By Four campervan trips in the bag already, how fast has time flown by since our first one?! Our fourth installment saw the usual suspects jetting off to the Centennial State for a much-needed week among the high tree tops. Only ever having been in CO once before, a stopover during my 2012 road trip across America, my eagerness to get there was unwavering. You know those pre-trip jitters where you can’t sleep all night, yea, it was one of those.
THE CREW
We had a little bit of a changeup this year with a new addition, Nick, to the crew, while Tony was on daddy duties. TK, Quang, and I reprised our roles during these weeklong stints in nature. No amount of forewarning or advice can really prepare you for a trip like this. We told Nick to hop in and hang on for dear life. He took to it like a goat traversing up a steep canyon wall.
THE RIG
Picking around the Denver area, where we opted to land, was slim for Class B vans. For this trip, I used Outdoorsy.com because they had a much wider selection to choose from. With four adult males, I would suggest a Class B over a Class C because the size of the latter can cause headaches for those harder-to-reach locales.
We were lucky enough to snag a Dodge Ram Promaster outfitted by Winnebago. Onboard shower and cassette toilets for emergencies, full-size bench sleeper in back, a full pop-up overhead, stove, fridge, it was a setup we have come to know and enjoy. It was also extremely good on gas, which you can’t say with a Class C
With any trip, we did have a few snags: water leaked through the exhaust vents when it came down with torrential rain, bug nets did their best but a mosquito or two would make its way in, the shower space was cramp due to the cassette toilet, and some of the lights didn’t work. You know what though? The tires we had were almost bad road-going tires, so always check before mounting an expedition into the boonies.
Them little things matter nil when you’re out there exploring.
THE ROUTE
Quite possibly the hardest task of any trip is deciding what to see and do. As seasoned vets, we’re always looking for that next hiking challenge and a hot spring nearby to relax in. Colorado is a MECCA for anyone remotely fond of the outdoors and we had the pickings for challenging hikes.
We would end up doing a counterclockwise route starting and ending in Denver that included the following stops:
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Hanging Lake
- Hotsprings
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Zapata Falls
- Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Pikes Peak
- Garden of the Gods
Three national parks, a bunch of wilderness stops, and a couple of hot springs for good measure. This route left me salivating without a napkin in sight. With the route set, we were more than ready to tackle the shortlist of CO’s beautiful destinations. Campervan Volume 4 was a go!
Rocky Mountain National Park can be an everyday destination from the mile-high city of Denver. Less than two hours away you can imagine how many people flock here, especially during the weekend, we weren’t any different! Unlike previous years where we ended up at our first campsite in the late hours of the night, for the first time, there was still light out when we pitched the tent.
Our 6AM role call was met with tired eyes, but eager toes to get on the hiking trail. Note that you WILL NEED a timed entry pass to explore the lakes region of RMNP and without that, you’ll have to wait until after 2PM to enter. The remainder of the park is open to everyone without the need for a permit! However, for 2024 the pilot program may or may not be reinstated.
Did I mention how amazing this park is? Having been on my list for quite some time, being there felt completely surreal. We were filled with caffeine and snacks before taking to the first trail at 1030AM, which by my standards is already much later in the day to start hiking! The overflow lot was PACKED and so were the buses leading to you the stop everyone wanted to flock to: Bear Lake.
With one full day in the park for hikes, we decided to conquer it with a clockwise route. This allowed us to see the must-see lakes towards the end, in case it was the only thing worth seeing (I was wrong), but also to avoid the crowds (I was right!) Our stops are included in the order:
- Alberta Falls
- Mills Lake
- The Loch
- Lake of Glass
- Lake Haiyana
- Nymph Lake
- Bear Lake
As per usual our first hike was the toughest and longest of them all. We clocked in 16 miles and over 2500 of gains throughout. This route is top 5 in my hardest of treks for the sheer length of what we chose to hike. By day’s end, we finished at 430 for an idea, we were all defeated, hurt, and needed some ramen.
But my goodness it was GORGEOUS. Everywhere you looked the cathedral of nature’s best was on full display. Alberta Falls was an incredible sight as was the hike to Lake of Glass (it echoed the Andes) not to mention Lake Haiyana where we took a much-needed nap. I don’t think there was one single bad angle of everything we saw and we even spotted some elks roaming around! If you have the time, the legs, and the fortitude you need to do this hike, your dinner will taste that much better at the end of the day.
From here we backtracked to pick up Quang who arrived on Monday. After not seeing him since our last campervan trip to Oregon he was a welcomed sight for these tired eyes. With the crew complete we ventured west towards Hanging Lake for a quick hike and a dip in some hot springs.
The 156 miles from Denver to Hanging Lake will have you driving up and down countless mountain passes. Be weary as you are incredibly high up in these parts and is best to not ride your brakes. We spotted a few semis that looked like they needed much repair, but our van escaped unscathed.
I couldn’t help but feel that I70 was so familiar the entire way out from Denver. Then it hit me that I’d driven this way back home during my 2012 road trip to California. That little hit of nostalgia made me feel a lot of things seeing how in 11 years how much has changed, and to be back here, driving the same road, it’s something.
You’ll need a permit per individual if you want to hike Hanging Lake. Cost is $12/pp and must be made in advance as they don’t take in-person reservations. A small price to pay for a challenging short hike with amenities like a bathroom and water refill station.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate scrambling and wouldn’t you know it, Hanging Lake is a scrambling hike. Only 1.5 miles out and back it was a quick one indeed, but will leave you gasses! You’ll pass by seven-foot bridges along the trail before you arrive so you can’t get lost. nick counted out every single one. The last stretch is sketchy to get to the lake, but worth the trouble of hanging onto the railings.
You’ll be met with a thundering waterfall and a cave that you can walk behind. Take a minute to relax and soak it in before heading down to the lake. Watch your step, it’s slippery here! Head down below and split off the main trail and you’ll be met with the lake where all the water deposits into. Woof, how can I even describe it? It’s like the perfect wallpaper for your computer. It’s that gorgeous! Please keep in mind not to take a dip in the water as it’s a restoration site. Of course, we saw a few rule-breakers there, don’t be like them, folks.
To cap off the first day of the entire crew together we ventured to find some hot springs. I had marked two down that were free but only one proved viable as an option. If you’re making your way down 133 plot Penny Hot Springs into your GPS for a good time. Right off the main road, with parking, you can walk down towards the stream where makeshift pools have been created. Some are filled with warm water, while others are piping hot. We spent an hour here finding which pools had the Goldilocks stamp of approval and soaked in all the views around us. There’s awe-inspiring and there was the sight I was able to enjoy.
Our drive the next day was both exhilarating and anxiety-inducing. All I can say is DON’T RIDE the BRAKES. Other than that we made it to our next camp spot just right outside of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We spent the rest of the afternoon that day driving through the park visiting lookout after lookout, a super chill way to take in a hike that we would embark on first thing the next morning.
Not too many hikes allow you down INTO the canyon at this national park, but there is one! If you go to the South Rim Visitor Center at 3:30PM the day before you can sign up to receive one of 15 wilderness permit passes that allow you to hike down into the canyon. Always up for an adventure we requested and received four permits, but not without warnings. Our park ranger advised the following:
- AllTrails will not work down in the canyon/trail markers on the app are not completely correct
- Cell service is 0 once you leave the visitor center
- There are no trail markers so take photos of landmarks to not get lost on the way back
- Call ya mum to check in on you after 24 hours in case you don’t make it back up
You bet I let my mum know of my whereabouts before we trekked down the very next morning. Rested, well-fed, and ready to rock, we set out on this supposedly arduous two-mile out and back to view the Gunnison River. Did I mention in those two miles there are 1800 feet worth of elevation gains? FUN! We were informed it would be about two to four hours of moving time, and a challenge was accepted.
The way down is pretty straightforward, but it gets steep fast, so prepare for a lot of scrambling over loose rocks and boulders. Going will always be easier than coming back up, we were proven right when we made it down to the river bed in about 45 minutes. Along the way, we soaked up the sunrise and all its colors against the canyon walls. With only 15 permits allowed daily, running into crowds was not a worry we had. At the bottom the views were GLORIOUS. We took the opportunity to soak in the river, have a light breakfast, and listen to the sounds around us. it gets HOT in these parts, temperatures didn’t dip below 90 until it was early evening, so getting on with this hike early is the smart move. By the time we decided to head back up, I could feel the temperature rising as we passed one or two couples.
Going up proved to be difficult in more ways than one. First, we did get lost, thankfully only a small margin off course. Secondly, those rock scrambles are 1000x more daunting on the up stretch. More breaks were taken, breath catching up to heart rates, and water bottles emptied. All in all the four of us made it back to the top in an hour and fifteen, putting just a total of two hours moving. Not too shabby all before brunch I’d say!
Our Colorado adventure was too big for just one post — stay tuned for PART TWO and see how our adventurers made out in the Centennial State!
theroamingnoodle 
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