Thanks for the Falcon Guide tip! I just bought it. We purchase the flat-rate shipping from Amazon every year, so shipping is “free” on items purchased directly from Amazon. I bought the $4.01 copy from Amazon with free shipping which turns out to be essentially the same price as the 1 cent copy with shipping. If you use Amazon a lot, the flat-rate shipping is outstanding and their fulfillment is excellent. I know this book will be here in two business days, next Tuesday, so I’ll have time to peruse before we leave.
I’m torn whether to hit the southern part of the state or the northern (Dinosaur Nat’l Monument over to RMNP). We’ll have two more Parent’s Weekends at Boulder after this one, so we can do another route in ‘11 or ‘12.
Just a little FYI.
If you're going to be going to Co. from SLC, that means your going to have to return towards SLC.
Why not loop Colorado?
Leave SLC and head to Dinosaur and Estes/RMNP. Boulder is about an hour from Estes.
Then for the return, head down towards Denver and take 70 back west, going through Vail and Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Vail is...well...Vail, not quite Aspen. Its a nice town to walk through anytime of year. Glenwood Springs has Hanging Lake.
Vail
Hanging Lake
The difference, according to Mapquest, in drive times from SLC-Dino/Estes-Denver is 10 hours 45 minutes versus SLC-Grand Junction-Denver is 8 hours and 34 minutes.
SLC-Grand Junction-Gunnison-Denver is 10 hours 36 minutes.
Whether you go north or go south, travel time is about the same. You could go to Boulder via Estes/Dino and return via the south or visa versa. Or just cut 2 hours off and take 70 through Vail and Glenwood.
I’m an expert in all things Colorado-let me know when you need advice.
You can’t go wrong with Dinosaur and RMNP. Study them both well before you leave. (Falcon Guides also have guidebooks on both of them).
BTW, how many days do you have to explore CO?