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Old 01-04-2018, 04:32 PM   #1
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Planning trip to NM, CO, UT

Please bear with me; first posting of new thread and first “big” road trip pulling my own AS.
Planning a loop trip as above over about 6 days; traveling from PA, 4 days out and 4 days back. I would greatly appreciate campground recommendations for Santa Fe / Taos; Durango; Canyonlands, could boondock here if readily accessible; and close to Mesa Verde. Planning on late June. Many campgrounds in the books are non-reservations and I’m a little nervous about flying by the seat of my pants with a tight itinerary during the travel season.
Thanks in advance to all who contribute.
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Old 01-04-2018, 05:19 PM   #2
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Better plan on more than 6 days . It takes us 2 days to Boulder Co. from Ohio without a trailer behind us .Can't help you with campgrounds but have been to all those states lots to see and do.
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Old 01-04-2018, 05:31 PM   #3
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My favorite campsite near Santa Fe is the Hyde Memorial State Park. It is up in the mountains not in the city.

I know some great off the beaten track campsites, if that is what you are looking for.
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Old 01-04-2018, 06:29 PM   #4
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To be clear...

Did you mean 4 days to get there, 6 days to explore, 4 days to get back….total 14 day trip?

It could be done. I'm thinking 10 hours/500 miles per day towing, to get there. Add an hour to check in and set up each day. It could be done. A lot of folks limit themselves to 250-350 miles a day. Towing a trailer will wear you out more than cruising in a car.

The six day part of the trip would be great. Just getting from one place to another is wonderful scenery. I wouldn't be too concerned about flying by the seat of your pants. To me that is part of the fun. ( BLM free camping )

It gets hot that time of year in the desert, once you get out there. You really don't want to be towing on 100 degree days. It's hot between 10 am to 6 pm. Your transmission won't like it. I would suggest earlier in June.
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Old 01-04-2018, 07:28 PM   #5
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Nm, ut

I did a similar trip a few years ago alone from upstate NY. 3 weeks minimum for a trip of this length if you want to really enjoy (4 would be ideal). I went late May, early June, it was over 100 degrees by the time I left Taos. In Santa Fe try Santa Fe Skies, beautiful place. I made all my reservations for every stop along the way in advance. Not the flying by the seat of my pants type! It was the best vacation of my life! Enjoy!
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Old 01-05-2018, 07:05 AM   #6
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I guess the way I wrote it was confusing. 14 day trip in total. Thanks.
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Old 01-05-2018, 07:17 AM   #7
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Durango, CO

Our favorite spot in Durango is the Junction Creek campground (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sanj...42998&actid=29). We like the "E" loop the best, as you can get cell reception, but they're all good. If you're into hiking or biking the Colorado Trail is accessible from just below the campground, and Durango itself is only 5 or 10 minutes down the road.

Dan and Chris
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Old 01-05-2018, 07:59 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lumatic View Post
My favorite campsite near Santa Fe is the Hyde Memorial State Park. It is up in the mountains not in the city.

I know some great off the beaten track campsites, if that is what you are looking for.
Sure. Being fairly new to larger camper traveling (used to have a teardrop) I tend toward plug-and-play. However, my real desire is off the beaten path. This year will see larger wheels and a generator; 3” lift soon to follow. So, any recommendations where I won’t find myself high-center or backing out for a mile, would be greatly appreciated.
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Old 01-05-2018, 08:01 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lumatic View Post
My favorite campsite near Santa Fe is the Hyde Memorial State Park. It is up in the mountains not in the city.

I know some great off the beaten track campsites, if that is what you are looking for.
Oops. I responded to you somewhere under bluvalley. Hope you can find it. Thanks.
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Old 01-05-2018, 08:08 AM   #10
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Pttsburg to durango is 1700 miles. Doable in four days. Enjoy yourself.
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Old 01-05-2018, 08:12 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mandolindave View Post
Did you mean 4 days to get there, 6 days to explore, 4 days to get back….total 14 day trip?

It could be done. I'm thinking 10 hours/500 miles per day towing, to get there. Add an hour to check in and set up each day. It could be done. A lot of folks limit themselves to 250-350 miles a day. Towing a trailer will wear you out more than cruising in a car.

The six day part of the trip would be great. Just getting from one place to another is wonderful scenery. I wouldn't be too concerned about flying by the seat of your pants. To me that is part of the fun. ( BLM free camping )

It gets hot that time of year in the desert, once you get out there. You really don't want to be towing on 100 degree days. It's hot between 10 am to 6 pm. Your transmission won't like it. I would suggest earlier in June.
You’re right to ask, 14 days. Your comment about the heat provides room for thought. We did Moab to Glacier in a ReservAmerica last summer, after flying w family into Colorado Springs. The desert end of things was quite hot. Will have to give that some sober consideration w the wife (going sans kids this trip). Regarding long days on the road, I agree, but I’m still a working stiff so gotta fit it all in. Thanks.
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Old 01-05-2018, 10:04 AM   #12
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Santa Fe Sky’s is a nice park just south of town. When we were there we saw lots of Airstreams at the park. Goulding’s in Monument Valley is a very nice park and be sure to get a guided Jeep trip there!
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Old 01-05-2018, 10:12 AM   #13
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My wife was born and raised in Santa Fe and have camped in most of the RV parks in and around Santa Fe. We liked Rancheros De Santa Fe the best. Stay away from Trailer Ranch RV Park, even though it is close in to town, but is terrible parking and hard to break into all the traffic on Cerrillos Road. Great eating at Tia Sophias for breakfast, The La Fonda Hotel for buffet New Mexico lunch and Tomasitos for dinner.

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Old 01-05-2018, 10:20 AM   #14
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Just my 2 cents, but you may be being a bit ambitious for your destination area. Maybe just one of the three areas you're talking about. Stick closer to the four corners, for instance. Or to the Taos - Santa Fe region. Or to the Santa Fe - Albuquerque region. Tons to see in each without having to drive all over creation.

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Old 01-05-2018, 10:32 AM   #15
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Just a comment about Trailer Ranch RV in Santa Fe. We stayed there last year. It was our first time to Santa Fe and agreed, the traffic on Cerrillos Rd was bad. But, there is a bus stop right across the road that takes you cheaply into downtown Santa Fe and back so that you don’t have to try to find parking in the city. Maneuvering into the site was a bit tight but once in, we had no problems at all and the facilities were very good.
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Old 01-05-2018, 10:38 AM   #16
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Hey KMH

RE ..Off the beaten track

BLM land. I started making a list of the top ten free campsites in Utah, I gave up as there were just too many. There are no signs for these great spots.It's kind of a skill set to learn. Here are some tips.

1. get a BLM map from a BLM office, or try to find one online to print out

2. Look for tire tracks ( dirt road ) without a no trespassing sign. There may be a cattle guard on the ground. That doesn't always mean it's a private ranch. BLM leases it's land to cattle ranchers, and you can sell camp on it.

3. It's a good idea to check the terrain on foot.

4. Reject places with soft sand. Good chance of getting stuck

5. A fire pit is usually a dead giveaway that it's a good spot. The great spots usually have been found and used.
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Old 01-05-2018, 10:52 AM   #17
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We spent some time in Colorado and Utah this past fall.

Thoughts:

Durango: Durango Riverside Resort and RV Park. Out of town, no traffic on the road, ever. There is a very nice little community hot springs right down the road.

Mesa Verde: Mesa Verde RV Park. They assigned us a PREMIUM pull through, top of the hill. Reasonable rates. Loved it.

Near Bryce Canyon NP: Don't miss Kodachrome Basin SP. Dark. Quiet. Beautiful.
No cell reception or WiFi. We didn't care. It's that wonderful. Full hook-ups.

These places are pretty cold right now. We left Colorado at the end of September. It was 28 degrees and there was snow on the mountains. We drove away from Utah at the end of October. Winter closing in.

Also: we have found some excellent boondocking spots on free campsites.net.

Good luck, safe travels.
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Old 01-05-2018, 11:17 AM   #18
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Thanks for the info. Will add those spots to the list. Much appreciated.
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Old 01-05-2018, 11:20 AM   #19
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Thanks for the tips. Will get a BLM map. Wasn’t aware such things were available; though it makes sense.
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Old 01-05-2018, 11:29 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eubank View Post
Just my 2 cents, but you may be being a bit ambitious for your destination area. Maybe just one of the three areas you're talking about. Stick closer to the four corners, for instance. Or to the Taos - Santa Fe region. Or to the Santa Fe - Albuquerque region. Tons to see in each without having to drive all over creation.

Lynn
Seeing the area is the idea more than immersion; otherwise I agree. Planning on retirement in about 5 years and hopeful to return west🤞. Looking for plausible towns to resettle. May need to cut out the canyonlands part of things if more than I can chew. Thanks for your insights.
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