LF around Colorado / New Mexico

[Bruce Watson]

It's possible that I'm going to be able to visit Colorado and New Mexico in the not too distant future. Depends on Portland (another thread I just started).

In a similar vein, it's been 32 years since I was last in the Colorado / New Mexico area. Long before I knew what an LF camera was, or what LFers did. What are the "don't miss" features of Colorado and New Mexico for LFers? I'm thinking that Rocky Mountains NP might be on the list (depends on the time of year -- if it happens too soon it might be really cold up there )

What do all you LFers in that area think? What are the side trips one just has to make with their LF kit when in Colorado and New Mexico?

I'm mostly interested in nature -- I'd like to find out sorta what defines the region. And I'm willing to hike quite a ways to find it, but limit myself to mostly day trips. I like to hold it down below 15 miles round trip, so I'll have time for photography along the way! Any help appreciated.

And lest anyone suggest Utah or Arizona (since I'm so close) I've already covered those states in the not too distant past. They are glorious; to that I can readily attest. But I'd like to limit this discussion to Colorado and New Mexico if you don't mind.

[Kirk Keyes]

I'm in Portland, and I go to Colorado and New Mexico to photograph.

How much time will you have and are there any places you want to go to already?

[Kirk Gittings]

Drop me a line and maybe we can get together.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Like Kirk said, drop me a line if you are in Colorado.

I don't care much for Rocky Mountain National Park but there are many, many other places. It all depends on what you like to photograph and when you will be here. There are several LF photographers in the greater Denver area and I am sure several will see this and chime in on good ideas.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Ok, here are some areas:

Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Eldorado Canyon
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
San Juan Mountains (SW corner of state, best in the state as far as I am concerned)
Maroon Bells (outside of Aspen)
Independence Pass (outside Aspen)
Bristlecone Pines, Mt Goliath (outside Denver)
Mt Evans drive (outside Denver, highest paved road, over 14,000 feet)
Engineer Pass (4 WHD, near Lake City and Ouray, CO)
Pikes Peak Drive (up to the top, 14,000 feet, dirt road much of the way)
Snowmass area (lots of aspen stands and lovely)
Crested Butte area (beautiful)
Tons of old ghost towns and mining areas, Check out the Victor, Colorado area, neat old town, photo friendly
Mesa Verde (native american ruins, 4 corners area)

and on and on and on and on. Just drive any old back road, keep the camera with a lens on and you will find lovely scenes everywhere.

Check out several of the state guides as they can direct you to many good areas and plan ahead to make the most of your time. Colorado is a very diverse state and lots to see, to much for one trip, so it really depends on what you want to do. The same goes for New Mexico, the list of possibilites is almost endless. I have yet to get bored in either state!

[sidmac]

Summitville is a great ghost town. The road is off Highway 160 near South Fork.
I'm in Pagosa Springs in Southern Colorado.(May through September)
Drop me a line if you are in that area

[Michael Roberts]

Bruce, a lot of the roads and trails to the high country don't open until after Memorial Day--like Trail Ridge Road in RMNP and the Mt. Evans road to the summit.

If you are coming soon, you definitely have to watch the weather and be flexible this time of year. A few days ago it was 80 in Denver; today, 35 miles west, windchill is 11 and gusts are supposed to hit 60mph. Our second highest snowfall month is April.

What Eric said, except I happen to like RMNP.

If it's possible, you might want to start in NM where it might be warmer, then move into the Colorado Rockies later in your trip.

[John Jarosz]

San Juan mountains. I second that recommendation.

Durango is a big tourist trap these days.

But Silverton is really cool.

I also like Marble and the area around Red Cliff.

There is also a newly discovered old Colorado map published on the web that may have some interesting stuff to find that has been forgotten:
http://is.gd/bhJMT

John

[al olson]

I happen to dwell in a small town nestled into the midst of the San Juans in the SW corner of Colorado. My favorite areas are off the beaten track. However, the snow at the lower elevations (I live at 7500') is just beginning to recede so it will be likely around the first or second week of May before many of the backroads are open.

There are plenty of things in this area to photograph without bumping into tourists -- old mines, ghost towns, Anasazi ruins, amazing scenery. You can do a day trip from Animas Forks to Lake City over Engineer Pass and return via Cinnamon Pass for a stunning view of Alpine meadows and peaks. These roads are busy, they are primitive and mostly one lane with few places to pull over and park for enough time to set up a camera. It is possible, however, to take advantage of opportunities as they come available.

Northeast of Silverton toward Animas Forks there are many side gulches with roads that go up past the tree line. On the western edge there are lesser traveled areas such as Dunton Hot Springs and the Canyons of the Ancients. There are also Aztec ruins near Aztec which is north of Farmington.

South of Farmington there is Bisti with the hoodoo formations. Farther south is Chaco Canyon, although well known I seldom find large crowds of tourists like at Mesa Verde. (It is about 60 miles from the nearest town that has a motel.) There can be some extensive hiking to reach some of the ruins, but others are near the parking areas. Then there is Bosque del Apache still farther south.

About 20 miles north of me you can get into the Weminuche Wilderness or stop at Williams Reservoir for some scenic reflections of the mountains.

About 27 miles to the east there is Wolf Creek Pass with gorgeous scenery in the basin and around Alberta Lake. As mentioned above by Sid, there is the abandoned mining town of Summitville going to the south from the east side of the pass. On the north side of US160 is Big Meadows with very nice camping areas and a scenic lake.

Most of the wild flowers don't happen until mid July to early August. Very popular are American Basin and Yankee Boy Basin. I prefer some the gulches such as Minnie Gulch and Maggie Gulch.

I'm a year around resident who likes to make 3 to 5 day trips outbound with my camping trailer. If you are going to be in the area, send me an email. I would be happy to give you a guided tour.

[mrladewig]

Both my family and my wife's are from SE Colorado going back 4 generations. While the San Juans, Aspen, Summit County and RMNP draw in the tourists in droves, there are other areas of Colorado with deeper history (much older than the mining boom towns) with character and great scenery to match.

I agree with alot of Eric's recommendations except that I would not recommend the drive to the top of Pikes Peak. Instead, drive up Rampart Range Road or Old Stagecoach and get great views of Pikes Peak.

My personal favorite scenic area is the Wet Mountain Valley. There aren't many lodging options, but the valley and the high peaks to the west are spectacular. The hikes into the Sangres are rough and you won't see as many folks up there as long as you stay out of the few basins serving the 14ers (South Colony Lake/Crestones and the road up to Blanca Peak). However, the late spring storms this year may make it difficult to reach the high lakes until late June or early July. The Sangres don't typically have as much wildflower activity, but they can be found up there. The peaks are dramatic and typically tower over the lakes.

Lost Creek Wilderness isn't exactly a quiet backcountry area, but it opens early in the year due to the lower altitude and typically lighter snowfall. Lots of scouts and visitors from Denver frequent the area to get an early season backpacking fix. Its home to enormous boulders and a creek that runs underground for long distances under those boulder piles. Its a popular backpacking circuit loop of about 30 miles. Plan on 8-9 mile RT hikes to reach the first big boulder areas. You can find other interesting boulder formations continuing down the South Platte Valley as well. This is also home to some great rock climbing areas. You'll drive through the Hayman Burn area to reach the wilderness. In June, you should see an amazing bloom of blue rocky mountain penstemon.

The areas around Buena Vista are probably my next recommendation. There are lots of high gentle 14ers in this area, and lots of nice areas for backpacking off the beaten path. Cottonwood Pass and Independence Pass both offer great vistas and nice alpine hiking areas. Lost Man via Independence Lake is one of my favorite hikes down there. I also like the hike from Cloyses Lake to Pear Lake.

I'm certainly not against a visit to Ouray, Silverton, Lake City, Teluride or the other towns in the San Juans. Lots of great scenery in the area. But it draws a crowd. Another area that is surprisingly crowded to me is the Holy Cross Wilderness, especially the Missouri Lakes area. The fact that Maroon Bells trailhead is served by a bus should give fair warning about that area.

Unfortunately I'm not much help for New Mexico. I've done mostly Colorado and Utah trips for the last 15+ years and still haven't run out of new places to explore.

Mel-