Leadville to Steamboat and back to Denver

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July 9, 2013 - Leadville to Steamboat and back to Denver – I woke up at 03:30 this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep so got up at 5:30. I should have just kept on trying and maybe managed to sleep till 7 or so. As it was I knew nothing would be open this time of morning and I had wanted to have a walkabout in Leadville while I was here. In any case it was getting light enough for me to see the scenery on the side of the roads so I headed into Leadville. As I figured nothing was open except for a couple of convenience stores.

I went into one of them and they must have just opened because I had to wait for the coffee to finish brewing before I could get my coffee. For sure it was fresh brewed and it tasted good as well.

So well fortified, I headed up Hwy 24 towards I-70. This was a very scenic road and had a very deep canyon on the side of the road for most of it. Anywhere else this canyon would be famous but in Colorado scenic canyons are so commonplace as to scarcely merit notice on a map.

North of Mitchell I passed the site of Camp Hale of WW II note. This is the location where the 10^th Mountain Division was trained for winter mountain campaigns in Italy. Many of them returned after the war and were instrumental in starting up the ski industry in America after the war.

After I got to I-70 at Dowd’s Junction I headed east towards Wolcott. I stopped at the MacDonalds/Wal Mart in Avon for another coffee and a egg-sausage-Mcmuffin for breakfast. I did not get the meal because their hash browns taste like some ground up potatoes soaked in grease.

In any case last time I had stopped here this was the only MacDonald I’ve been to that did not have WIFI so I didn’t bring in my computer. I ate my breakfast and did a little quick shopping at the adjoining Wal Mart and then got back on I-70 and headed West to Wolcott.

At Wolcott I headed north on Co. 131 to State Bridge and toyed with the notion of heading off onto the Trough Road to Kremmling but frankly was getting tired of continuously dealing with switchbacks and dirt roads so just decided to continue on CO. 131.

I passed through some very scenic country and stopped at a large turnout in a bit to just enjoy the view and rest a bit. Not being able to sleep last night left me feeling rough and I took a little nap to take the edge off.

After napping a bit I just relaxed a bit and enjoyed the view. I could hear a train going through the canyon of the Colorado below and at length saw it pass through the little town of Bond ahead. The river was really beautiful but I could not get to it as the Railroad owned all the property between the road and the river.

So after taking a break at the overlook I continued North on 131 to north of Phippsburg where I turned off east on CR 14 to check out Stagecoach State Park. I wasn’t impressed with it as it had no trees to speak of to provide shade for the campsites. Even when it is cool the Colorado Sun is burning hot on the skin. That’s why I wear a lightweight long sleeve shirt.

So after a brief look at Stagecoach State Park I headed back North again on CR 14 to where it connected with Co. 131 again and then continued on into Steamboat Springs. I had considered camping at Stagecoach State Park this evening but don’t like being out in the burning hot sun. It’s nice that I have a Colorado State Parks pass so I can check out State Parks on a whim since the parks pass covers the entry fee. And also there is usually a separate line going in so I don’t get stuck behind people buying day passes.

Co. 131 merged with US 40 a bit south of Steamboat and I continued North on 40 into Steamboat.

When I got to Steamboat I did my usual drive through from one end to the other, and then back again.

I won’t bore you with all the details but after trying to find my way to CR 38 for an hour or so and then just ending up circling around back into town I sought out the visitor center across Hwy 40 from the Wendy’s and got a free city map as well as an explanation of how to get to the Dry Lake Campground on CR 38. I strongly urge anyone trying to get to Strawberry Hot Springs or anywhere to get the free local map from the visitor center.

In any case I worked my way back onto CR 38 which goes to Dry Lake Campground and figured out pretty quickly that it was a “washboard” road and I didn’t want to be driving up and down that road any. I soldiered on to the campground and it was a dismal sight anyway, so …….so much for that.

In any case after I got back into town I had already figured that it was too hot in Steamboat at this time to be camping out here and I decided to visit Fish Creek Falls and then just head back to Denver.

I took 3^rd street off of Lincoln Ave. one block and then turned right onto Fish Creek Falls Road. It was a 3 ½ mile drive to the parking lot for Fish Creek Falls. Parking was $5.00 but with my Senior Pass free. It was about a ¼ mile hike to the falls overlook. I took the easy upper hike to the falls overlook and as I had brought my backpack with my bottled water and picnic lunch with me I ate my lunch at one of the picnic tables overlooking the falls.

After I relaxed a bit by the falls I eased back to the parking lot and back into Steamboat. I figured it was too hot now and I would come back later (maybe September) when it was cooler. That is one of the main advantages of travelling solo. You can up and make decisions on a whim and no one else will complain about it. And the fact that I am retired means that I can wait till things are more to my liking to do them.

In any case I eased back down 40 Southeast and checked out the Meadows Campground off Hwy 40 for future reference. It looked like it would do quite nicely as it is near the Highway but distanced enough that traffic noise would not be a consideration. It had some nice shaded spaces as well. So I will keep it in my pocket for future reference.

So I headed back East on US Hwy 40 and over Rabbit Ears Pass. Just West of the summit Forest Road 100 went off South into the National Forest. That is where I did some dispersed camping for free last year. About 50 yards south of Hwy 40 there was a large open space with a nice view of a small pond and a forest meadow. That is where I camped last year for free dispersed camping, although now that I have found Meadows Campground I would camp there now. It is only $10 to camp there or $5 with my senior parks pass. And it is nice to have a toilet when you need one......even a pit toilet. I do have a shovel and toilet paper in the back of my truck but fortunately have not had to use them yet.

I preceded East a bit and went over the continental divide again and then back through Kremmling where I got on Co. 9 back to Silverthorne. At Silverthorne I headed East on I-70 back to Denver making my usual stop at the picnic area by the river in Idaho Springs to rest up a bit and eat a snack, and just look at the river, then back into Denver.

Just East of Idaho Springs I had the usual delays from construction and merging traffic at the twin tunnels but it wasn’t too bad. It is a 35mph speed trap as well.

So I eased back into Denver and after my usual stop at the Super Wal-Mart on Arapahoe (which usually has some RV’s overnighting there for free BTW), I eased home.

It had been another good trip : )

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

You are making the circuit
I lived in Denver in the mid 70's and we used to drive to Leadville for the scenic views along the way. We'd have lunch at Pizza Hut because it was one of the few restaurants in town at the time. Happy travels.

[Sojourner1208]

in the 70's
I'll bet Colorado was so much less developed than now. The Baby Boomers have overbuilt here as much as everywhere else. Still it is stunningly beautiful and I always try to take the road less traveled. Right now I am in Steamboat Springs exploring the local area. The hot springs here are great.