Updated - Where to camp near Denver in August? (first visit)

[elaine amj]

DH and I have planned a long weekend getaway (no kids - yay!) in mid-August using our Southwest points (and Companion Pass!). Denver is a close, non-stop flight and somewhere we have never been to, so we booked our flight. After some discussion, we decided this will be our first attempt at flying with our tent camping gear! Now the challenge is finding where to go camp.

We are looking for:
- scenic (of course!)
- plenty of convenient hiking (in the mornings, DH likes to sleep in while I go on a solo hike). We also prefer to minimize driving around for attractions. We like hiking but are not hardcore, especially since DH is just recovering from health issues. 2+ hr hikes are great with some shorter strolls available would be ideal. Also, we get lost walking down a straight path so we try to stick to well-signed trails (its pathetic considering I've done orienteering for races!).
- private sites (we are used to gorgeous treed sites in Ontario Provincial Parks where we don't see and rarely hear our neighbors. Sites I saw in Rocky Mountain National Park look much more open than that - so we'll cope if we have to. We DEFINITELY don't want trailer parking lots)
- not brave enough yet to try dispersed camping...
- ability to have a bonfire is a must (while we plan to buy a cheap stove when we arrive, we prefer to cook over the fire when possible)
- electricity not required, "rustic" campsites are preferred. Vault toilets are fine.
- no more than 2 hours drive from Denver Airport
- fairly quiet (e.g. when we planned our Cali trip last summer, we chose Sequoia National Park instead of Yosemite because we didn't like the idea of being jammed in the middle of large crowds).

I'm looking at a campground right in Rocky Mountain National Park but am open to other parks. The mountain scenery will e new to us so I'm sure we will be gaga-eyed everywhere we go.

We arrive on a Friday night at 8:30pm and will likely stay in a hotel nearby. The next morning, we'll grocery shop, pack plenty of ice, and head off to our adventures! Our flight home is on Tuesday at 6:35pm so we'll have 4 full days. I have a car booked that we will pick up at the airport (got a reasonable price of $116 for the 4 days).

Any suggestions?

UPDATE - I found the most adorable little cabin in the woods on airbnb! At $60/night, its cheap, cute, and very much like camping only with a real bed. Also the stove and other basic supplies are provided so my DH won't stress about trying to fly with everything. I won't have to buy and ship a stove, buy propane, buy firewood, etc.

[honeybbq]

I'd try near Estes Park.

http://www.visitestespark.com/lodging/campgrounds-and-rv-parks/

Lots of great hiking nearby and close enough to cities you could grab dinner at a sit down restaurant if you liked.

[elaine amj]

Hmmm...I typed up a reply earlier but looks like it didn't post.

Thanks for the rec near Estes Park. It looks like the campgrounds within RMNP are fully booked so they might be my only option for that area. That said, if they are like our private campgrounds here in Ontario with little privacy and a very "urban" feel, then I don't think they would be what we are looking for this trip.

Any other off-the-beaten-path options in the vicinity of Denver?

Thanks :)


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[Mtngrl]

I think the National Forest Campgrounds in either Pike National Forest or Arapaho National Forest would fit your bill -- rustic, private, great scenery and right in the mountains:

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/rockymtn/pikeinfo.htm

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/rockymtn/arap.htm

However -- you will probably need to discard the idea of having a campfire/bonfire. August is still fire season here in Colorado and many, many years there is a total fire ban -- meaning you may only cook on a camp stove and fires are not allowed. Forest fires are no joke and if there is a fire ban, it is not meant to put a damper on your vacation, but to protect the forest and the people living nearby. You might get lucky and we have a wet year and there's no ban, but don't count on it.

[elaine amj]

Thanks @Mtngrl!! And the heads up about the possibility of not having a bonfire is a really good one. Haven't come across that in my Googling yet. It's rare for us to get that type of restriction in Ontario - although the year we went to Algonquin, there was a fire ban :( Oh well, we'll deal with it if we have to (hope its easy enough to find a cheap stove upon arrival!).

I'm considering Kenosha Pass Campground, which is in the Pike National Forest - I guess close to South Park? It's rustic, looks peaceful. Its on the Colorado Trail. It's about 1hr 45 mins from Denver airport. Any idea if this is a good area to "experience" the area or am I better off going up north?

I had looked at Painted Rocks campground near Manitou Lake - the photos looked gorgeous. But it is a tiny campground in the middle of "town" - a 5 min walk from Wendy's.

[FireDAD]

I live in Estes Park and August is still heavy tourist season, but for good reason. If you have any specific questions let me know. I usually suggest people do the RMNP hiking that is on the outskirts during the weekend and do the main park during the week if possible.

[elaine amj]

@kevinb421 Any idea how the campsites are at Glacier Basin? I heard most of the trees have been cleared. Or is there a "rustic" type campground near Estes Park? So far, the photos of RMNP look more dramatic than the ones I am looking at of South Park and surrounding area.

I'll definitely take your advice of sticking to the less popular trails on the Saturday/Sunday and doing the others from Monday - Tuesday.

I'm also looking at Cow Creek Campground next to the Green Mountain Reservoir in the White River National Forest.

[Mtngrl]

Kenosha Pass is a very pretty campground, easy to get to and close to great hiking. Lots of aspen trees.

[nawhite]

Dispersed camping in Colorado is pretty darn easy compared to when I lived on the east coast. There are usually forest service campgrounds within a 15 min walk or 5 min drive with vault toilets. They usually have good fire pits too. One heads up though, unless you're at a resort campground like a KOA or something, you probably won't have a water supply. So, if you're going to a dispersed, forest service, or blm campground, be prepared either with a filter or by buying a couple gallons when you buy food.

I'm a huge fan of http://freecampsites.net/
I've stayed at
https://freecampsites.net/#!23052&query=sitedetails - next to a nice hike of some 1000 year old trees with 2 forest service campgrounds up the road.
https://freecampsites.net/#!24696&query=sitedetails - Right near Buena Vista which is a great town and this one usually has a porta potty (usually)
https://freecampsites.net/#!3754&query=sitedetails - Again, right on the Colorado trail, feels very remote but still has a forest service campground up the road
https://freecampsites.net/#!33688&query=sitedetails - Biking distance to downtown Vail, CO so really easy access to seeing fun things at any of the bigger mountain towns. Walking distance to the Gore Creek Campground which you could stay at or just camp by the river and use their toilets.

[COEE]

Here are a couple options for your first airfare camping trip with the thought that you might need a few more things once you get camping.

• There's lots of camping and hiking in Pike National Forest.  LOTS of good hiking too.  Wellington Lake is nice... privately owned, lots of trout if you like to fish, but catch and release or pay-by-the-pound (privately stocked) but on the plus side I don't think you need a CO fishing license.  There is lots of free camping around and you can buy a day pass to the lake.
• Chatfield State Park is overlooked a lot... and still close to town, but is often busy in August.  I recommend hiking in Roxborough State Park nearby.  I used to live there... One of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

August can be a bit of a crap shoot as far as weather is concerned - depending on how late you come, of course.  I'd have a few different places picked out at different elevations.  If it's really hot - I'd go to the highest altitude you can find... and if it's really cold I'd go to lower elevation places.

Finally, I've had an acquaintance die when she continued on hiking without her group near Crested Butte a few years back.  I HIGHLY recommend ALWAYS hiking with a friend and sticking to well traveled trails especially if you get turned around easily - which is very easy to do when hiking in the CO high-country.  Always carry a small mirror, waterproof matches, a compass, and a topographic map of the area you are in - They could save your life.

[kimmarg]

Great Sand Dunes National Park is pretty awesome and a lot less developed than Rocky Mountain National Park. In addition to the Sand dunes in the name you are surrounded by high peaks.

https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm

[elaine amj]

@Mtngrl Thanks for the thumbs up for Kenosha Pass - I am very seriously considering it.

@nawhite Thanks for the jnfo on dispersed camping - I checked out some of your links and am very tempted. It is nowhere near as easy here in Ontario.

The problem is that I fly in Friday night (will crash in a hotel) so won't get anywhere until Sat morning. With the 2 hr time difference, we will likely hit the road by 6am or so. Even then, I can't imagine it will be easy to find an open campsite on a Sat in August. Especially in a rental car (i.e. no super crazy dirt roads).

@COEE I imagine this will be a problem with switching campsites too? I'd love the flexibility based on weather (and we've done that on previous road trips too - changed direction while on the road after checking the radar) but I do worry about the Sat arrival. Also DH is unlikely to have a massive amount of patience to keep getting turned away at full campgrounds.

We arrive Aug 20 and are comfortable camping until as low as about 30F (done it before) - which I understand is normal at the higher elevations in the summer.

Thanks for the heads up about the water supply. We are used to buying a big thing of water although its a good point to think about handwashing and dishwashing.

And that's a good point about the hiking! I usually choose well-marked trails and try not to go too far off the beaten path. I have never carried emergency supplies with me though - will have to consider adding that. Maybe its time to finally buy a compass instead of relying on my phone.

@kimmarg I have been reading some cool things about Great Sand Dunes. The thing is, we have some pretty awesome sand dunes on Lake Huron jn Ontario and will be spending a week there in July. I think I'd like to take the opportunity to camp in different surroundings.

You guys are all amazingly helpful!



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[ltt]

I would "Google" YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park and see what they offer in terms of all their camping facilities.  You just can't beat that area.

[FireDAD]

YMCA of the Rockies is going to fulfill nearly all of your checklist items.
If you want something a little more remote it is a short hike to most of the amazing campgrounds. Goblin Forest on the Long's Peak trailhead is great, maybe 1.5 miles from parking. 

[elaine amj]

I would "Google" YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park and see what they offer in terms of all their camping facilities.  You just can't beat that area.

Thanks for the suggestion! From what I can tell, YMCA of the Rockies doesn't offer tent camping? Gorgeous area!

My research has popped up a new worry - acclimatizing to high altitudes. I was debating between Kenosha Pass (10,000 ft) in Pikes National Forest and Glacier Basin (8500ft) in RMNP. We fly in on Friday night and will stay one night near Denver (if we go to RMNP, I actually found a hotel on points in the Mustachian paradise of Longmont!). Then we want to tent camp for the next 3 nights before flying home again. We won't do anything too strenuous or any high elevation hikes on the Saturday.

Is 10,000 ft just too high for the trip we plan? Would the 8500ft at Glacier Basin be better? Maybe I should look at lower elevation campgrounds? Perhaps in Estes Park? I checked out the Hermit Park Open Space (7880 ft) and Hermit Hollow Campground had some beautiful tent campsites.

[Cherry Lane]

I can't help any with camping location advice, since I've never camped in that area (I want to!).  As for finding a camp stove, the Denver REI store has rental stoves.

[bognish]

I used to fly from San Francisco to Eagle CO airport (8000 ft) then drive directly to Leadville at 10,500 feet to spend the weekend. Sometimes I would get mild headaches, but with a night in Denver you should be fine. You will notice the altitude on your hikes. Pace yourself slow, drink lots of water and you should be fine. The sun is significantly stronger at CO altitude, so wear sunblock or cover up. Also alcohol will hit you harder, and as a diuretic will dehydrate you and can cause issues with altitude. A mild headache will most likely go away the next day with rest, water and aspirin. If you are throwing up, get in the car and drive lower.

Also note with CO hiking in August that afternoon thunderstorms are an exciting phenomenon. Make sure you are below treeline or heading that way quickly by noon-2PM. The storms pop up very quickly.

[kimmarg]

I can't help any with camping location advice, since I've never camped in that area (I want to!).  As for finding a camp stove, the Denver REI store has rental stoves.

You can bring your own stove on the plane as long as it is empty of fuel and dry and in your checked bag. Dump all the fuel out before you go and leave it outside for a few days. Then you'll just need fuel when you get there.

For car camping you can get a two burner propane stove at Walmart for $30... and then you get to keep it!

[COEE]

My research has popped up a new worry - acclimatizing to high altitudes.

Altitude sickness affects everyone differently.  I've been with people that have gotten sick going up to high country just after flying in and others that haven't.  It's different for everyone.  Rarely does it get really serious.  The best solution to the problem is to find lower elevation.  Denver is at 5280'.  Most people can handle that without a problem with maybe feeling winded going up stairs or after going for a shorter than normal jog.

Another reason to have multiple places to go.  Flexibility will be your friend.

[elaine amj]

@bognish and @COEE Thanks for the info about altitude sickness. My DH is a little reluctant about tent camping it so I do have to make sure I minimize the possibility of problems.

It will be cheaper if we go to Kenosha Pass - $60 vs $110 (dont need the pay the $30 entrance to RMNP). I am trying to do this weekend under $300 so that makes a difference.

If we can stay near Denver on Friday night (arrive 8:30pm), hike/explore in lower elevation on Saturday, getting to Kenosha Pass around 2-3pm, then take it easy the rest of the night, we should be okay with more strenuous hikes Sunday - Tuesday.

I am also looking for any alternative lower elevation camping that checks off my boxes.

@kimmarg if we bring our stove, we'll have problems bringing it back (no time to drain and dry). So I was planning to just buy something cheap and then leave behind. Would be even better if we could "rent" from a local lol. From all I can tell, REI rental is pretty pricey. I'd like to keep the stove + fuel under $30. Maybe I should go with a charcoal grill? Would it take way too long to be able to cook bfast/lunch though?

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[clarkfan1979]

St. Vrain just north of Denver. There is some traffic noise from I-25, but I love it.

[elaine amj]

St. Vrain just north of Denver. There is some traffic noise from I-25, but I love it.

Too funny - I was just checking out St Vrain last night!! Unfortunately, they only have electric sites and its $26 per night plus the $7? per day state park fee. Pretty pricey - and very similar to camping within RMNP. Also, the sites looked pretty open and more suited for RVs.

I've spent some time looking at photos and think I'm going to cross Kenosha Pass off my list. The photos near Glacier Basin in RMNPO look much more dramatic and spectacular than Kenosha Pass. I'd really like a "Colorado mountains" experience, kwim? Or am I just crazy and Kenosha Pass/South Park is just as spectacular as the Rockies? To save $$, I am trying to see if there is a cheap place (that is reservable) in the Roosevelt National Forest but haven't narrowed down a campground yet. Also open to private campgrounds.

[bognish]

I never did official campgrounds when I lived in CO (and that was 15 years ago), but you could also check out the canyons south west of Buena Vista. Cottonwood Pass over to Crested Butte is fine in a 2 wheel drive car and has some campgrounds along the way.  Chalk Creek has some too, and I remember St Elmo being a cool old mine town way up the canyon. This area would definitely give you the Colorado mountain experience. Head through Leadville for the old/current mine town. Between Leadville and Redcliff are a few more.

Finding a reservable campsite with a private forested feel might be hard now. They have had a wide spread die off of pine trees all across Colorado. That will most likely also limit you from having campfires or even charcoal bbq's in a lot of the mountains due to forest fire risk in August.

[Tyson]

One bit of advice - if you are up in the mountains at night, it gets cold, even in the summer.  Bring something warm you will likely need it.

[honeybbq]

I would "Google" YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park and see what they offer in terms of all their camping facilities.  You just can't beat that area.

Thanks for the suggestion! From what I can tell, YMCA of the Rockies doesn't offer tent camping? Gorgeous area!

My research has popped up a new worry - acclimatizing to high altitudes. I was debating between Kenosha Pass (10,000 ft) in Pikes National Forest and Glacier Basin (8500ft) in RMNP. We fly in on Friday night and will stay one night near Denver (if we go to RMNP, I actually found a hotel on points in the Mustachian paradise of Longmont!). Then we want to tent camp for the next 3 nights before flying home again. We won't do anything too strenuous or any high elevation hikes on the Saturday.

Is 10,000 ft just too high for the trip we plan? Would the 8500ft at Glacier Basin be better? Maybe I should look at lower elevation campgrounds? Perhaps in Estes Park? I checked out the Hermit Park Open Space (7880 ft) and Hermit Hollow Campground had some beautiful tent campsites.

The ymca does not. I have stayed in their cabins before, they are wonderful if you want to ditch the tent.

[elaine amj]

I never did official campgrounds when I lived in CO (and that was 15 years ago), but you could also check out the canyons south west of Buena Vista. Cottonwood Pass over to Crested Butte is fine in a 2 wheel drive car and has some campgrounds along the way.  Chalk Creek has some too, and I remember St Elmo being a cool old mine town way up the canyon. This area would definitely give you the Colorado mountain experience. Head through Leadville for the old/current mine town. Between Leadville and Redcliff are a few more.

Finding a reservable campsite with a private forested feel might be hard now. They have had a wide spread die off of pine trees all across Colorado. That will most likely also limit you from having campfires or even charcoal bbq's in a lot of the mountains due to forest fire risk in August.

That gives me a lot of areas to check out! I'll look into them. So hard to tell from a few photos. And the beetle problem looks like it was devastating. And I am understanding what you mean about trying to find a reservable campsite! So much harder than I expected. I'm so not used to the idea of multiple tiny walk-up campgrounds with 10-15 campsites apiece. Here, we primarily camp in our provincial campground - most of which are huge with a few hundred sites (one we have booked this summer has 1200+ sites). While I don't really care how many sites the campground has, I usually like the bigger ones because they give me access to many different hiking trails and large lakes to canoe in. I don't usually find enough to do to occupy us in a small campground. From all my research, Colorado is very different.

Still, DH is very nervous abut going without a reservation - especially since we will be looking for a site on a Saturday morning in August (then again, aren't kids back in school by Aug 20?)

@tyort1 Most of what I read has said it goes down until about the freezing mark. DH and I did a tent camping trip last fall at that temperature (including plenty of rain!) and it went well. Do you think I'll be fine if I prep similarly? Or is mountain cold that different?

SO much to think about! A little tempted to give in to DH's suggestion of just getting a hotel room lol! I have enough points for a crappy Quality Inn in Longmont (bad reviews but clean enough I guess).

@honeybbq Sadly, even their cheaper lodge rooms at $139 is out my budget for this trip.

[bognish]

You could always book a room in the mountains for Saturday night. The weekend crowd will be packing up and heading back to Denver by Sunday lunch so you will have more options for dispersed camping. Salida & Leadville are interesting mountain towns that make a good base for heading further into the hills. Or go tiny at the Green Bridge inn in Red Cliff. Evenings and mornings can be cool in the summer. Long pants & a light jacket will be nice for looking at stars or drinking coffee waiting for the sun. Once the sun hits its shorts & tshirts.

[elaine amj]

I'm SUPER excited to report back that I have found my place! A few days ago, I was just about to book a campground when DH piped up that he really, really didn't want to go tent camping. I was so frustrated and told him that I had spent hours hunting for a campsite and researching how to make it possible. Ugh. We talked some more and finally agreed on no tent camping. Like I told him, there will be challenges flying with our gear and there's likely to be some uncomfortable times. If he's resistant and will end up complaining, then that is not going to make for a good trip. Not worth it.

Anyway, back to the good news. I found the most adorable little cabin in the woods on airbnb!



It is SO cute - I am in love. Usually I research everything to death and it takes me forever to book. This one, I booked about 30 mins after I first saw it. DH is happy not to have to lug all our gear, and I am happy we will be sleeping in the woods. Win win! Best of all, its budget friendly too! Just $60/night. Since we won't have to buy a stove/firewood, I figure it's only going to cost us under $50 more for the weekend instead of tenting it.

It's located next to the Brainard Lake Recreation Area ($10 for a 3 day pass) and the Indian Peaks Wilderness and our host tells me that there are 2 alpine trails right near the cabin. It's close to Nederland, which sounds like a charming spot to explore one afternoon. Most likely we will just enjoy the area and not go to RMNP (yay for fewer fees!).

So very excited to finally start nailing down details for our trip! Any suggestions of must-dos in the area (that doesn't involve a lot of driving)?

[JJ-]

Absolutely go to the rock shop in Nederland.

http://naturesown.com/Nederland.aspx

[elaine amj]

Absolutely go to the rock shop in Nederland.

http://naturesown.com/Nederland.aspx

Sounds like a neat spot - will add it to our list when we wander around Nederland!

[nawhite]

So remember what we were saying about wildfires? Might want to check with the host that the area isn't evacuated and that the road is still accessible: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/09/boulder-wildfire-prompts-evacuations-in-nederland/

[elaine amj]

So remember what we were saying about wildfires? Might want to check with the host that the area isn't evacuated and that the road is still accessible: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/09/boulder-wildfire-prompts-evacuations-in-nederland/

Thank you!! I would never have even considered this.

i just checked all the evacuation maps and various news stories....looks like my cabin is slightly further north of this. My trip is not until Aug 19 so still a month away. I'll make sure I discuss possible challenges with the host at that time.Hoping the area gets some rain over the next bit and we can have a campfire! If the fire ban is still in effect, looks like we should still be able to use the propane stove, charcoal grill, and wood burning stove within the cabin. And if there are restrictions, we'll just deal with it. Just spent the past week camping and set up a hammock for the first time. Spent way more time in the hammock than in front of the fire! Its on my packing list for Colorado :)

Haven't really encountered any of these types of issues before...not an issue in our immediate vicinity although the year we camped in Algonquin Provincial Park, there was a fire ban. Kinda scary when I consider that the fire was started by two out-of-town campers

[boy_bye]

Enjoy, Elaine! I was just hiking at Caribou Ranch last weekend and it's a lovely hike, free to get in, and not too crazy strenuous. Not sure if it was impacted by the fire or not, but I think it was close by.

If you have some time and want to check out Boulder, it's a super cute little town, maybe 20 minutes from Nederland. I recommend the Dushanbe Tea House -- magical place! -- and a walk along the creek and through downtown. You can park at the library for free.

[Lkxe]

http://www.carouselofhappiness.org/visit-the-carousel/


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[Ftao93]

All the suggestions are great.   Also consider the Sand Dunes and other more out of the way places.   The mountains are full of 'white people' (no, not the race, but the derpy ones in need of a facepunch).   

Also it's SUPER DRY so don't plan on fires of any kind.

I have some friends in Pueblo that might have some of their Earthship property ready too.  They're planning on a B&B type thing.

[elaine amj]

http://www.carouselofhappiness.org/visit-the-carousel/

We might go for a spin - just for the fun of it :)

All the suggestions are great.   Also consider the Sand Dunes and other more out of the way places.   The mountains are full of 'white people' (no, not the race, but the derpy ones in need of a facepunch).   

Also it's SUPER DRY so don't plan on fires of any kind.

I have some friends in Pueblo that might have some of their Earthship property ready too.  They're planning on a B&B type thing.

What are Earthship properties? I saw some mention of that poking around airBnB. And thanks for the recs....I just booked an adorable little cabin for $60/night in Ward, Co, close to Nederland.

Enjoy, Elaine! I was just hiking at Caribou Ranch last weekend and it's a lovely hike, free to get in, and not too crazy strenuous. Not sure if it was impacted by the fire or not, but I think it was close by.

If you have some time and want to check out Boulder, it's a super cute little town, maybe 20 minutes from Nederland. I recommend the Dushanbe Tea House -- magical place! -- and a walk along the creek and through downtown. You can park at the library for free.

Thanks for your Caribou Ranch recommendation. I just checked their website and its open, and as far as I can tell - no fire damage.

I hadn't planned on the Dushanbe Tea House as it is a bit pricey - but I think I will now. It really does look magical. DH prefers Asian food so he can eat while I get a tea and I can fill up on munchies from the Farmer's Market next door after. Thanks for the tip about parking at the library! I always find stopping in town the pricey part of a trip. We just spent a week camping, spending about $100 on groceries and ice cream. On our way home, we hit a small tourist town and dropped $90 on food and ice cream (for 4) - all in one single afternoon!

[boy_bye]

Boulder is so cute, very easy to want to spend money there! The food at the Tea House is what I would characterize as "pretty good" rather than "awesome" so if you wanted you could just get tea there and soak up the ambience for a bit. Then go eat empanadas from the farmers market :)

[elaine amj]

@ms madge that's some fabulous feedback. I think that's just what we'll do. I don't mind paying (a little) for awesome food. Don't like to bust the budget for just "pretty good".


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[Ftao93]

Boulder is so cute, very easy to want to spend money there! The food at the Tea House is what I would characterize as "pretty good" rather than "awesome" so if you wanted you could just get tea there and soak up the ambience for a bit. Then go eat empanadas from the farmers market :)

My secondary office (which is a huge pain and why I am quitting) is there.  I might be biased, but I find most of it to be overpriced garbage.

There are many hidden gems though!

[elaine amj]

For our half day in Boulder, I was thinking of having a morning tea at the Tea House (flying from the midwest so we'll likely be there by 8 or 9am), strolling Pearl St, early (10/11am) lunch at the Farmer's Market, then tubing down Boulder Creek (we'll bring our river tubes so this would be free). After that, we'll pick up some groceries (any Mustachian-friendly places to shop?) before leaving boulder about 3pm-ish to drive to our cabin in Ward. We could leave later if there is more we want to see/do in Boulder. I'm considering renting a bike for 1-2 hours just to say we rode bikes in Colorado (we ride road bikes at home) but trying to minimize costs and keep this trip as budget-friendly as possible.

[COEE]

They have bikes around town in Boulder to rent for a few bucks a day/hour
https://boulder.bcycle.com/

Celestial Seasons is a nice tea room / tasting room... and it's free... and there's a tour of their facility.
http://www.celestialseasonings.com/visit-us/tea-tour

[elaine amj]

Hmm $3 for 30 mins or $8 for the day- will definitely consider B-Cycle. If we r in the mood when we get there, we'll likely do it. Thanks for the suggestion!


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[Tick-Tock]

Boulder city-operated parking garages are free on weekends. We always park for free in a garage a block away from the Saturday farmer's market (over the Boulder bus depot).

You might want to try a hike at Chautauqua Park.

[elaine amj]

Thanks for the tip about the parking garage! I think that or the library will be a great choice for us.


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