Rockies in July Recommendations

[gschlossnagle]

I'm taking the month of July off to travel from my home in MD to the extended Rockies (initially Colorado area) area with my family, meeting some friends for the last 10 days , probably in the greater Yellowstone/Tetons area.

I'd love recommendations across the board. My thought is to spend a couple days getting out there, and then 10-14 days overlanding/backcountry camping in Colorado (have a very offroad capable Jeep and will have a new OGT Expedition). I want to see Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nat'l Park, but am otherwise very open to cool off the beaten path beautiful places to see.

Heading up towards Wyoming afterwards, I would really like to visit Moab, but am worried that July is just to hot to have it be a good trip. Is that a reasonable stance? I've only been to Utah in the winter.

In northern Wyoming/Montana, I've been to Yellowstone, Tetons, and Glacier. What are good side trips or other places around there that I should mark as don't miss.

For the return, I was thinking taking the northern route back to MD and checking out the Black Hills.

Any other things I should do/not do while out? We will camp the entire time.

 

[RockyMountaineer]

What route are you going to be taking coming out of Colorado? There are a couple nice areas in southern Wyoming but it all depends on your route and what you are after. Flamming Gorge and the Red Desert are ripe for exploration. Then a bit further to the east are the Sierra Madras. All have good dirt road travel and public lands. Hints why I asked the question.

Also I would suggest two books to help in your travels. One is the Wyoming Road & Recreation Atlas from Benchmark Maps and the other is Dirt A backroad travel guide to Wyoming by Dan Lewis. Both are excellent resources.

 

[gschlossnagle]

I don’t have a pre-established route from Colorado to Montana. Mainly looking for something that isn’t crazy hot and is beautiful.
Thanks for the two book recommendations, I’ll amazon those now.

 

[gschlossnagle]

Wow, the Dirt book must be out-of-print, the prices on amazon are insane.

 

[RockyMountaineer]

I have no idea. I have had mine for a number of years but the copy write dates on mine are quite old. And yeah for that price I'd leave it but it appears they have a couple similar books. Maybe try one of those.

 

[USStrongman]

The one thing I learned while spending two months in Yellowstone is this; keep up with the forest fire news in WY, MT, ID and UT. In two months I never saw the milky way due to smoke from several big fires. More important, as I was leaving back to Texas, I left through Jackson Hole and should have gone through Moran, Dubois and the Wind Reservation on WY 26. I instead wanted to go even more remote. I went through Bondurant on WY 191. I almost made the Pinedale junction but they closed the road 15 mins before I got there due to a huge fast moving fire. Instead I was forced back to Hoback, west to Alpine, south on WY 89 along the Idaho border into Montpelier ID, before I could turn east on to I-80. That mistake cost me 9 extra hours....

Buy a national parks pass before you go or at your first park you arrive at. Saves a ton of money and hassle traveling through parks. $35 to go see rolling hills of grass where Custer was doomed? No thanks. I'd rather pay the $80 and see everything.

Beartooth Pass. From Eastern Montana head to Red Lodge and travel to Beartooth pass, Clay Butte and then enter Yellowstone through the NE entrance. Be sure to visit the Clay Butte decommissioned fire lookout. You can go inside the tower. Montana on one side, Wyoming on the other. Elk bugling was everywhere. Beartooth Pass (11,000') is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

Clay Butte Lookout Tower with photos - Beartooth Highway | Montana & Wyoming Scenic Drives

The most scenic route to Yellowstone Park. The Beartooth Highway – a National Scenic Byways All-American Road. This 68 mile byway winds its way through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance.

beartoothhighway.com

In Colorado, there are so many options. I am going to Gunnison Gorge NP NE of Ouray/Montrose as part of a two week trip. There is also Gunnison National Forest in eastern CO. Signage can be confusing, know which one you are going to.