Southwest road trip.

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Kevin68

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I’m in New England and I was thinking about heading to Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah for some off road driving and camping. My question is are COVID restrictions going to hinder diving/camping? I can easily push the trip back to spring. Should I go this fall or delay? Thanks for the advice.
KM
 

_gaminoj_

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Hey, Im from TN. I'm planning to go out the Colorado this weekend. I was wondering the same thing from. It seems like its open seen some guys post from recent a trip. I could give you an update, when Im there.
 
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Louiston

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I'll be up in Ouray, CO come Friday for a week. Talked with 2 forest rangers yesterday and all is good, bring your mask when in town.

Just remember, the desert regions will be HOT. :sweat:

I'm also doing the White Rim and Canyon Lands in Utah the first or second week of November. Hoping for cold and snow, the colder the better!
 
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Boppa's Travels

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Here in Texas. They say masks in stores but I have seen some without. I was in New Mexico for the month of June most every place required masks. All boondocking areas I came across were open most forest campgrounds were open at all and most blm campgrounds (not many) I came across were closed.
 
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Boppa's Travels

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Also if your around the Lubbock area lots of the little towns in the area offer free camping nearly all with water and elec. some with restrooms some without.
 

Kevin68

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I'll be up in Ouray, CO come Friday for a week. Talked with 2 forest rangers yesterday and all is good, bring your mask when in town.

Just remember, the desert regions will be HOT. :sweat:

I'm also doing the White Rim and Canyon Lands in Utah the first or second week of November. Hoping for cold and snow, the colder the better!
I expect masks everywhere. I was more concerned about closed parks, trails and campgrounds. Thanks for the info. Let me know if you hear more!
 
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Kevin68

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Hey, Im from TN. I'm planning to go out the Colorado this weekend. I was wondering the same thing from. It seems like its open seen some guys post from recent a trip. I could give you an update, when Im there.
Please do!
 

Boppa's Travels

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Good to know. I’m gonna bomber down from here to Austin then I’ll be headed to Aspen, Utah and NM for about a month.
Of course the large cities in Texas will be more likely have tighter restriction about covid where the smaller towns are more open.
 

Prerunner1982

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Be careful in SW Colorado. There are a couple of trails and roads currently blocked due to mud slides.
.
 

Blackey

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I know this is a late post I’m in nm and the governor is about to make it even harder on visitors . Currently last I heard the state parks are closed to non New Mexico citizens they will turn you around at the gates. Also by mandate or what ever the governor s authority everyone coming in. To no must quarantine for two weeks. I don’t know how they are informing it but get caught without a mask there’s a fine In the hundreds iirc. Tc co an az are experiencing COVID spikes take it for what it’s worth. I would postpone the visit. Now person I’m planning on a Jeep rally In Utah in January but I’m planning on using a quality mask went out of the Jeep and Motorhome. Head strai there and back getting out of the Motorhome only to fuel up. I’ll eat or get take out where I never leave the Jeep or deliver like I do at home. Minimizing my contact with others but that is the time we are living in. And there is no perfect solution to traveling now but I’m willing to trade off safety for fun.
 

cowboyjack

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NM does have the quarantine, but if you read the fine print it doesn’t really restrict you if you are just passing through. Just completed a trip from Southern AZ to Iowa and back without any travel related Covid issues and just avoided contact with folks. Masked up to get gas and either fixed my own food, got takeout or used delivery. Had no trouble using dispersed camping on Forest or BLM lands. Local responses ranged from almost everyone wearing masks and social distancing to no one wearing masks and no one social distancing.
 

Blackey

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I wasn’t refering people going thru just those wish to visit here weather the trip terminates here or has multiple stops along the way. On i10 it should only take you 4 or 5 hours max if I recall correctly now i40 will be twice plus that as I recall. Now gpin north or south using i 25. 8-12 hours depending if you hit Abq, Santa Fe traffic. Now i10 I would probably stop 1 time for food and fuel in nm. So I see this as passing thru. 1-40 maybe a stop for fuel and food near each border would be my best suggestion. I25 I have driven it end to end yet. The others I have multiple time. I have covered from lascruces where it starts I. The south anf personally driven past i40 so iirc that about half way then you have a stretch between i40 and las Vegas which is the part that I haven’t fully traveled. I drove north looking for somewhere to put a fish cat in and catch some fish. I ended up at Fenton lake that time iirc. Now in 1992 I drove down from anchorage ak and traveled i25 from the star line south to the Las Vegas exit where I went 54 to Alamogorodo no the smarty Hong to do should have remained on i25.

so if your taking another route like Forrest road while technically you taking the road from one point to the next. That I belae is traveling to enjoy the state not to miss the population which you probably come in more contact per day than the freeway routes and since the back roads are gonna take longer your contact rate will be higher. I’ve planning on att the 4x4 winter jamboree outside of st George it in January. My initial trip was go on some paved backroads since I’ll will be driving my Motorhome and flat towing the Jeep. This was before the lockdown. Now if we’re still under lock down. I’ll pull out of the road wear I live make a right on Hwy 70w to I 15 s to i10 w then stay on the Highway to almost the state line up and over the river towards Las Vegas find a spot if I Haden done so earlier that day. Get up the next morning heading to hurricane ut where the rally is get my parking space after filling the my up on diesel and propane dumping the tanks and filling the fresh water tank priortoleaving that morning that gives me 100 gallons of water a nd diesel. Three 60 gallon storage tanks and a 20-30 pound propane tank. I need a extend reach hose for the little 20pound grill tanks then I’ll be set . If I’ll going that way, masking up,keeping 6 ft spacing and washing my hands is about the best I can do a not give in I’ll check out the food vend ord for not protecting my food by allowing it to be open when someone sneezes. Or coughing near the vendor site. Now if I see one tries their best to protect the majority of the meals going out I will have faith in them more than someone serving like it was last year.