Telluride Fall Colors - September 24-30.

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DLTooley

DLTooley

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Telluride can be a difficult place to visit, it is rightfully popular - mostly through word of mouth in middle income brackets - and has the usual popular area boondocking issues. 

The new Mary E. Campground in nearby Ilium at 8000 feet improves camping a bit. 

Fall Colors is a good time to visit. Everything is still running but at a much less frantic pace than during the summer or festival rushes. 

This isn’t a formal gathering, yet. It could become one depending on the response to this post or ‘attendance’ this year. 

Size is currently limited to 30 vehicles, with a permit we could get around 100. 

My thought with this was to provide a gathering spot for folks heading back to Arizona. Personally, I like to follow the color downhill spending time in the Cottonwoods of the Utah Canyons. 

I hear rumors of a October gatherings in Sedona and maybe Jamie’s Van Build will happen again in November. 

If you haven’t seen the Mary E it’s worth a checkout anytime. 

https://freecampsites.net/#!163961&query=sitedetails

It has been officially open just a week. I stayed there one night, midweek and it was overfilling. The registration system does make it easy to see when spots are opening up.
 
Telluride is a truly great place for a meetup. Good :idea: . Great old mining town in a fantastic location.

I lived in the Colorado Front Range for 25-years and have been to Telluride 5 or 6 times. I would come if I were anywhere close. There is hiking, taking jhitney rides up to Imogene Pass on a breezy mountain road (assuming they still do that), hiking to the power station/falls on the south end of town, plus a great trip from there with stops in Ouray, Silverton, Durango, and Cortex/Mesa Verde park. The latter is one of the most scenic trips in the US.

If there is a Sedona gathering, you might try scheduling Telluride a week or so earlier and get people en route. Also, CamperVanKevin is currently in Montrose building up his new van, so you might check if he'll still be in the area. Also, you might try posting the gathering on other websites, like http://www.vanlife.com.au/gatherings
 
I have pleasant memories of driving up highway 145 from Cortez to Lizard Head Pass, following the Dolores River, with sunlight filtering through the yellow cottonwood trees, then getting up to the elevation for aspens. I had lucked out and got there at the right time.

When I was in the San Juans last year, we got snow in the middle of September. It wasn't down to the 8,750 ft. elevation of Telluride, but who knows what might happen this year. So be prepared for low temperatures.

For those who've never been in the area, I highly recommend driving highway 62. From the summit to Ridgway is one of the great mountain views. A lot of people hype 550 (The Million Dollar Highway) But I think 62 and Lizard Head Pass are better.

Prices are high in Telluride, so if you come from the south, stock up in Cortez. If you come from the north on 550, stock up in Montrose.
 
I forgot to mention that Moab/Arches park and Canyonlands/Dead Horse Point are some of my favorite places in the US, and barely 100-miles from Telluride.
 
DL, checking my Don Wright book
https://www.amazon.com/Camping-Americas-Guide-Low-Cost-Campgrounds/dp/0937877557
it shows there are 2 dispersed camping sites in the area,
- Illium Valley, I am guessing here, which looks like it can take quite a few: 37.940354, -107.897692
- Alta Lakes:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gmug/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=34056&actid=29
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/gmug/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=71932&actid=29

Obviously you need to check with the ranger station.
 
Alta Lakes is cramped and busy. It's also at 11,000 which might be a bit much for some people.
 
There's a very roomy dispersed camping area along county road 7, near the base of Mt. Sneffels, south of Ralph Lauren's ranch.

38.055877, -107.808168
 
There's also dispersed camping in Lizard Head Pass, though it can be hard to get a spot.

37.808471, -107.906051
 
More dispersed camping and a pay campground around Owl Creek Pass and Silver Jack Reservoir in the Cimarrons.
 
The Mary E was reopened per my suggestion at a County Commissioner meeting last year. I’ve been talking with them regularly, but not through the formal process of a permit application.

I will do this.

Currently there is one festival that uses the site. I volunteered at the location for it.
 
This sounds good. I'd like to keep watching this thread to be able to make my route fit this. I hope it works out. It's kind of nice to have a plan, even if it's just a maybe, for now. Cheers.
 
MrNoodly said:
There's a very roomy dispersed camping area along county road 7, near the base of Mt. Sneffels, south of Ralph Lauren's ranch.

38.055877, -107.808168
Click to expand...
Looks like that's the one that freecampsites.net calls East Fork Dallas Creek. Bit far from Telluride, but would make a great boondocking spot. 
https://freecampsites.net/#!31858&query=sitedetails
The view of Sneffels and nearby mountains from there is phenomenal. Looking south Hwy 62 west of Ridgway is lower right. Anyone who doesn't want to go to this meetup better have a really good reason, :).
https://www.google.com/search?q=mt+sneffels+dallas+divide+colorado&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X
 
The idea of this is timed to a good time to visit that’s also when people are heading South. Temps are cooler, below freezing at night and low 60’s during the day.

I like to hike or walk in the morning after breakfast, then relax in the warmer afternoon.

One thing about Lizard Head Pass, though there are only a few sites they are large and could take multiple vehicles.

All of the area camping will start to get quieter that time of year.

The backroad route to Moab has some awesome Country. For those looking for property this is an area to add to your list. The Clark’s Market in Norwood, 45 minutes west of Telluride is okay for groceries. The Clark’s in Telluride has good prices on many fresh produce items.

The public library is five star, one of the best in the Country.
 
MrNoodly said:
It's a suggested alternate to Mary E in case that doesn't work out.

<img src="https://image.ibb.co/hOCUaz/sc24c.jpg" alt="sc24c" border="0" />
Click to expand...

Looks like some nice hiking there, although Sneffels might be a bit difficult from that direction, LOL. And that other picture of dispersed camping at Lizard Head Pass looks very nice. Wonderful country. Such a pity that DL gets to live there full-time!
 
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