Leaving a car behind before getting into the mountains?

June 22, 2019 3:33 PM

Where can you safely park a car before the dirt road / trailhead?

For anyone that has done backcountry hiking in Colorado - we are planning to meet friends near White River National Forest to spend a few days there (2-3 nights).

However, we will be driving a rental sedan, while our friends have an SUV that can handle the 5-6 miles on the dirt mountain road to the actual trailhead, and we'll meet up in town. What would you do to leave a car behind? Could we leave a car at a hotel, or are there places to leave it that are safe? If it helps, the last town we'll be in is Basalt.

posted by RajahKing to Travel & Transportation around Colorado (4 answers total)

There is a well-accepted culture of parking vehicles at any convenient turnout near-ish to or at your intended trailhead. Your vehicle will be fine at any such spot. If you want to leave it at the hotel, check with the front desk to see if they're okay with that before attempting.
posted by killdevil at 4:11 PM on June 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Also many trailheads have tiny turnouts/“parking lots” just for them. Agree this is standard practice for much of the USA, including CO. Just try to use the space efficiently and leave as much room as possible, get out of the way as much as safety permits, etc.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:31 PM on June 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

Since it's a rental, and a sedan, the rental company would not want you to drive it on dirt mountain roads. Your best bet is to leave it in Basalt - call hotels and see if they'd let you, or failing that, call the local police or visitor center and see if they have suggestions. Basalt is a quiet peaceful town - I wouldn't worry about the car being broken into while you're gone, I'd worry about someone thinking it's abandoned and getting it towed.
posted by sdrawkcaSSAb at 5:58 PM on June 22, 2019 [3 favorites]

In small towns I've parked cars at the airport (even if it is non-commercial there are frequently people there), in the parking lot of the police station if there are no parking charges, at the far end in a visible part of a grocery store parking lot and in hospital parking lots.
posted by ITravelMontana at 6:45 PM on June 22, 2019