Hello fellow PUTers! DW and I are planning a trip to Blue Mesa Reservoir starting May 19, and we will spend 4 nights there. We then have the remainder of the week and into Memorial Day weekend, and are thinking of where to get well away from the crowds for that weekend.
Anyone have suggestions for the Crested Butte area? We prefer fishing nearby, don't necessarily need an established CG, and like solitude. We have boondocked above Taylor Park Reservoir, but would like to be a bit further from the city this time, especially since we are starting a little further out.
Colorado, Midwest???
I don't get it.
Good choice of areas. I have been going up there for the last 10 years for trips in the summer. There are so many great places. If you like fishing I would suggest near taylor res. and if you looking for solitude I know of a great place just north of crested butte on Slater River Road. Just message me for more info
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Probably a little late now, seeing as you plan to head out tomorrow, but I'm wondering how many campgrounds in the Crested Butte area will be open this early. According to the Gunnison District FS website, there are several campgrounds that are not gated in the area, and therefore are technically open (e.g., Lost Lake, which is a great spot!), yet I would assume that they are still under many feet of snow.
I'd call the FS district office in Delta before I made too many plans to camp at 10,000' in May!
Been a while since I have been back at this site. Here is my report, albeit 2 weeks after the end of our trip:
Both Lost Lake and Lake Irwin were not accessable due to snow as of Monday, May 21. Kebler Pass was open, but the spurs to the lakes were not. There was a bulldozer at Lake Irwin, and it appeared he had cleared part of the road, but the road was still drifted ~1 mile in. I don't know if it was cleared by Memorial Day, as we decided to stay on Blue Mesa in the Dry Gulch campground for the remaining 4 nights, which was pretty nice, but infested with ticks. Seems this year conditions were prime for the ticks. If you go within the next monthy, beware and check closely for ticks regularly.
We also checked out the Ponderosa CG, on the Soap Creek arm of the reservoir, that seems like a great getaway, away from the Drive-In Theater feeling of the 'big three' of Blue Mesa Reservoir.
BTW, the fishing on the reservoir was pretty good Sunday thru Tuesday, then progressively slowed down as the week wore on.