind of places that only coloradans know ...' Should be 'the kinds of places' or 'that kind of place'. Nit picky grammar, your English is fine, we all knew what you meant, but it's enough to play your hand as a non-native.


As for where to go, it might be worth it to brave the crowds to see the nice places if you care about spectacular scenery. I have my favorite quiet places but they aren't the sorts of places I'd send a tourist not just because I don't want them spoiled but also because they aren't necessarily the most scenic compared to other places that have some crowds.

[Phil P]

You guys are overplaying the crowds big time.

Assuming ATimeTraveler has a good pair of legs to do some walking and wants to just get out and see the mountains, there's hundreds of places where there are no crowds, and the occasional person you do see is a bit comforting just in case you need some help on the trail.

For hiking, where you want to go is the Sangre de Christo mountains. Most of the range is hiking only wilderness. There'll be more people on the south end of the range by the 14ers (Crestones and Mt. Blanca) but those are also the more rugged mountains. North of there, from say Mt. Adams to Cottonwood Peak, you'll basically drop off the grid entirely into raw wilderness with pointy peaks and blue green lakes. The only thing is there's no cute city, just Westcliffe, which isn't many people.

Here's what that area looks like:



If you want to spend a good chunk of time and really explore, head down to the San Juans. If you avoid Telluride, there's not many people and there's some of the best mountains and wildlife in the Rocky Mountains. There's nicer towns in this area, they're more touristy, but there's wilderness all around if you want to get away.

If you want to do more 4 wheel driving and less hiking and be closer towards Denver, head over towards Fairplay and explore the Mosquito mountains just to the west.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

I hate to be a downer, but you're kind of looking for a unicorn. There are places you can go that won't have a ton of tourists, but they may not be the prettiest or the most happening.

The Eastern Plains, for example, has almost no tourists because there aren't any mountain vistas, there are few trees, and most of the population centers are very small. There are a few places with scenery, though, like Pawnee Buttes, Vogel Canyon, Picture Canyon, and Picketwire Canyon. Picketwire Canyon contains the largest set of dinosaur tracks North America, but you have to hike 11 miles round-trip to get to them. During the spring, the river can make getting to the tracks difficult, and in the summer it's hot, there's little shade, and rattlesnakes are common.

In the mountains you have to go to places like North Park that are isolated and have very few people. The town of Walden is ringed by mountains, but it sits in a large, nearly flat, windswept prairie at around 8,000'.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison won't be as packed as other places, and you can get away from most of the tourists if you're capable of hiking down into the canyon floor.

Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge and Dinosaur National Monument (outside of the visitors center) don't get much tourist traffic, either, but they're also very isolated and the scenery isn't stereotypical Colorado.

The Grand Junction area is a bit like Moab, Utah. It has similar scenery, but on a MUCH smaller scale.

If you've got backcountry camping and backpacking skills there are places like the Eagles Nest Wilderness and Lost Creek Wilderness where you can go camping in the forest and not see many people at all. You've just got to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at you.

There’s a popular sticker floating around the Grand Valley. It says “Don’t Moab Fruita” that is all you need to know about what Moab has become. Sad.

[Dogmama50]

I'll throw in Marble as a great place to visit and the Crystal Mill will have tourists but it's pretty remote so there are less people there, Slow Groovin' BBQ is a great place for food and meeting nice people. Take McClure pass over to the Black Canyon or the well driven but dirt (technically a rental car violation) road to Crested Butte (Co Route 12).

[NW Crow]

"The Grand Canyon of Colorado" (northwest of Dolores CO). Gateway CO, Cumbres & Toltec Railroad, Great Sand Dunes, Lake City, Volcanic dikes near Spanish Peaks / Cuchara Valley, river trips on Dolores, Piedra, Arkansas, White rivers, Crestone, Canyons of the Ancient / Ute Mountain Park, Spinney Mountain / Eleven Mile State Parks (especially in early or late season), Dominguez - Escalante Conservation area, the Hanging Flume, Paradox Valley, Platoro, Glade Park, Lone Cone Wildlife Area & Lake, Williams Creek Reservoir, Rio Grande Resevoir, Moles Pass area, St. Elmo, Pitkin, Mt. Princeton Hot Springs, Dunton ...

Sugarite Canyon State Park just across NM border and Capulin Volcano, near Raton. Dark Canyon Wilderness and Grand Gulch Primitive Area just into southeast Utah. The Snowies Range just into WY west of Laramie. And Flaming Gorge.

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by ATimeTraveler

Hey thank you very much to everyone! I appreciate all your recommendations and advices. I'm going to check every location in google maps and let's see what I can find. The best way to get to know a country is to be around people from that country.





Just out of curiosity and I know this is a bit offtopic but I have to ask anyway. I never intended to pass as a native speaker, but I can't see anything wrong in my syntax. What makes it so obvious that I'm not a native?

Major piece of advice: DO NOT RELY ON GOOGLE or other online maps! They contain many mistakes. Some result only in having to backtrack and go a legitimate route after you take their “shortest” or “fastest” or whatever-lie route.

But others will lead to you trespass situations. Still others have resulted in people driving off steep river banks, trying to cross unfordable streams, getting stuck in sticky mud, or having to be rescued from being mired in deep snow. Some places have no cell phone coverage.

Google Maps info should be verified with other sources, ALWAYS.

Another bit of important info: Colorado does not require that private land be either fenced or posted/signed. The burden is on the person entering to make sure he or she is not trespassing. In other words, if you don’t have solid proof that it is legal to enter (Google often is wrong about this factor), then assume it is not OK to go there.