best way to travel from Kansas to the CO Rockies? (Denver: hotels, vacation)

[1newyorkguy]

Hi all, I love the CO rocky mountains, haven't been in ages though. I'm going to work on a TV show in Kansas (I live in LA now) and figure afterwards would be a great time to go visit CO again.

I won't have a car so I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about it. Originally I thought about renting a car in KS and driving it through CO, then to vegas and then back to LA. But renting a car and dropping it so far away like that is REALLY overpriced. Now I'm thinking maybe take Amtrak from Dodge City, KS to La Junta..rent a car there, drive into the mountains and then drop it off in Denver and fly back to LA. Any suggestions there?

Also reasonably priced accommodation tips would be greatly appreciated too...I'm thinking hostel instead of a hotel..I found one in Breckenridge online.

[janetjanetbobanet]

I have a friend who visits here via Amtrak and I pick him up and drop him off in La Junta, about an hour and a half from Colorado Springs. La Junta is not a very big place, might need to research what is available for car rental from there. Otherwise it sounds like a good idea. There might be better car rental opportunities in Dodge City, though.

[1newyorkguy]

There are some car rental opportunities in La Junta...the question is where to go from there and then how to get back to LA... I'll be with my GF and would love to do a scenic trip perhaps through Sedona, AZ. But renting a car and dropping it off elsewhere is ridiculously expensive and the hotels of course are too. So basically the more trains the better...especially a scenic train.

[jazzlover]

The cheapest places to fly OUT of Colorado are Denver or Colorado Springs. You might be able to fly out of Grand Junction and connect through Phoenix or SLC to LA--but that can be costly. You will also have to find out where you can drop off your rental car.

If you want to see the "real" Colorado, avoid the I-70 corridor (Vail, Breck, Dillon, etc.) like the plague. It's the resort/suburbia version--and also usually the most expensive. Coming out of La Junta, you have the opportunity to head west on US 50--the Royal Gorge, Salida, Gunnison, Black Canyon of the Gunnison are all along the way to Grand Junction.

You can also head southwest and hit US Hwy. 160--Great Sand Dunes National Park, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (a personal favorite of mine), Wolf Creek Pass, Durango, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and Mesa Verde--you could leave your car and fly out of Durango (maybe expensive, though).

You also have the option from the 160 trip to drop south at several points into New Mexico--Santa Fe, then Albuquerque--Albuquerque could be a good bet to fly out from. Or you can catch Amtrak for LA in Albuquerque. Or make a circle trip on US 50 or 160, and return to La Junta and pick up Amtrak west to LA. That, costwise, could be your best bet, because I believe there are good "stopover" options with Amtrak, depending on the ticket or pass you buy.

You also might think about taking Amtrak all the way into Albuquerque, renting a car there and making a circle trip up through northern New Mexico, and south-central and southwest Colorado--you would be seeing the best of both states on that trip.

[1newyorkguy]

I think I'd go into the Northern CO area..aren't the mountains bigger there? That's really want I want to see, amazing mountain views.

I'm thinking now maybe

Amtrak from dodge city to la junta
drive from la junta up towards gunnison, crested butte, and then to Aspen or breckenridge
then drive to denver, fly into san fran, drive the coast down to LA

[jazzlover]

I'm a Colorado native and I've lived in just about every part of Colorado (about 5 decades worth). Take my word for it: the most spectacular mountains in Colorado are in the south-central and southwestern part of the state. The San Juan, Sangre de Cristo, and Uncompahgre Ranges put the rest of state's mountains, as nice as they are, to shame. For we rural Coloradans, it's nice that most of the resorts are along the I-70 "Sacrifice Zone" close to Denver, and the nicer mountains are farther away from there.

If you want to check a website that concentrates on southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, check this one out: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada Information and Vacation Planner

[1newyorkguy]

could you recommend a route to take if me and my gf would like to do some camping? beautiful, secluded and safe from bears would be good

[DOUBLE H]

Jazzlover is right. I know that area very well. When you get to Pueblo, you have lots of options on U.S. 50 alone. Canyon City is about seven hours west of Dodge. It is a long drive but when you get to Canon City you will start to really experience Colorado. The Royal Gorge is about 12 miles west of town, just off Hwy. 50. There is an admission fee (it is private land), and sports the highest suspension bridge in America-1053 feet above the Arkansas River. Cool!! Camping will still be a ways away, but there has been times I have pulled off 50 and taken one of the campgrounds at Arkansas River State Park; it follows the river 40 to 45 miles westbound. Campsites are available in spots, small fee involved (it is a state park, keep in mind). Cotopaxi, Texas Creek are nice small towns but when you get to Coaldale is where you see the high, sweeping Sangre De Cristo (spanish for Blood of Christ) Mountain Range. Hayden Creek and Lake Creek campgrounds are near Coaldale and are ok sites. Ask locally if there is a camping fee, as you are in the Rio Grande National Forest. Salida is another 20 miles or so west and that's where the mountains really stand tall. From Salida to Leadville are some of the states highest 14,000 ft. mountains with #1 and #2 (Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive) just outside of Leadville. Staying outside of Salida? Camp out near Mt. Shavano, just west of Salida. Look closely at Shavano; the natives call it the "Angel Of Shavano" as you get near the peak, seeing the formations. There are markings up there explaining the history of the area. Salida is a full service community for gasoline, groceries, etc. You'll love it. I guarantee it. Pull up Salida's web site, some good info there.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by DOUBLE H

The Royal Gorge is about 12 miles west of town, just off Hwy. 50. There is an admission fee (it is private land), and sports the highest suspension bridge in America-1053 feet above the Arkansas River.

Actually, the Royal Gorge Bridge is owned and operated by the City of Canon City--it provides a good chunk of the revenue upon which the city operates.