For several years some of us Texas LEBC guys have made summer trips to Colorado primarily to the area trails of Buena Vista, Leadville and several trips to Silverton, Ouray and Telluride. We have also been up Mt Blanca. We try to get out of the killin' Texas summer heat for the beautiful, cool Colorado mountains.

Would you guys please suggest another area in perhaps the areas west or northwest of Denver where we could find a smaller town with motels, cafes, gas and rv park which would be close to some good trails. No plans made yet on times but probably in late July or August when all the high trails are open. And we would invite any or all of you guys to join us. Thanks for all replies.

There is quite a bit of stuff up in and around Larimer County (West of the Ft. Collins area). A few trails around Granby and if you guys like sand running, head up to Walden to the sand dunes. All is within a couple hours (max) of a town where you can get your accommodations. Look at www.Traildamage.com for some good trail write ups and you can get some difficulty factor there or www.4x4trails.net for more help. But your big towns up around there are going to be Steamboat, Kremmling & Granby. Anything between Granby & Ft. Collins is going to be a hole in the wall place.

But all that is north of I-70, it sounds like you guys have hit a ton of the Collegiate Peaks areas and the SW part of the state. Hope this helps you out. Keep us posted when and where you guys end up going and some of us might be able to tag along.

There is a lot of good wheeling in the NW part of the state as well as the western slope areas. And tons of old mining trails, forest service trails etc all over the state. As a club - we generally take day trips right out of Denver and are on the trail within 1 - 1.5 hrs of leaving the house so don't shy away from the front range area for a day or two. Shoot - if you make it a weekend there might be 10 or more rigs to join you.

I second checking Traildamage.com for more info. Much will depend on how difficult of a trail you want to do and what else you might be interested in. Just about any town will have the basic services you seek. Fuel, hotel, supplies. Most of the larger towns will have super markets and some will have general stores such as wall-mart. Many will have 1-2 parts stores as well.

As you make your plans - let us know. I am willing to bet you get a few of us interested in joining you for a day or two or even the whole trip (though if I am going, I will be camping - I just prefer it)

Thanks guys exactly the kind of info needed. I'll probably start some serious planning after our LEBC Roundup in late April using Traildamage.com with a county by county review.

BTW it would be great if some of you could attend the Roundup. Just Goggle Lonestar Early Bronco Club and view all the info on our web site. We usually have about 80-100 Early Broncos and 150 people. Great time.

I think we had one of your castaways running with us for a bit. We wound up shipping him off to Germany.

Love ya JD!

How far west do you want to go? This place has been on my list for some time now. http://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm
Probably not a good idea to try and wheel there though.

Yeah, JD is a pretty good guy.

I'd stay away from the PRB (People's Republic of Boulder), they tend to frown on anyone who doesn't drive around in a Prius with a sticker on the back letting everyone know how much of a carbon footprint they aren't leaving. If you are looking in that area, just go a little west of there to Nederland, but anywhere west of there, it's pretty good area, beautiful scenery and some dern good wheelin'. How long you guys make your trips for? If it's just a long weekend I'd say to make your base somewhere around Kremmiling or Granby. It sounds like it would be a new area for you. Or hit the area around Fairplay, Breckenridge, Keystone. Lots of trails in that area with a couple of really high mountain passes (Glacier Ridge, Twin Cone & Red Cone). If you stay in this area, find somewhere in Dillon or Frisco to take your prices down or on the east side of the pass in Fairplay.

Mr. J. Wright?? All be darned!! Hope all is well with you! Yep, I am in Germany now. You knew my wife was in the Military I assume.

Zack - for the record, it was TX that had one of CO's castaways. Born and raised CO baby! But I will admit, those TX guys know how to have some fun and anyone who is interested in going to the round-up should really look into it. What a great time with a great group of folks!

Anyway, one cool feature about TD.com is the ability to look at trails via google maps. It's a bit tedious, but will give you a good idea where trails are.
http://www.traildamage.com/google_colorado.php

I didn't do a whole lot of wheeling in the NW, but I know there is a couple knarly trails near Kremmling called Sidewinder, but that's about it for the tougher stuff. Then there are hundreds of miles of scenic trails in that area.

Way west is Grand Junction. Lots there for everyone and a nice shop called Battlement Fab ran by a bronco guy. But then you are so close to Moab too...

What trails did you guys run in Leadville? I would imagine there are a lot more trails in most of the areas that you haven't ran. So maybe we could offer some suggestions there.

Say howdy to my TX bronco brothers for me if you will! (We may be headed back there soon, but will have to see what happens with my wife's career)

J.D.