Hunting / camping unit 70 CO

[PAGOAT]

I drew a first rifle either sex tag for unit 70 Colorado. My plans are looking like hunting the areas between the lone cone / little cone... I’m thinking camping on the F/S ground down by the miramonte reservoir. Is this a good place to start ? I think I want to camp lower in elevation and drive up a couple hours before light. I could then fish while down there the few days before the season. As far as google maps shows it would be 30 to 45 minutes driving up the 10 to 15 miles. Thanks for any ideas anyone’s willing to share.

 

[ben300win]

Miramonte has a great campground and porta potties. No showers or power. There are several folks that just camp most anywhere on the side of the forest road. Have hunted that area a bunch of times. I generally stay in town in a rental trailer with hot showers and washer and dryers. I can give you a number for Sandra if you want to go that route. We will be out 2nd season this year.

 

[rideold]

You can camp at busted arm draw as well. Can't fish there though ☺. Finding a spot to camp isn't too hard in 70. Hard part is finding one that isn't occupied. Miramonte is a good bet but it does put you a bit out of the way. If you want to base camp, fish and hunt from camp look at Woods Lake. Bit farther east but nice country.

 

[LandPro]

I always find a spot on the side of the forest road. When I'm ready for a shower, drive to Norwood and pay the back country inn $10 to use the bathhouse in the back. You can always get a good meal at Norwood too.

 

[Falcon75]

I stayed at woods lake and was really nice with stock corals. I would get somewhere where the elk dont have option of private property. Little cone they know where they are safe and where not. It is fun to see 100 elk but not when you have a tag and cant get to them. Lot people drive road. And the topo map is worthless trying to figure out road and trailheads. Use onyx. Make sure stop sawpit gas station for something to eat. Great bbq. Contact me if want more info.

 

[lbarkurn]

Looking at an OTC option for Elk this year here. Would y'all recommend staying in Norwood for a late season hunt? I am guessing the weather could get pretty gnarly.

How far is the drive from Norwood to Long Cone estimated with snow?

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Looking at an OTC option for Elk this year here. Would y'all recommend staying in Norwood for a late season hunt? I am guessing the weather could get pretty gnarly.

How far is the drive from Norwood to Long Cone estimated with snow?

I hunted elk during the 4th season a few years ago and stayed in a motel in Norwood. If I remember right I think it was about an hour drive into the NF in lone cone.

If you stay in Norwood there was a really good burger place, The Divide Restaurant, it is on the east side of town.

 

[lbarkurn]

A burger sounds better than a mountain house for sure. Do you think you have to go to the "cone" to be successful in 3rd season or have elk started moving to private yet?

 

[mdeerjunkie]

When I hunted in 4th, it was still pretty warm and the elk were still up high. Depending on the snow, I would look up high first.

 

[rideold]

It's a crap shoot. I've hunted 70 during 3rd season in a t-shirt and I've hunted in 3 feet of snow. Some morning it's below zero and others it's in the 30s.

From Norwood to Lone Cone is less than an hour. Lots of people hunt the lower slopes of the mountain. Lots of animals get pulled out of there too. It's a big unit and you have to be willing to hunt a lot of different terrain depending on the weather.

 

[Western Traveler1]

We hunted Lone Cone 3rd season one year and traveled from Norwood. The week before it was reported that 50 hunters were rescued off the mountain when a blizzard rolled through. We were hunting in T-shirts at 7AM the whole week...

 

[lweight728]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried hunting on some of the further west Mesa's in this unit?

 

[PAGOAT]

I didn't go into the lower elevation to the west, but from Norwood to Lonecone trail head is like 1.5 hours. That's getting along pretty good on those roads especially when you get on the FS roads. Less time to the lower elevation NF. If you are hunting a 9 day OTC tag and looking at getting a hotel room in town you would probably be better off buying a nice tent and heater for the same money and catching a few more hours sleep and not much gas by staying along the road.