It’s month 4 and we finally made it to Colorado, a state that stole our hearts years ago and we keep coming back to. In fact, a huge part of us wanted to come straight here in May and ride out the summer. But that would mean not seeing all of the incredible places we’ve seen on this trip thus far. And we’ve seen some pretty awesome places, but our hearts are happy to be back in Colorful Colorado for the entire month of September. And maybe a little more…
Let’s go back to the beginning of the month, where we ended in Portland dropping Charlie’s parents off at the airport and making our way east for the first time since we started this trip.
If you want to skip straight to the money talk, click here.
Boise/Meridian KOA; Boise, Idaho
Campground cost: $44/night
Originally, we planned on spending a lot more time in Idaho. Unfortunately, we were on a bit of a schedule because we had less than 2 weeks to make it from Portland to Denver where my parents were flying in to hang out with us for a week. We only stayed 2 nights in Boise, which was very unfortunate. We LOVED Boise. For a State Capitol, its extremely chill and laid back. We encountered virtually no traffic. The city is exceptionally clean.
We loved the vibe, and we talked to so many other people visiting that felt the same. We loved the coffee shop full of students studying and online entrepreneurs, the funky street art on Freak Alley Gallery, the amount of green space, the Boise River that flows through downtown and opposite the university, the surrounding mountains, the people (so friendly!) and…do I need to keep going? See more on our full post of things to do in Boise.
Intermountain RV Park; Twin Falls, Idaho
Campground cost: $30/night
From Boise, we headed to Twin Falls. We literally knew nothing about this city but it seemed like a good place to stop on our route to Denver and we hoped to use it as a base to visit Craters of the Moon. Unfortunately, we never made it to Craters of the Moon (didn’t feel like driving that far), but we found plenty to do to keep ourselves busy.
Like Boise, we kind of fell in love. Its a super cute and quaint town, but has a lot of to offer. Its one of those small-town America places that we could totally see ourselves settling down in. The Snake River Canyon offers so much to do for outdoor-lovers, from the incredible Shoshone Falls to kayaking, SUPing, rafting, and even base jumping.
Jordanelle State Park & Salt Lake City, UT
Campground cost: $30/night
We didn’t really plan to visit Utah this trip as we spent quite a bit of time there in 2016. However, Salt Lake City made a good stopping point and that was one place we missed before. In my search for campgrounds, I came across Jordanelle State Park, which was set on the beautiful Jordanelle Reservoir and a good base for visiting SLC, Park City, and the surrounding mountains.
It ended up being a great place to slow down a bit and catch up on some chores (another oil change) and work as well. We spent one day in SLC, which I had zero expectations for, but was honestly pretty impressed. I really knew nothing about Mormonism so it was interesting to learn about. It was also another super clean city with impressive architecture – the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square – just wow! Definitely not something you would normally see in the US.
LaVern M. Johnson Park, Lyons, Colorado
Campground cost: $40/night
We left Utah and made the very long trek to Lyons, Colorado. Driving across southern Wyoming was one of the longest, most boring drives we’ve had yet. Gas stations were few and far in between and the ones we did find were such a cluster, likely because a large majority of rest stops were closed. It was really frustrating and just one of “those” days. We ended up on a Colorado state road that turned to dirt just as it started pouring rain – talk about mud EVERYWHERE. In every nook and cranny of the truck and trailer.
We finally made it to LaVern M. Johnson Park, only to unhitch and find out the hookups were waaaay away from the site. We had to hitch up again and move pretty much on top of our neighbors to make it work. Our friendly neighbors (in a Grand Design as well) came out to offer assistance and said they did the exact same thing. After a challenging day and long drive, we then had to go into town to find a car wash to try and remove the mud. Let’s just say we were cursing RV life by the end of the day.
The park itself was very nice, but the RV sites were very poorly designed and not worth the money. We did enjoy being able to walk into the cute little town of Lyons, however, and we were also just a short drive from Boulder which we really enjoyed exploring.
Cherry Creek State Park, Denver
Campground cost: $30/night (plus $9 State Park fees daily)
Cherry Creek State Park is certainly one of the prettiest state parks we’ve stayed. We had full hookups, a big pull-thru site and beautiful trees giving shade to our site. All of the sites were massive and really spread out from each other. It was hard to believe we were in the city of Denver. We didn’t really spend any time in the city, as we were primarily there to pick up my parents from the airport. After picking them up, we headed straight for the mountains in Cripple Creek.
Cripple Creek KOA, Colorado
Campground cost: $45/night
This is one of our favorite places to visit and we knew my parents would fall in love with it is as well. Its a quaint mining town nestled in the mountains at an elevation of over 9,000 ft. The main street through town is lined with restored brick buildings home to numerous casinos, shops and restaurants. We stayed at the KOA and had them book a room at Bronco Billy’s, a gem we discovered on our first visit years ago.
How can you beat a charming room in a historic hotel for $49/night, that includes 50% off dinner at their restaurant upstairs and a $0.49 breakfast. Yes, breakfast for under $.50. They also offer free soft drinks, coffee and assorted sweets in the casino all day long for free. And alcohol is free if you are gambling. Unfortunately, the KOA was the same price as the hotel and we ended up with a nail in our travel trailer tire and had to call out AAA.
The good in Cripple Creek far outweighed that one negative experience though. We actually made money staying in Cripple Creek. Especially after my mom hit on the slots for $125 and then I hit the jackpot for $425! I’ve never been much of a gambler. I hate throwing money away. But now, I’m kind of addicted and want to go back for more -_-
Ridgway State Park, Ouray & Silverton
Campground cost: $30/night (plus $7 State Park fees)
Another area that keeps us coming back for more is the San Juan Mountain range, including Ouray, Silverton and Durango. Ridgway State Park, just south of Ouray, was a great base for us to stay and explore. There is so much to do and see in this area, its hard to even summarize. These little mountain towns are just adorable and I’m jealous of anyone that gets to call them home.
One day, we took my parents up to Clear Lake, which includes a terrifying drive (if you’re scared of heights, or even if not) up the mountain on a rough and rugged road. Its definitely not for the faint of heart, and we were all ready to get out and walk as the truck clung to the side of the mountain on one side and we looked straight down the edge of a cliff on the other. Guard rails? Ha.
But getting to the top is always so rewarding. A gorgeous, insanely clear, turquoise lake awaits. When we got to the top, a rain storm rolled in, which quickly shifted from rain to snow, and then within 15 minutes we were back to sunshine. My parents couldn’t get over the landscape (or the weather), and neither could we – even though we had been two times prior. I always say I’m NEVER doing that drive again, but then it would be such a shame to miss that place.
Silverton is a historic, little mining town with only one paved road through town and looks like something straight out of a western film. Its a must visit on any trip to the San Juans because there are just so many things to do and see in Silverton.
One of those things is the Durango-Silverton train, an absolutely epic experience. We took the train ride back in 2014, but we didn’t want my parents to miss it. We put them on the train in Silverton and met them over in Durango to pick them up. Originating in 1882 for miners working in Silverton, this steam-powered train winds through the impressive canyons and breathtaking gorges of the San Juan mountains, following the Animas River. This has to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world. Pictures just don’t do it justice and its worth every penny.
Peak One Campground, Frisco & Breckenridge
Campground cost: $22/night
We covered a lot of ground in a week’s time. Frisco and Breckenridge would be the last stop for my parents and a good base for us to take them back to the airport in Denver without having to haul the trailer back to the city. We visited the Frisco area back in 2016 and really enjoyed this area. Its such a great location, with numerous ski resorts at your fingertips, just 70 miles from Denver, 15 minutes from Breckenridge and within reach of so many scenic drives, outdoor activities and more.
We dry camped at Peak One, a really pretty campground on the Dillon Reservoir. We felt like we were worlds away from the city, but in fact, we were only a couple of miles which was really convenient. We took it easy the last days my parents were with us, and mostly just hung around the campground enjoying the weather and our surroundings.
Steamboat Lake State Park; Steamboat Springs, CO
Campground cost: $26/night (plus $7 State Park fees daily)
After we returned my parents to the airport and said our farewells, we headed towards Steamboat Springs. We were excited to find the campground was only partially full and things seemed to be really slowing down post Labor Day weekend. We ended up staying 6 nights in total, and we could literally watch the leaves turning shades of gold with each passing day.
Fall is definitely in the air here in Colorado! While in Steamboat, they had many festivals and activities going on over the weekend. We took part in their Chili Challenge, which coincided with their Saturday Farmers Market. We paid $10 or a kit and got to sample chili from all of the vendors, including salsas and cornbread – yum!
Snowy Peaks RV Park; Buena Vista, Colorado
Campground cost: $276/weekly
Continuing what we started in Steamboat, our goal is to stay places for at least a week throughout the rest of this month. We are excited to finally slow down and also find availability at campgrounds and parks that allow us to do so. We found an RV park in Buena Vista that offered weekly rates with full hook-ups AND with good Verizon and T-Mobile signal. We booked a week here and already extended it for another week.
For someone who isn’t usually a fan of RV parks, I might be a convert. For once, its nice to know we don’t have to move the trailer for 2 weeks. Its nice to not think about water usage and checking tank levels. Its nice not trying to plan when to wash my hair next. Its nice having good cell service so we can actually get caught up on work. We found a great coffee shop to work from in town, allowing us to get out of the trailer for a while to work during the day. Plus there are so many things to explore in this area when taking a break from the laptops. A day trip to Salida and Leadville are definitely on the books. I also want to visit the local hot springs and take some scenic drives, sucking up as much of these golden aspens as possible!
Full Time RV Expenses for Month 4
|
Month 4 |
Month 3 |
Month 2 |
Month 1 |
| RV Camp |
$1,127 |
469 |
523.7 |
749 |
| Gas |
$890.88 |
753 |
815.73 |
1095 |
| Groceries |
$941.46 |
839.7 |
814.82 |
1023 |
| Dining Out |
$333.71 |
489.41 |
470.24 |
495 |
| Coffee/Beer |
$176.69 |
132.53 |
192.88 |
93 |
| Insurance |
$703.80 |
703.8 |
714.8 |
714 |
| Cell/Internet |
$225 |
225 |
225 |
225 |
| Travel Expenses |
$6.75 |
0 |
79.1 |
205 |
| Truck/Trailer Service |
$202.08 |
0 |
435.69 |
0 |
| Misc |
$440.19 |
515.35 |
199.49 |
129 |
| Total |
$5,048 |
4127.79 |
4471.45 |
4722 |
We knew this month would be more expensive, as there are no Thousand Trails campgrounds in any of these states. We also didn’t do any boondocking, because in all honesty, we find it more of an inconvenience to try and find boondocking. Cell Reception/WiFi is of utmost importance to us while trying to work on the road and camping in National Forests often means no cell signal.
This month we had another oil change in the truck, as well as had to replace windshield wipers and renew our registration. Our gas expenses were higher as we moved around a lot and had to drive across 3 states to get from Portland to Denver. We ate out a lot less this month so dining out expenses went down, however, that only meant groceries went up.
I hope these expense updates are helpful to those considering this lifestyle. If there is anything else you would like to see in these breakdowns, please leave your suggestions in the comments below! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel to video updates.
