Generals gone AWOL Summer 2008 tour input

[Boondocker]

I'm putting together my summer plan. Departing Oklahoma around May 10, returning around August 10. The basic plan at this juncture is outlined on the attached map. If you know cool things to see, do, ect near this route I would love to hear them. I want to be in Idaho by early July and back down toward Colorado for early August.

I am especially interested in boondocking spots, cool national forest, hot springs and such. This will also be my first real trip into Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming above Yellowstone, so any insight into those areas is appreciated. I haven't decided much about the Colorado section of the trip at this point either except that I am mostly thinking about hitting the central to south west portion of the state.
Thanks!

[thecatsandi]

Bonneville campground (USFS) in the Boise NF. Natural Hot spring on site.

[2airishuman]

the landlocked summer tour?

where is the oregon/pnw coastal leg?

u r missing something special...

cheers
2air'

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

the landlocked summer tour?

where is the oregon/pnw coastal leg?

u r missing something special...

cheers
2air'

No doubt, however, even though I have the summer, there is only so much time. As it is, I expect to miss a lot of neat stuff along the way. Some other year perhaps.

[pmclemore]

Lookin' good, Rodney. We don't know what our plans are, but perhaps we'll intersect, if we can get ourselves together.

Pat

[Jim & Susan]

I would really love to go back to Cimarron again. I understand there are many more things to see and do there now than the last time I was there 35 years ago (other than the obvious Sangre de Christo range). It's not too far from ABQ and we have a member here that owns a camp ground near there. I suspect that you could could stay on the reservation, but that's just a guess. Late spring, before the crowds get there, is great. Plenty of wildlife for the new camera of yours.

We'll make it back some day...some day.

Jim

[Boondocker]

Mom and her husband have decided they can't do the Grand Canyon in May like we had planned. Maybe I should just do the loop backwards instead. That would put me at the canyon in August, but I'm thinking that would mean more crowds and hotter temps. Does that sound right to everyone?

The reverse route ought to be ok, but I wonder if it wont be a bit chilly to be in Colorado and Wyoming at high elevations in June. Comments?

[Jaxon]

Wow, Rodney... I really jealous! Nice trip. Wish we could take off 3 months...

I can see it now...

[vswingfield]

Hi Rodney,

Looks like a good trip to me. I have been in Colorado in June, and I think you will be ok. Near Denver, the sun made our tents hot almost immediately in the morning. Nights were no problem. The only problem we had was going up the mountain outside Aspen. We had planned to hike up to a hot spring and “hot tub” like my friend had done in the past. We only got half way because the path was covered in deep snow and we only had running shoes (in my case) and sandals (in hers.)

[nymphfishin]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

Mom and her husband have decided they can't do the Grand Canyon in May like we had planned. Maybe I should just do the loop backwards instead. That would put me at the canyon in August, but I'm thinking that would mean more crowds and hotter temps. Does that sound right to everyone?

The reverse route ought to be ok, but I wonder if it wont be a bit chilly to be in Colorado and Wyoming at high elevations in June. Comments?

Wow, what a trip Rodney,
Colorado high country in June and July can be warm or snowing and everything in between, I live at 7,850 feet, summer temps range from high's in the low 80's, 60's after the afternoon showers. Lows at night in the high 30 or 40's,,, Cool and brisk.
I've seen snow showers numerous times at the higher elevations, 9,000 - 10,000, it doesn't last long and melts almost immediately, but the wind at the highest elevations can have a lot of chill factor.
Don

[Relentless]

As you are coming up, ( or down) in Idaho, stop at Swan Valley. Excellent fishing in the Snake with a guide. Its a one day float trip that is spectacular. Located southeast Idaho right near the Wyoming border south of Yellowstone.

Also, there is a State Park called Three Island Crossing just off 84 in Idaho. If you go near there, it is a great place to stop. You can still see the wagon tracks from the westward migration across the Snake River as they came down to forge the river at that point.

We will be there either the last weekend in May or early June.

John

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Wow, Rodney... I really jealous! Nice trip. Wish we could take off 3 months...

I can see it now...

Its a burden I must bear . Its been a long time coming too.


Hey Don, I will be passing right through your neck of the woods. I spent several summers at Philmont Scout Ranch in northern NM and I recall early June as being chilly at times. I interviewed for a position at Adams State a couple years ago, but didn't get it. But I did decide I wanted to see your area in depth, I expect to spend a couple weeks in south west Colorado.

Great tip John, I am excited about getting into Idaho this summer, thats all new country to me. No doubt there will be plenty to entertain my history buff side there. I'm still debating if I want to get into fly fishing, I don't know beans about it, but it looks fun. I doubt there will be much in the way of guided days though, on a poor profs pay you have to watch the pennies.

[eubank]

Looks like you're planning to go up Hwy 550 from Albuquerque to Durango. It's ok if you want to make miles, but I'd recommend a different route for scenery:

North on I25 to Santa Fe
North out of Santa Fe on 68 to Espanola

From Espanola, you have two really nice choices:

a. North on 84/285 through Abiquiu to Tierra Amarilla
b. North on 68 to Taos and then 64 to Tierra Amarilla

At Tierra Amarilla, you just get/stay on 64 and head to Chama and then over to Bloomfield, where you can pick up the last stretch of 550 into Durango.


Lynn

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by eubank

Looks like you're planning to go up Hwy 550 from Albuquerque to Durango. It's ok if you want to make miles, but I'd recommend a different route for scenery


Lynn

Right you are! I will probably ease up from Taos, still debating where all I will visit in your area.

[eubank]

Actually, we're a bit out of the way if you're wanting to make real time (23 miles up the mountains from Taos).

But the two routes out of Espanola that I described are two of my personal favs: Lots of old stuff, culture, and scenery on both! Basically, the one through Abiquiu goes up to the west of the Rio Grande, and the one through Taos goes up to the east of the Rio Grande. (There are some cross-overs, but you'd probably want a high clearance vehicle to use them.)


Lynn

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by eubank

Actually, we're a bit out of the way if you're wanting to make real time (23 miles up the mountains from Taos).

Lynn

I know where you are (six summers at Philmont) and I will probably swing by for nostalgias sake. By the way, is there any boondocking up in the Red River area?

[eubank]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I know where you are (six summers at Philmont) and I will probably swing by for nostalgias sake. By the way, is there any boondocking up in the Red River area?

Yes, just to the east outside of RR are a couple of forest service campgrounds that look pretty nice! If they weren't so close to home, we'd probably take the AS over there to escape the insanity here. (We prefer REALLY to escape, though, not just a few miles away!)

Kind of depends on when you go by there, though. Red River hosts the huge motorcycle event on Memorial Day, and everything within miles -- including Angel Fire, Eagle Nest and Taos -- gets crammed to the hilt. The ones closer to RR can sometimes be some rough types (Banditos, etc.); the ones we get over here are calmer, older, motorcycle-riding Vietnam veterans, who combine a visit to RR with the events over here at the veterans memorial.


Lynn

[nunya001]

If you can - Big Horn National forest is amazing. It's a truly majestic place - east of Jackson Hole.

[nymphfishin]

[quote=Gen Disarray]Its a burden I must bear . Its been a long time coming too.


Hey Don, I will be passing right through your neck of the woods. I spent several summers at Philmont Scout Ranch in northern NM and I recall early June as being chilly at times. I interviewed for a position at Adams State a couple years ago, but didn't get it. But I did decide I wanted to see your area in depth, I expect to spend a couple weeks in south west Colorado.


Rodney,
Philmont is a great location, I love that part of NM.
There is a lot to see and do here in the Rio Grande valley and the San Luis valley 2.6 million acres of Natl Forest and 600,000 acres of BLM land. see link.
Hiway 160, 'Navajo Trail' goes over Wolf Creek Pass into Pagosa Springs and Durango, that a beautiful drive, one of the best in CO.

San Luis Valley Public Land Center - Site Tours and Maps - Environmental and Conservation Education Council

If I can be of any help, let me know!
Don

[Boondocker]

Has anyone towed up into the Valle Vidal in NM? I use to back pack up in there in the 80's and haven't been back since '96. I remember the road is long and gravel which is OK with me, but I don't have a feel for boondocking up there.