Going to run the Badge of Honor Trails in Colorado. So I have a few ?? For those in the KNOW.

[wibornz]

There will be three Jeeps coming from MIchigan to Colorado on Sept. 11. We are staying in Denver area the first night in Colorado as we will be picking up some friends and spouses that are flying out. They land in Denver just a little after 9 PM. Any insight on where we should stay for the night?

One of us is pulling a teardrop trailer. Is there a place that we can store it while running the badge of honor trails, or do we just unhook it and at a campsite and come back for it?

Or can it be towed as it is an off road capable teardrop on any of the badge of honor trails?

We have to be back in Denver for the other to fly home on the 16th. I was told that 4 1/2 days should be sufficient time to run the badge of honor trails. Basically told three days was enough. It this true?

We should have all day on Wednesday in the Denver area prior to our friends arriving at the airport. Is there a trail or drive by Denver area that is a must do while we wait for them to arrive? or do after they fly back home?

While the main goal is to get the badges, is there any trails or drives that is a must do along our route? . Those of us that are driving are retired and can stay a little longer after the others fly home. Since we are driving three jeeps 2400 miles to off road in Colorado, we would like to take in some of the best that Colorado has to offer while we are there. Please chime in and help out if you can.

Big Thanks. If you want to wheel with us let me know and I will post our route below.

Sponsored

 

[Chad1433]

Denver has lots of lodging, I just stayed in the Colorado Mills district right off of highway 70 and near the foothills. Good spot to stage before going into the mtns. Lots of hotels, shopping and food and easy on/off, though a ways from the airport proper.

Imogene, Engineer and Ophir could be done with a trailer in tow. They're wide and not very ledgy. There's a few tight corners on Imogene that could be slow going. Keep in mind, this year's trail conditions will be very different than past years because of avalanches and heavy snowfall. They only recently opened and have not been well travelled as yet.

Black Bear Pass may or may not open this year, but I would def not want to tow anything down that. The switchbacks are very tight.

I think it's totally possible to do everything in 4 days.

One thing I would recommend is Crystal Mill/Marble. It's north of Telluride and it's very, very scenic. There's a cool old mill on the crystal river and you may start getting some color up there by then.

Of course, you'll be a mere 2 hrs from Moab, so keep that in mind!

If I can, I'll meet up with you one or two days that weekend. We love the San Juans in Autumn!

 

[wibornz]

Denver has lots of lodging, I just stayed in the Colorado Mills district right off of highway 70 and near the foothills. Good spot to stage before going into the mtns. Lots of hotels, shopping and food and easy on/off, though a ways from the airport proper.

Imogene, Engineer and Ophir could be done with a trailer in tow. They're wide and not very ledgy. There's a few tight corners on Imogene that could be slow going. Keep in mind, this year's trail conditions will be very different than past years because of avalanches and heavy snowfall. They only recently opened and have not been well travelled as yet.

Black Bear Pass may or may not open this year, but I would def not want to tow anything down that. The switchbacks are very tight.

I think it's totally possible to do everything in 4 days.

One thing I would recommend is Crystal Mill/Marble. It's north of Telluride and it's very, very scenic. There's a cool old mill on the crystal river and you may start getting some color up there by then.

Of course, you'll be a mere 2 hrs from Moab, so keep that in mind!

If I can, I'll meet up with you one or two days that weekend. We love the San Juans in Autumn!

Big Thanks. We are thinking of trying to go to Moab and do Top of the World also.

If you want to try and meet up with us, that would also be very cool. I really appreciate your input.

 

[1quick1]

I'll try to get you a response tomorrow at work.

 

[Jason Oliver]

When we lived in Durango, we marveled at how we could spend the rest of our lives exploring Colorado because there is so much to see! You can't go wrong if just point your Jeep into the mountains and go. Depending on exactly where you go and want to do, I will make various on road suggestions:

Rocky Mtn Natl Park - Trail Ridge Road is one of the highest elevation paved roads in the country and not far from Denver.

Great Sand Dunes Natl Park is very unusual, as is Bishop's Castle.

For a fun dinner-and-show, go to BarD Wranglers in Durango. Very reasonable, outdoor cowboy type serving that we will always remember. Also, the Durango Silverton railroad in Durango, or the Cumbres Toltec Railroad in northern New Mexico are great fun and awesome scenery.

All roads in the Colorado mountains are breath taking. Enjoy your trip and stay as long as you can!

 

[1quick1]

There will be three Jeeps coming from MIchigan to Colorado on Sept. 11. We are staying in Denver area the first night in Colorado as we will be picking up some friends and spouses that are flying out. They land in Denver just a little after 9 PM. Any insight on where we should stay for the night?

Depends what you want to do. Do you want to spend $350 and stay downtown or just any regular hotel. Another poster mentioned CO Mills which is close to Golden but your friends are getting in pretty late so not sure what you're going to want to do at 11pm.

One of us is pulling a teardrop trailer. Is there a place that we can store it while running the badge of honor trails, or do we just unhook it and at a campsite and come back for it?

Or can it be towed as it is an off road capable teardrop on any of the badge of honor trails?

This will be difficult as there are not places you will be able to just unhook it. I guess in Telluride you can park it on a side street somewhere. You won't find campsites as they are all booked unless you go back country. I would strongly recommend not bringing the trailer on the trails.

We have to be back in Denver for the other to fly home on the 16th. I was told that 4 1/2 days should be sufficient time to run the badge of honor trails. Basically told three days was enough. It this true?

It depends how motivated you are. You can do a lot in that timeframe but I take my time and the way I cruise on the trails I wouldn't be able to do them all in that time. Don't forget it's about 6 hour drive from Denver to Ouray.

We should have all day on Wednesday in the Denver area prior to our friends arriving at the airport. Is there a trail or drive by Denver area that is a must do while we wait for them to arrive? or do after they fly back home?

Your closest trails are going to be west on I-70 in Idaho Springs area. There are a bunch of trails there you can do.

This book is a must have around here: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Colorado-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/1934838047

 

[wibornz]

Fourth edition is out. You can get it straight from the source for cheaper than what Amazon wants for the third edition. https://funtreks.com/product/guide-to-colorado-backroads-4-wheel-drive-trails-4th-edition/

I have the Third edition.

 

[47Jeepster]

I have the Third edition.

Go to the FunTreks' website and check to see what trails they've dropped/added in the Forth Edition. Go about three quarters of the way down the page for the new trails and locate the .gpx file for that trail. Download it! Now you've got most of what you need to supplement your Third Edition.

 

[wibornz]

Go to the FunTreks' website and check to see what trails they've dropped/added in the Forth Edition. Go about three quarters of the way down the page for the new trails and locate the .gpx file for that trail. Download it! Now you've got most of what you need to supplement your Third Edition.

Thank you

 

[Sorbs]

Waiting on our Ophir and Imogene Pass badges. If flying in to Denver know that Ouray is nearly 6hrs away. Your friends would be better off flying to Durango and you pick them up there. That’s closer to both Ouray and Moab.

FYI, Black Bear is still closed and you can only check into one trail per day on the app. Also, you can check in within 9 miles of the trailhead but you’ll need cell service to do so or the app won’t give you credit for the run.

We did Imogene this weekend. It’s tricky in a few spots, a TJ went off a 500’ cliff, we pulled a Raptor back onto the trail only to watch it roll off

a few hundred feet later but incredibly beautiful.

 

[wibornz]

We are headed to Windrock in Tennessee this week and the Smokey Mountain Jeep Invasion. Then home and prep for Colorada. Pick up my off road micro camper today.....

Life is exciting. Can't wait to head west from Michigan.

 

[wibornz]

Waiting on our Ophir and Imogene Pass badges. If flying in to Denver know that Ouray is nearly 6hrs away. Your friends would be better off flying to Durango and you pick them up there. That’s closer to both Ouray and Moab.

FYI, Black Bear is still closed and you can only check into one trail per day on the app. Also, you can check in within 9 miles of the trailhead but you’ll need cell service to do so or the app won’t give you credit for the run.

We did Imogene this weekend. It’s tricky in a few spots, a TJ went off a 500’ cliff, we pulled a Raptor back onto the trail only to watch it roll off

a few hundred feet later but incredibly beautiful.

I have checked into three trails in one day at Windrock and even without service. I think it will save the location on the phone and update when service becomes available. Or at least that has been my experience.

I loved you video and shared it with my group of friends that are headed out to Colorado with us. I bought the tickets months ago and got round trip tickets for 160 bucks from Detroit. The only reason we are flying some of them is to save their vacation time from work. Being retired. I can take my time getting out there to pick them up. The drive from Lansing MIchigan to Denver literally suck and is a terrible way to spend a couple days in a Jeep..

 

[Sorbs]

I have checked into three trails in one day at Windrock and even without service. I think it will save the location on the phone and update when service becomes available. Or at least that has been my experience.

I had to email Jeep to get them to break loose the badges I have. The app logged that I checked in but didn’t connect until I sent them an email. I received the badges I have now but still waiting on the others. Looks like you’ve had better luck.

I hear ya on the drive, it’s gonna be a trek for you. Safe travels!

 

[wibornz]

Just got back from Windrock. The last time I went, my buds Jeep did not come in until after we got back. So we took his new JLUR to Windrock so he could get the badges he missed and could catch up in the hunt for them. While the badge trails are good, we were at Windrock for three whole days and had a chance to run some of the other trails. I really liked Trail #22,, Trail #82 and 83 abd 43 Not overly hard, but enough of a challenge to make you pucker up on the obstacles.

 

[wibornz]

This is the camping trailer that I am pulling

My bud Bill is pulling this.

Sponsored