Parking remote from trailhead for first season Colorado public land DIY elk hunt

[beentherebefore]

My friend and I are meeting in Colorado for a first-season elk hunt. We will use his 4WD to get in as deep as possible and I need to find a place to park my car somewhere.

There is a DOT truck parking lot along I70 that may work. It's probably about 20 miles from where we plan to park his truck. In a phone call, a DOT rep said it probably wouldn't be a problem to park there several days if I left a note of explanation on the dash, but the risk of theft or vandalism would be mine.

I can also drive in deeper and park closer along a forest service road maybe 10-15 miles from his truck. I won't know how close until we get there.

What's your experience or recommendations? THANKS for your help!!

 

[RockinU]

I'd find the closest little town, and park in the parking lot of their police station.

 

[Ben Sellers]

Left my truck at a truck stop once for a week. Turned out ok but it was extremely nerve racking. Won’t do that again, Lord willing!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Personally never had a problem with someone messing with my car in CO. That being said I try to pack so that everything fits in the trunk so people don’t get any ideas. If you park of I70 it typically ok if you park far enough off the highway 10-20 yards but you might get a note asking you to move it in 2-3 days, there are some areas where you can’t park off the highway like certain parts of vail pass.

Like I said never had an issue leaving my car at a trailhead for a couple of days.

 

[LopeHunter]

I left my vehicle for a month parked at a taxidermist I planned to use if filled the tag which I did. Driving 20 or 45 miles out of your way burns up time but so does having to replace broken windows or file a stolen vehicle report and deal with the insurance hassles and rate increases. Sometimes, the answer requires spending time on the front end so save or avoid time on back end.

 

[LuketheDog]

Where are you meeting? I'd leave my truck in the dinosaur park-n-rides in Morrison for a week, but not in many other DOT lots along I-70, I'd prefer the forest service roads to those ones...

 

[beentherebefore]

We're meeting between Vail and Glenwood Springs at Dotsero. Right now, I'm leaning toward driving in as far as I can before parking unless I find a better solution.
Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

We're meeting between Vail and Glenwood Springs at Dotsero. Right now, I'm leaning toward driving in as far as I can before parking unless I find a better solution.
Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions.

The river take out in dotsero is probably fine, school parking lot or library in gypsum would be very safe as well. That’s not a spot I would be very worried about. You should be able to make it up a ways on coffee pot in your vehicle.

 

[vanish]

There's a small lot just off the highway before Coffee Pot road where we've parked our vehicles many times.

I believe there is a hiking trail that starts from it.