Getting Around Colorado

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I know that public transport bites in the U.S. It is a painful fact that at this point the best way to see most of my country is with a personal vehicle. So it is best to have this factored into your plans. With the exception of New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Portland you will need wheels.

I will give you a few ideas that have worked for friends of mine that have visited the U.S.

1. If you have time and the adventurous sprit consider bike touring. I know that this seems crazy to many. It is one of the most interesting ways to see many places in the U.S. It is rich with cultural involvement and would make the trip of a life time.

2. Develop a friendship with an American and travel with them or borrow a car from them. We have traveled with many friends from outside the U.S. and it worked well for them.

3. Rent a car this is expensive but easy and reliable. There are many reliable companies and you can get them right at the airport where you land. (Most U.S. airports are NOT well connected with the cities they serve) This helps to avoid the hassle of getting into town.

4. Buy a used car and sell it when you leave. Many friends have chosen this option and for those with the temperament for dealing with the extra work it is a great option. You most likely will take a loss when you sell it but it comes out better than renting cash wise.

Well I hope this helps a bit.

Colorado like much of the American west is car country. You can get from city to city by mass transit but getting to the state's national parks is another matter. To truly see the state extensively, you will need your own vehicle. The roads are generally great and once away from the greater Denver area, relatively traffic free. Well, at least in September they were!

Typical driving distances: Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park-65 miles/1.5 hours. Denver to Boulder-30 miles/30 minutes. Denver to Fort Collins-65 miles/1 hour. Denver to Mesa Verde National Park-450 miles/9 hours.

A great scenic ride if you are heading west through Colorado is to take State Route 24 from Colorado Springs to Buena Vista. If you are going to Breckenridge area turn north off 24 onto Route 9 in Hartzel, CO. If you need to go further west than Buena Vista take Route 50 west. All these routes are very scenic and not heavily traveled.

Warning: Traffic on Sunday afternoons and evenings can be heavy on eastbound Route 24, as everyone is coming back to Colorado Springs from their weekend getaway to the mountains.

Colorado Springs Airport has 5 major airlines within it's gates: American, United, Delta, US Airways, and Frontier. Southwest Airlines is rumored to have a few gates here in the future, but nothing concrete as of yet.

Keep an eye on your gas gauge, the distances between towns can be vast in Colorado, especially if you're driving on roads other than the Interstate Highways (which I hope you are, that's the best way to see places). Public transit between towns is nigh non-existent for the most part, though Amtrak still makes a trip across the state (and the Winter Park ski train in the winter time is popular on weekends -- from Denver up to a nearby ski resort).

Also, expect anything when driving up in the mountains -- it was snowing in June when I drove over the Continental Divide. Some mountain roads don't open until after Memorial Day. In the winter time, chains may be required on some mountain passes -- pay attention to the weather bulletins.

Mountain driving requires shifting into 2nd or 3rd gear at times, due to steep inclines. Save wear and tear on your brakes -- use your gear shift. Keep your eye on the road, and let your passengers ooh and aah over the amazing scenery -- there are plenty of pull-outs where you can stop and gaze for yourself. Speaking of pull-outs -- if there are cars behind you wanting to take those mountain curves at a fast clip, pull over and let them by. Chances are they've driven that road a hundred times, and know exactly where the curves get hairraising and just how fast they can navigate them -- but you don't. Smile, and let them pass.

Slowmoving traffic stays on the righthand lanes, of course. Watch out for semi-trucks, mountain driving is especially difficult for them.

And please, watch out for the many bicyclists you might encounter on the road. Give them a wide berth, as safe as possible for everyone. I had a friend who was hit by a truck while bicycling, and suffered brain damage as a result. Nothing is worth that, no matter how much in a hurry you might be.

Colorado has some very good roads and even driving in the Rocky Mountains is not difficult. Most of the roads are large, and there are not as many curves as I expected. Distances are generally what they look like on a map. We drove from Colorado Springs to Buena Vista in a shorter time than expected. Once you get up in the mountains, the road is pretty much straight and you can drive without any problems.
Traffic was only bad when we drove from one side of the Rocky Mountain NP to the other, but it was tolerable overall.
I would hate to drive in Colorado in the winter!! They have large poles at the side of the road for the snow plows to FIND the road, or so we were told

In my opinion, if you want to experience Colorado-The REAL Colorado-Then my suggestion is to buy or rent an SUV. There are many areas where you can drive off road and see things very few have seen (I would suggest a 4-Wheel Drive for this by the way). In addition, you can stop whenever you want, go whenever you want, and sleep whenever (or wherever) you want.

Before I moved here, I actually did this for 3 years in a row. I have never regretted it; and I also had a total blast the whole time!! This is definately something that should be on your to do list!

OK the above tip has exceptions, this the dam road from Dillon towards Breckenridge. however this is the exception that proves the rule - the main road (whose number temporarily escapes me) was still open at the time this pic was taken.