I’d long seen fall pictures of Colorado as the leaves changed colors.  The images of colorful Aspen trees accenting the mountains were always inspiring.  This year I had the opportunity to see them for myself.  Of all the amazing places I’ve been, I’m confident that for a few weeks every year this is the most beautiful place in the world.

One of my favorite things to do is travel without any real plan.  While I had a list of things I wanted to do, I didn’t have a day to day itinerary.  I determined where to sleep each night after it got dark.  Flexibility is the key to a good adventure.  A road-trip and car camping is a great way to create spontaneous possibilities.  I was able to build each day on the fly.  In order to fit this much into a short trip, I structured the days so that a significant amount of the driving could be done at night.  While I thought this itinerary was perfect for me, I wouldn’t advise it to others unless you have a couple more days.

DAY ONE

While this wasn’t a full day, the long hours I put in were essential to make the rest of the trip work.  My flight didn’t depart until the evening allowing me to put in a full day at work.  I arrived at the airport just over an hour early and my TSA Pre-Check membership really helped me get to my gate quickly.  I arrived in Denver just after 7 PM.  I took the shuttle and picked up my SUV from Sixt Rental Car.  In an effort to avoid paying for baggage (not cheap on Frontier), I picked up a package I had shipped to myself at the Denver FedEx store.  It wasn’t until around 8:30 that I made it out of Denver.  My intention was to drive all the way to Telluride that night.  After 5 hours of driving, I made it to Montrose and decided the Walmart parking lot would be a good place to nap for the night.  A word of warning, there are few food options along this route.  Make sure to get some dinner in Denver or you’ll be stuck eating gas station food like I did.

“One of my favorite things to do is travel without any real plan.“

 DAY TWO

The day started by waking up prior to sunrise. I’d not made it all the way to Telluride the night before and hoped to get there at daybreak. After making the hour and a half drive, I worked my way to the eastern side of Telluride where the via ferrata route begins. I had a little trouble finding the proper place to park and where the hike started. It wasn’t un 10 AM that I began. Generally, people follow the route from east to west and then walk back to their car via a couple of roads. Since I’d seen very few people on the route, I decided to double back rather than walking back along the road. After finishing, I gathered supplies in town. Be forewarned, there aren’t any values in Telluride. If time wasn’t so tight, I could have saved money by waiting for the Walmart to open in Montrose.

I then left town and made my way south to Ames. Here I intended to visit Mystic Falls. Make sure to know where they are beforehand as there is no signage to point you in the right direction. From the parking lot, there is a trail that quickly crosses an initial waterfall. Stick along the ridge and then drop down the backside of it. Mystic falls are located in a narrow canyon and look like something you’d expect to find in Oregon rather than Colorado. The area was even more beautiful than I’d expected and I spent quite a while photographing it. It was late afternoon when I got back to my car and I immediately drove up Last Dollar Road for great views of the sunset. To finish up the day, I drove to Black Canyon of the Gunnison to sleep for the night.

DAY THREE

I woke for sunrise to photograph the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park from the Painted Wall viewpoint.  After getting my shots, I began the drive towards Ouray.  Rather than taking the direct route, I chose a more scenic option along Owl Creek Pass Road.  The road offered great views and I didn’t encounter too many other cars along the way.  I arrived in Ouray just past midday.  Similar to Telluride, there are few quick, cheap food choices here.  From downtown Ouray, I took Camp Bird Road further into the mountains.  The views looking back towards town were incredible.  Turning onto Yankee Boy Basin Road, it quickly became apparent that I’d made a good decision renting an SUV.  Eventually, the road became more rugged than I was comfortable with and I decided to stop at the first Mt. Sneffels parking area.

Depending on how far you continue up the road, the Mt Sneffels hike can be very short for a 14’er.  Considering the peaks prominence, the hike is relatively straightforward.  Parking at the bottom, I had a couple miles of steep elevation gain before reaching the official starting point.  While there may be a road, it’s only recommended that 4×4 vehicles with a short wheel base and capable tires continue all the way.  That said, the hike up the road did offer increasingly dramatic views.  Shortly after reaching the start of the trail, it splits.  To the right is a steep pass to a saddle just below the peak.  I went left taking me up to the peak’s sharp ridgeline.  My ambition was to venture off trail to a nearby mountain to spend the night capturing the Milky Way from my campsite.  From the ridgeline, you can see the Blue Lakes.  I continued off-trail around the mountain’s slopes.  The grade and footing became increasingly difficult.  Putting my aspirations aside, I eventually determined it wasn’t a good idea to continue further alone.  Regardless, the hike was still well worth the time and I was in awe watching the sunset during the walk back.  I arrived back at my car as the darkness had set in.

I considered staying in the area to drive the Million Dollar Highway south in the morning but decided I didn’t have time for the detour.  Instead, I drove north to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park for another night.

DAY FOUR

For the second day in a row, I woke for sunrise at Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  This time I was more prepared having scouted out the best views the prior day.  While the Painted Wall viewpoint was breathtaking, I preferred the Cedar Point slightly.  It amazed me that both days I was able to enjoy the park in the best lighting without seeing another person. 

I headed north for the final phase of my trip.  Along the way, I planned my drive to pass through Crested Butte.  I took the road towards Kebler Pass as I entered the city.  The road passes through one of the largest Aspen groves in the nation.  Along the route, I took a short detour to see Ohio Pass as well.  While quite popular, the roads didn’t disappoint.  While many took in the views from the car, make sure to park and walk into the groves at some point.  While the road itself isn’t too long, you should allow plenty of time for stopping at all the pull-offs.

To finish the day, I rushed to Snowmass and the Capitol Creek trailhead.  While I didn’t have time to hike the trail, I was able to watch sunset from the start of it.  Atop a hill, you’re presented with a vast view looking towards Capitol Peak with Aspen trees filling the valley below.  I kept photographing until the light faded.  Conveniently, I was able to sleep in my car at the trailhead.

DAY FIVE

I strongly considered hiking the Capitol Creek Trail in the morning.  Instead, I decided to drive to Maroon Bells for sunrise.  I knew of its popularity and aimed to arrive an hour and a half early.  A warning, if you arrive after 8 PM, you must take a shuttle from Aspen.   Arriving at 5:30 PM, I realized I had underestimated the state’s most photographed location.  While I did get a decent spot to wait for sunrise, there were probably 100 people already there.  As much as I enjoyed the sunrise, I don’t know that this should be your priority.  Nature just isn’t the same when a place is so overwhelmed.  One thing I do recommend is to venture beyond Maroon Lake.  Not only does the scenic loop trail take you through a beautiful forest, but the trail to Crater Lake is also a great challenge for beginners.  In all, I spent around 3 hours enjoying the Maroon Bells.

Upon a recommendation from a fellow photographer I’d met, I decided to drive Castle Creek Road on my way through Independence Pass turning north after Twin Lakes.  For my last activity, I drove to the Missouri Lakes/Fancy Pass trailheads.  These two trailheads are beside each other and the trails can be combined to complete an 8+ mile loop.  The highlight of the trail is the middle third.  Here you’ll pass by numerous highland lakes and experience the vast plateau from the top of the pass.

Finding a place to stay for my last night was the most difficult as I wanted to be close to Denver.  I planned to stay in a paid campground but couldn’t find any that offered a shower.  So, I decided there was no reason to spend the money and instead stayed at Kayak Overnight Parking Lot in Frisco.

DAY SIX

I clearly have no issue with roughing it but I don’t want to be inconsiderate either.  I needed a shower before my flight home.  Luckily, there are good options in Colorado.  Along with several others, the Silverthorne Recreation Center offers paid showers ($5).  All that was left after cleaning up was to ship the extra gear home and catch my flight.  While I didn’t do everything I had hoped, I got to most of it.  Overall, Colorado left me wanting more and I’m sure I’ll be making another trip back to explore the rest.