Need to get away in July...Durango? Moab? Where?

[ur2ez22]

Hey all, I'm replacing my 2005 4R with a 2014 (should be in this week), and my wife and I are looking for a road trip. Wheels, tires and Budbuilt sliders are ordered, and I'm leaning towards ordering the Toytec Ultimate kit or the Icon Stage 1 kit for now. Once all that is in, we'd like to get out of AZ for a bit and check out some new scenery. Considering Moab, but that's not too much cooler than AZ in July. Durango could be intriguing as well, better weather, but not finding a ton of info for trails out that way.

Anyone have any recommendations? Open to anything really within ~10 hours of Phoenix. Runner won't have too much done to it as you can tell from the above notes, and I definitely don't want to bang it up on this trip before I get skids. We'd rather camp than bounce around hotels too, so that's another incentive to have decent weather (can't sleep in a tent if it's still 80 degrees outside, I roast). Trails don't have to be anything crazy, just good scenery and a good time. Actually considered Yellowstone as part of the trip initially, but that place is crazy busy in July and already booked up anywhere you can reserve.

Thanks!

 

[KidVermicious]

Depending on where in AZ you're coming from, Moab could likely be hotter. I vote for the mountains, and check out the Charles Wells guidebook for Colorado: 4x4 and SUV Books : Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4WD Trails (3rd Edition) Cover Price: $34.95

 

[Jeremy556]

Uh, yea, there's a few trails just north of Durango.

 

[Holley]

There are a ton of trails around Durango/Silverton/Ouray. Buy the Charles Wells guidebook, as was suggested above. Get the book in the spiral bound version from the website, it holds up better.

You will be like a kid in a candy store :thumb3:

 

[gm350reratliff]

There is the FJ Summit going on in Ouray in mid July. Ouray is only a couple hours north of Durango.

I would be going but the ole lady's family is having sort of a family reunion in ND that weekend. We will probably be there the following weekend.

 

[jrob]

You won't be disappointed with the Durango Silverton area. Silverton has a firework display on the 4th that is pretty fun. Tons of great camping around as well especially this time of year.

We are about to take a trip from Denver-Junction-SLC-Moab-Telluride-Durango-Silverton-Denver. Camping and wheeling abound. Tis the season.

 

[TErunner]

Avoid Moab in July, the best time to go there is in the fall IMO. The San Juan Skyway is were you want to be. I would recommend Ophir pass for an easy fun and very scenic trail. The drive to Animas Forks is super nice out of Silverton via California pas, and if you are feeling more adventurous you can do an all day trip over Engineer Pass to Lake City and back over cinnamon pass. Alll are fairly easily done in a stock 4runner with decent off-road driving skills. As far as lodging goes I would recommend staying in Ouray if you can. The Box canyon lodge and the Victorian inn are both good options. The Box canyon falls is pretty cool, especially if you do the hike to the top and bottom, and the Ouray hot springs are awesome.

 

[thebwlife]

In my build thread there is a colorado trip with list of trails. All of those are pretty easy.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I did this trail several years ago in my 03. Very scenic and not to hard. TrailDamage.com - Ophir Pass Beware of the warning about the one lane trail on the one end. Two vehicle can not pass each other and someone will have to back up a long ways if not paying attention.

 

[ur2ez22]

You guys are awesome, thank you! Now to dig through some of the links and probably get that book ordered so I can plan our trip...you know, when I'm not busy trying to get all the parts ordered even though the runner isn't here yet.

 

[TNRunner99]

You won't be disappointed with the Durango Silverton area. Silverton has a firework display on the 4th that is pretty fun.

I was there for the 4th several years ago and the fireworks display was tons of fun. It has that small town/homey type feeling. The weather wasn't bad for July either, but I'm used to the devil's armpit that is the South.