Planning a Colorado/S.Dakota trip--help appreciated
Mar 8, 2017 20:57:00 #
TonyF
Loc: Bradenton, FL
Very EARLY planning stage for a trip to Colorado and S. Dakota. Probably 10-14 days. Right now, I just have some very basic preliminaries:
Fly into and out of Denver.
Colorado Springs area for:
--the balloon festival over Labor Day weekend
--Garden of the Gods
--Pikes Peak
Boulder area and Rocky Mountain National Park
South Dakota:
--Black Hills National Forest
--Custer, Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse Memorial
I’m thinking after arriving in Denver, spend the night, and then head to S. Dakota. Then return to Colorado and tour. We don’t want to spend too much time driving, so, for example, going down to Durango area is probably out. So I’m thinking of staying and touring between Estes Park and Colorado Springs.
Also, trying to figure out how many days in each area.
But all this being said, I am very open to suggestions. Thank you in advance!
Tony
Fly into and out of Denver.
Colorado Springs area for:
--the balloon festival over Labor Day weekend
--Garden of the Gods
--Pikes Peak
Boulder area and Rocky Mountain National Park
South Dakota:
--Black Hills National Forest
--Custer, Mount Rushmore/Crazy Horse Memorial
I’m thinking after arriving in Denver, spend the night, and then head to S. Dakota. Then return to Colorado and tour. We don’t want to spend too much time driving, so, for example, going down to Durango area is probably out. So I’m thinking of staying and touring between Estes Park and Colorado Springs.
Also, trying to figure out how many days in each area.
But all this being said, I am very open to suggestions. Thank you in advance!
Tony
Mar 8, 2017 21:08:21 #
SD
Badlands territory
Wall Drug
Last Time I did the road up Pikes Peak, it was still pumice rock, and there were a few hundred runners doing a full Marathon up that road. Aid stations in the parking lot and runners puking their guts out in the parking lot. Not much Oxygen at that altitude.
You can take the road up, OR consider the Cog Railway to 14,000 plus feet.
Cog railway site:
http://cograilway.com/
Climb Dance Video 1988 up Pikes Peak... before the road was paved and the year Ari Vatanen won his class in a Peugeot 405 T16 Turbo. If you don't ride the cog railway up, try to rent a Peugeot Turbo in Manitou Springs and excite your self no end:
Put on your seat belt and turn up the sound. It's a harrowing 5 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6RcMxeEB7g
s
Badlands territory
Wall Drug
Last Time I did the road up Pikes Peak, it was still pumice rock, and there were a few hundred runners doing a full Marathon up that road. Aid stations in the parking lot and runners puking their guts out in the parking lot. Not much Oxygen at that altitude.
You can take the road up, OR consider the Cog Railway to 14,000 plus feet.
Cog railway site:
http://cograilway.com/
Climb Dance Video 1988 up Pikes Peak... before the road was paved and the year Ari Vatanen won his class in a Peugeot 405 T16 Turbo. If you don't ride the cog railway up, try to rent a Peugeot Turbo in Manitou Springs and excite your self no end:
Put on your seat belt and turn up the sound. It's a harrowing 5 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6RcMxeEB7g
s
Mar 8, 2017 22:54:37 #
TonyF
Loc: Bradenton, FL
Thanks, Kuzano. Wall drug seems like a blast. I've driven up Pike's Peak twice, but wife hasn't been. Considering either the drive or train at this time.
Mar 8, 2017 22:57:14 #
Mar 8, 2017 23:07:28 #
You can take a nice road trip from Denver to Estes Park/Rocky Mtn Nat Park west over the divide down to Winter Park and then I-70 back to Denver. I did this trip last year. I was staying with a friend in Nederland that is west of Boulder. Drove up the Peak to Peak Hwy to Estes PArk then west throughRocky Mtn Nat Park over the divide and down south on the back side. You can either drive south past Winter Park to I-70 or drive some of the state roads that go between the mountain towns and then back down to Denver. It will be a long day if you are photographing, so maybe a stay in Winter Park will make it easier.
Mar 8, 2017 23:14:19 #
Mar 9, 2017 07:36:36 #
Estes Park is a good place and when in Colorado Springs stop at the Air Force Academy .
Mar 9, 2017 07:45:05 #
brow3904
Loc: Upstate South Carolina
Since you will be driving right by the Air Force Academy you will be missing a real treat if you don't stop and visit the Welcome Center and the chapel.
A neat stop in South Dakota is the Corn Palace. Something you don't see every day and most unique.
A neat stop in South Dakota is the Corn Palace. Something you don't see every day and most unique.
Mar 9, 2017 07:54:30 #
TonyF
Loc: Bradenton, FL
Thank you MTG and brow--Air Force Academy will definitely be on the list. I'll check out the Corn Palace, thanks.
Mar 9, 2017 08:04:54 #
TonyF wrote:
Very EARLY planning stage for a trip to Colorado a... (show quote)
The Coors plant in Golden is a suburb of Denver and is very interesting and great photo ops. Denver museum of Natural History.
Mar 9, 2017 09:04:14 #
In SD: Spearfish Canyon. Now that I think of it, ANYWHERE in SD. Beautiful area. It's where I should have been born!
Mar 9, 2017 09:35:20 #
Not sure when you plan on going, but keep in mind in S. Dakota starting August 4-10 is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. In 2015 they had over 700,000 motorcyclist visiting. I've been 3 times and it gets pretty crazy. Great photo ops though. Most of the motels in and around Sturgis are booked well in advance. The town of Deadwood is a must visit. The entire area is very beautiful.
Mar 9, 2017 09:37:52 #
I agree on Badlands NP along with Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse but you might dip over into WY for Devil's Tower - glad we took the extra time to take it in.
The Corn Palace is in Mitchell, SD which is on the other side of the state - very long drive unless you are headed that way (about 300 miles one way from Keystone/Rapid City area).
The Corn Palace is in Mitchell, SD which is on the other side of the state - very long drive unless you are headed that way (about 300 miles one way from Keystone/Rapid City area).
Mar 9, 2017 10:55:53 #
Patriot66
Loc: Minnesota
SD: Spearfish Canyon, Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Harney Peak - Corn Palace will be too far to drive. Great county out there..
Mar 9, 2017 10:57:43 #
TonyF
Loc: Bradenton, FL
Thanks, Patriot, will check out Spearfish Canyon and Harney Peak--both new to me.
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