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The Labor Day Weekend Escape - Colorado

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tshelfer said:
There's a great phone app you should get --- Campfinder. Wherever you are (or tell the app you're going to be), it will find campgrounds and show you price, amenities, pictures, user reviews, and a route to get there from where you're sitting. Unlike some apps that only show KOAs and Jellystone Park styled private campgrounds, Campfinder will show the public ones too: national forest, national park, Corps of Engineers, state, county, city. When you're tired at the end of a long day and need a camp space, this is the best $3.99 you'll ever have spent.
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Good info, purchased, looks like $2.99 on Google.
 
gixxerjasen said:
Awesome, and that has to be the shortest Colorado trip I've read about. Two days of dreary West Texas for only one day of glorious Colorado isn't the ratio usually applied to a trip, but what the heck, work with what you have.

I also applaud you on your spontaneity, I can't do it, too much of a planner myself to just wing it.
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Yeah, a three day run to Colorado and back is extremely short. Even a four day run up and back is not enough. One could spend weeks up there exploring, and not cover half of what there is to see. As you say, one day there is better than no days there!!

Typically, I am a planner myself going to the extent of mapping out fuel stops and knowing where I would be at meal times, etc. I'm probably a little excessive in the planning department! Anyway, I stepped out of that comfort zone this trip, and I'm glad I did. Without expectations placed on the journey, even the "bad" was good.

I prefer to have a plan, but I'm not afraid to take this approach in the future. Try it for yourself sometime. Even if it isn't comfortable, it can be awesome.

As a side note; On family vacations, we have done the mission style trip where we try to see five different things in each day, and that takes the relaxation out of it. These days when we go as a family, we pick one site/activity for each day, and once we are done with that for the day the rest is open for discussion. That works for us, and has provided us some very memorable experiences when we have stopped at an unplanned location and explored.
 
tshelfer said:
About camping on a busy, busy weekend:
- A lot of NF campgrounds take reservations. Use the Campfinder app, or go to Forestcamping.com to view all campgrounds within a NF. It'll give nightly prices, a nice description of the campground, and tell you whether not campsites can be reserved. If so, you can make reservations through ReserveUSA.com. It's not real cheap; they hit you with a service charge per day, for your reservation. But on a holiday weekend, it's the way to go.
- When you're in national forest country, bear in mind that unfenced, open land is technically open for public use, unless otherwise posted. So if the campgrounds are full, follow a forest road and look for a turnout where others have obviously camped. If it's not posted, help yourself. For water, run back to the campground and use their pump. The campground host might try to chase you away, but most will look the other way.
- If you can find the number for the local US Forest Service station, give them a call. They're amazingly friendly and helpful, and I've had them give me detailed directions to popular, nearby areas that are commonly used for free camping.
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Tim, thank you for the tips! I have downloaded Campfinder, and it is in my bag of tricks for the next trip.
 
De Trommelslager said:
As a side note; On family vacations, we have done the mission style trip where we try to see five different things in each day, and that takes the relaxation out of it. These days when we go as a family, we pick one site/activity for each day, and once we are done with that for the day the rest is open for discussion. That works for us, and has provided us some very memorable experiences when we have stopped at an unplanned location and explored.
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Hmmm, might have to give that "five different things in each day" thing a try. When we have our big family get togethers we spend the mornings messing around, getting coffee, etc. Then we spend the rest of the day arguing and trying to figure out what we are going to do with our day. Then, next thing you know, it's dinner time. :angryfire:giveup:
 
I've enjoyed reading about your trip. Can relate to the rain episodes, the trip I just returned from is also tagged with them.
 
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