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Best month for Texas to Colorado

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Thinking about a week long trip with my wife this fall. We live in Houston. What is the best month weather wise? Wife doesn’t do well over 90 degrees, but also don’t want to get into snow in the mountains. I’m thinking late Sept?


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In NORMAL times (whatever those are), we go to Colorado in September. Avoid Colorado in the first week (Labor Day week) because it still tends to be too hot and there seem to be some crazy storms that week.

If you go right now there are certain pockets of Covid-19 outbreaks to avoid especially if you're over 60, just check for issues. Unless you don't believe in the whole Covid-19 thing.

We're going back in September on our way to finish the vacation we started last year.
 
...What is the best month weather wise? Wife doesn’t do well over 90 degrees, but also don’t want to get into snow in the mountains...
GusBus1, it depends on what kind of riding you want to do. IMO, July is the best month to go weather wise. Temps are mild, most of the passes are open, and it rains in the afternoon to keep the dust down. Of course, that is the most crowded time. I've been up there in September and have been snowed out. I've been up there in June and can't get across some of the raging creeks. I've been up there in February, and have had plenty of places to ride in lower elevations.
Here is a great resource for pass opening history. It's a Jeep site, but we use many of the same roads.
 
Tourists can get in. My kids just drove down from Denver for a visit. You still can't use the restrooms in fast food restaurants in Colorado or New Mexico, but the major stations are available for that.

September is good. I don't think I've ever seen snow below about 14K in September. You'll probably get some crisp nights, but the weather is usually nice with beautiful days and nippy evenings. Plus, about the 3rd or 4th week of Sep, the aspens should be turning nicely.

And of course, the long trek across Texas will be a good bit more comfortable.

Are you moteling or camping? By that time of year, all the national forest campgrounds will be closed for the year.
 
If you want milder temperatures then right now or early September is probably the best timing. Right now there will be some closures at the very highest elevations due to snow pack, but probably 10,000 feet or higher. And, believe it or not, during the day it can get pretty hot in Colorado. But it's a dry heat! ;-) East slope or west slope? West slope has milder weather because of up slope conditions. In early September snow fall is unlikely, and if it does come, it usually doesn't last long. But, I have been snowed on at 8,000 feet in July. Late September or early October, it is more likely to get into colder conditions not necessarily snow, but getting into the 40's and 50's and staying there.

We like to say if you don't like the weather here in Texas, wait 15 minutes. This is much more like Colorado. Lots of pop up showers in the afternoon, where you can actually see where the rain begins and ends. I remember working on my car as a teenager, I had to crawl out from under the car because my feet were getting wet and put my tools up three different times in the same day. Tornadoes and hail storms are not that unusual on the east slope.

Bottom line, no one will be able to tell you which week is the best week to go. Some of the best weather growing up and living there as an adult, both on the east and west slope, was in March. It's that week where they take all the pretty pictures of people skiing in their short / shorts. But, come the next week all H E double hockey sticks would break loose.

I will be up in Colorado once or twice again this year, visiting family or just riding. Although, I have to say, I am not very happy with their approach to isolation and in particular their attitude towards non-resident property owners.
 
I will be up in Colorado once or twice again this year, visiting family or just riding. Although, I have to say, I am not very happy with their approach to isolation and in particular their attitude towards non-resident property owners.
I agree here, but do get their point. I doubt if many of them miss us Texas folks either way, lol.
 
Elevation has a lot to do with the weather. After labor day the crowds thin out but a bunch of stuff starts closing down for the season so it's kind of a trade-off. Cold can start getting for real after mid September... again, elevation. Aspens are nice but have a good coat and be ready to deal with ice. Past three years crowds during July to labor day have been thick... avoidance gets tougher every year.
 
I agree here, but do get their point. I doubt if many of them miss us Texas folks either way, lol.

Most of them aren't from Colorado either. ;-) If you have ever been to Denver at first snow, it's obvious! :-D
 
Wait until July 15 - Aug 15. Trailer into New Mexico and ride from there. Take those glorious hot miles on 287 in the truck at 90.
 
I also like to go in early June. It's still relatively cool - or at least unhot - across Texas, the weather is moderate in CO, and everything is open. Well, except for this year; what is or isn't open is a real wild card. But typically, all public campgrounds below about 9K feet are open. Restaurants are open. Tourist traps are open. And it usually isn't really crowded except for the national parks. The heavy tourist crowds tend to arrive on July 4th weekend and stay through Labor Day.

Going in September, things have nicely emptied out - well, except for the national parks; Rocky Mtn National Park is reservations-only until early October, and you may encounter long lines at the gate. And Estes Park may still be wall-to-wall tourists strolling up & down Elkhorn Ave. But most of the state has begun to thin out nicely. If you can catch a national forest campground open, you may have the place to yourself. The tourist towns that aren't adjacent to national parks have begun to thin out. This may also mean that some local businesses are cutting back hours or only opening for the weekend.
 
SL350 - I’ve also been thinking about trailering out of Texas to avoid the heat. For anyone who has done this, where do you leave your truck/trailer for safekeeping.


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I parked my truck/trailer at this self storage in Santa Fe back in 2016:


Can't remember what they charged for a week, but it was very reasonable. I did a loop up into Utah and Colorado. Worked out quite well.
 
Trailering's a good option sometimes. You can leave your vehicle & trailer at the Summerlan RV, on the edge of Raton NM. Last time I did that, they charged a buck a night.
 
I left my trailer at the Quality Inn in Raton, hwy 87 and I-25, for two weeks. They had no problem when I said I would stay the night I got there, and the night I got back from riding.
 
SL350 - I’ve also been thinking about trailering out of Texas to avoid the heat. For anyone who has done this, where do you leave your truck/trailer for safekeeping.


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I am not clear how you plan to travel but I cannot think of a more miserable trip that crossing TX on any bike during July-Aug-Sept. Your wife will probably have you pull up to some lawyers office in some west TX town and divorce you on the spot. With good reason! We have hit 112 degrees in Childress on Labor Day weekend and my vans double AC felt worthless. Once you get near Clayton NM things start to moderate but I still would not consider a bike during those times.
 
I am not clear how you plan to travel but I cannot think of a more miserable trip that crossing TX on any bike during July-Aug-Sept. Your wife will probably have you pull up to some lawyers office in some west TX town and divorce you on the spot. With good reason! We have hit 112 degrees in Childress on Labor Day weekend and my vans double AC felt worthless. Once you get near Clayton NM things start to moderate but I still would not consider a bike during those times.

It helps if you the defective gene [emoji23]. I can ride my motorcycle 1000 miles in a day, put me in a car or truck and I am crying after 300 miles.

Brw: I know exactly where every garden hose is on 287 between Wichita Falls and Amarillo. I have been through Wichita Falls when my bike read 115 degrees.
 
I am not clear how you plan to travel but I cannot think of a more miserable trip that crossing TX on any bike during July-Aug-Sept. Your wife will probably have you pull up to some lawyers office in some west TX town and divorce you on the spot. With good reason! We have hit 112 degrees in Childress on Labor Day weekend and my vans double AC felt worthless. Once you get near Clayton NM things start to moderate but I still would not consider a bike during those times.
If you aren't opposed to night riding, early morning is by far the better way to cross Tx in the heat of summer. Leave your house at 3:30 AM. Be in New Mexico mountains by Noon.

Still not perfect. But way better than riding after noon.

Coming back....leave Colorado around 5PM...hit Texas panhandle at sundown.

Or...just trailer and enjoy the AC in your truck.
 
It helps if you the defective gene [emoji23]. I can ride my motorcycle 1000 miles in a day, put me in a car or truck and I am crying after 300 miles.

Brw: I know exactly where every garden hose is on 287 between Wichita Falls and Amarillo. I have been through Wichita Falls when my bike read 115 degrees.
I've done it many times....but have decided it really isn't fun and will attempt to avoid it going forward.
 
Leaving Texas at midnight or three in the morning (with strong lights on the bike) makes it relatively easy for the average rider. Adequate hydration is critical too. Unless you are ADV dirt riding, the middle to late May is excellent.

If you dress accordingly, the days are warm, and tourism is minimal in May. The other slot for visiting Colorado is September onward. If you utilize an effective clothing layering system, Colorado is splendid. If you use heated gear, the motorcycle ride will be even more comfortable. If you can wait until late September to early October, you can witness the foliage change, which is breathtaking!

RB

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Thinking about a week long trip with my wife this fall. We live in Houston. What is the best month weather wise? Wife doesn’t do well over 90 degrees, but also don’t want to get into snow in the mountains. I’m thinking late Sept?


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As someone who lived in Colorado most of my life, I wouldn't suggest waiting until late Sept. unless you're prepared to deal with snow. It's not unusual for the Front Range communities like Denver and Colorado Springs to get snow in Sept. In '95, Denver received a 1.5 FEET of snow on the last day of summer, and the temps stayed in the 20s for several days. That storm cost tens of millions of dollars, mainly due to downed trees. It's unusual for elevations above 7,000 ft. NOT to have seen some snow by the end of September.

September is one of the most fickle months for Colorado weather, and it can change much more quickly and extremely than Texas, especially Houston. A cold front pushing through on a 90+ degree day can cause temperature drops of 60-70 degrees in 12-18 hours, and such fronts are usually accompanied by ferocious winds making it feel even colder.

Not trying to scare you. It's entirely possible you could have beautiful weather the whole trip, but you're more likely to experience at least some adverse weather that late in the year.
 
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I've been to Colorado three times in September. It snowed twice.
 
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