Silverton area---low-elevation place to sleep in car?

[rdp32]

I am planning a backpacking trip in the Weminuche from the Highlands Mary Lakes trailhead. I would like to drive most of the way from Denver the night before and either camp or sleep in the minivan somewhere reasonably close to the trailhead. However, my brother is flying in from sea level, so I would like to sleep as low as we can the first night---I assume sleeping at over 10kft the first night is asking for problems. Does anyone have any recommendations for a quiet, relatively-low-elevation (hopefully below 8-8.5 kft or so?) place to sleep on the way to the Highlands Mary trailhead? Even if it's just some quiet and flat place within an hour of the trailhead where we can legally pull off after dark on the side of a road and sleep in the car, then leave at dawn, that would be great. I've never been to that entire region of CO so I don't know what to expect.

On a related note, does anyone know how if I should expect to be able to make it up to the trailhead in my 2WD vehicle? If we can't make it all the way to the trailhead, how close should I expect to get? How about if I bring my Outback instead---would that make it all the way to the trailhead? (I would prefer the minivan so we can sleep comfortably in the car)

Thanks!

[Buckshot Jake]

I would say Denver if you aren't intent on pushing it that first night. Montrose would be another option at just over an hour away.

[Scott P]

Are campgrounds OK? There is a really nice one near Ouray. There are hot springs and several hikes to waterfalls that are in the elevation range you are looking for. There are also informal camping areas on some of the Forest Service Roads around Ouray as well.

[rdp32]

Thanks for the replies!

Buckshot---yeah, ideally we'd have time to spend a night in Denver first, but we're pretty cramped on time and I'd really like to start hiking on morning #1. My brother has done well at high altitudes in the past, so I think he'll manage it fine as long as I don't push it too high the first and second night.

Scott---The Ouray area sounds good to me. Do you happen to remember the names of the campground that you had in mind? Although I don't plan on doing any hiking/exploring from there; I am just looking for a place to crash the first night before we start the high-elevation trip the next morning (the first night of our backpacking trip will then have us sleeping at 10 kft or so)... so pulling off in an informal camping area along a Forest Service Road would be just as good. If you happen to recall which of those roads specifically had informal camping options, please let me know.

Thanks again!

[LURE]

I'm thinking you may not need to stress too much about sleeping at a lower elevation the night before. I feel that if he's going to have some issues at altitude it will probably happen when he gets to that altitude no matter when he gets to it. In the case you're proposing you guys would discover the issue when you get into your backpacking trip, which would be more of an issue than discovering it the night before in the car.

Food for thought. I don't think you have to worry too much either way.

[tmud]

This has never failed me. Drive down a Colorado highway. Look for a brown sign designating a forest road. Turn at this sign and follow until you find what could be argued to be a suitable place to camp.

Otherwise, the campgrounds another poster mentioned in ouray, you prob won't be able to get one, but it is called the ouray amphitheater campground. There is also dispersed camping along south mineral creek road in Silverton, but your elevation will be at least 9k anywhere near Silverton. This is probably your best bet though, lots of car camping spots along the 2WD road.

[TravelingMatt]

This has never failed me. Drive down a Colorado highway. Look for a brown sign designating a forest road. Turn at this sign and follow until you find what could be argued to be a suitable place to camp.

This is the correct answer. Not sure which direction you're coming from, but there are several options north of Durango off 550, and several off CO 62 west of Ridgway, if you want to keep your elevation around 8000 or so.

I agree coming from sea level and sleeping high is a concern. When I used to do it I never slept really well, and that was in hotels. Sleeping in tents/vehicles is an acquired skill.

On a related note, does anyone know how if I should expect to be able to make it up to the trailhead in my 2WD vehicle? If we can't make it all the way to the trailhead, how close should I expect to get? How about if I bring my Outback instead---would that make it all the way to the trailhead? (I would prefer the minivan so we can sleep comfortably in the car)

If you mean road 589 up Cunningham Creek, a minivan can probably go a couple miles in or so, but not all the way up. The Outback should make it most if not all the way. I've gone almost to the final creek crossing in a Rav4; didn't go all the way to the TH because my hike was before that.

[SurfNTurf]

Pretty much any vehicle can make the lower trailhead, there's a small parking area on a hill right before the creek crossing. From there it's a 5 minute walk to the actual (4WD) trailhead. (NOTE: This is beyond an even earlier parking area, where the road narrows and starts up some switchbacks. Keep going.) Fording the stream can be a pain, but at this point in the year I'd assume it's running low enough to be an afterthought. There are free dispersed camp spots all along the road to the trailhead, and last time I was there (July of this year) there were a few fire rings around the 2WD parking area as well. It'll be around or above 10k, but as others have said, it's likely not that big of a deal. Enjoy your trip. It's a truly spectacular slice of the Weminuche.

[rdp32]

Thanks all! I think that answered all my questions. This forum's the best!

[jomagam]

several off CO 62 west of Ridgway

Do you have any more info on this ?