Baltimore to Colorado Road Trip in Dog Years

Road trips can be long enough without adding pets or kids to the journey. It was with significant thought I put together a plan to drive from Baltimore to Buena Vista, Colorado with my dog Sophie. There would be many opportunities for travel writing stories and plenty of fun too. Since Sophie turned two years old in May she was a much better-behaved dog than her early years. I felt she was ready to be co-pilot on a big trip.

First, we had to get out of Baltimore early in the morning to beat rush hour. I put Sophie in her crate in the back of my Subaru Forester for the first part of the trip. We set out at 6 a.m. on a cloudy September day and headed for our first stop in Elkhart, Indiana. La Quinta hotels were my first choice for lodging as they don’t charge for pets!

Sophie enjoying the La Quinta grounds in Elkhart.

The best part of the visit to Elkhart was dining alfresco with Sophie at The Chubby Trout. The staff was very happy to have a pretty girl like Sophie on their deck and also took great care of me. This seafood restaurant is notable for a bunch of tap beers, sushi, big portions, and friendly staff. The best part is The Chubby Trout is walking distance from several hotels located just of I-80.

Chubby Trout dining with dog.

Chubby Trout peach crisp.

Early the next morning we sped off around 5:30 to beat the Chicago rush hour. We missed most of the traffic jam but caught a bit of it surrounded by 18-wheelers where I-80 turns south of the Chicago area. It was a big relief to get out of the insane traffic.

We made it to Lincoln, Nebraska in just eight hours and had a wonderful visit with my niece and family. Sophie couldn’t join me for a swim in their pool but the next day when we arrived in Golden, Colorado she got her swimming in. Clear Creek on a hot day in Golden on a weekend draws a crowd. We fit in just fine as she swam at the end of her leash meeting several locals in the creek.

Sophie after swimming Clear Creek in Golden Colorado.

After meeting with my mentee Brandan at Clear Creek, we headed for Denver to my sister’s house where Sophie would meet my sister and her dog Brookie. Hanging out on sis’s deck was a little slice of heaven for both me and Sophie.

Sophie in Denver.

On To Fort Collins Colorado

The next day we picked up my wife at DIA and headed to Fort Collins for a couple of days of research. Once again La Quinta was the choice of hotels. Unlike the La Quinta in Indiana, this one didn’t have lots of grassy areas to walk the dog. The town of Fort Collins made up for the lack of grassy areas by our hotel with plenty of good walking areas in old town. We also made it to the City Park for a long walk where Sophie met a frog sculpture in the park’s lake. She didn’t know what to make of the big frog and took a moment to contemplate what to do.

Sophie meets Fort Collins frog.

Sophie’s next big adventure was taking a swim in Horsetooth Reservoir above Fort Collins. She had never had a proper swim her young life, but judging from her visit to Golden I felt she’d do fine. At the reservoir, she was tentative entering the water, but once she did there was much stick chasing and swimming. Sophie swam like she’s been swimming all her life and loved it!

Sophie swims Horsetooth Res. Ft Collins.

Another big reason to love Fort Collins is this is a dog-friendly town. We ate out at Rare Italian, Jay’s, and Austin’s, all in old town. Per the rules, Sophie had to stay on the other side of the dining area’s railing, which didn’t perturb her a bit. She met lots of locals who wanted to say hi and pet her, all of which she behaved well for.

Sophie at RARE Italian Fort Collins.

To the Colorado High Country

With unseasonably hot temperatures, we changed our three-day visit in Fort Collins to two. Aspen beckoned us to cooler temperatures and stunning fall colors. We left 90+ degree heat for low 80s in Aspen Snowmass. I found a screaming good deal at the Westin in Snowmass and drove four hours to show Sophie the Colorado high-country for the first time.

Downtown Aspen was our first stop after cresting Independence Pass. This is one of the most dog-friendly towns in Colorado and Sophie was even welcomed inside Ute Mountaineering shop.

Ute Mountaineering Aspen.

After a day in Snowmass and downtown Aspen Sophie gave both an enthusiastic two-paws up! We bought picnic supplies and headed for our vacation rental on the banks of the Arkansas River where we’d spend four days. We got to drive Independence Pass one more time and soaked up the golden glow of these gorgeous trees and high-country paradise. We stopped for lunch at a small day-use area on the Arkansas River ten miles north of Buena Vista and had one of the best picnic lunches ever with the sound of the river providing the soundtrack.

Dog Heaven

The Adobe House on the banks of the Arkansas River would handle a party of 12. Our group of seven, plus two dogs had plenty of space. The two acres site features a privacy wall, perfect for letting dogs roam, and three excellent sitting areas outside for enjoying the sound of wind through the pines and river song. Sophie was in pure doggy heaven.

She got to chase a stick, go swimming, play with Brookie, and hang out on her new made-in-America West Paw doggy bed. I can’t say enough about how cool West Paw products are. They recycle thousands of plastic bottles and make several pet products from them. I brought Sophie’s West Paw bed along due to its comfort, ease of packing, and taste of home. She used it at all of the places we stayed on the trip.

Sophies West Paw bed.

During our stay in Buena Vista, my wife and I took Sophie to the Cottonwood Hot Springs. This popular spot was more fun for us humans than dogs. Dogs are not allowed in the pool areas but Sophie did get to check out the tilapia ponds.

Tilapia pond Cottonwood hot springs.

Our stay at Buena Vista was all too short. It was time to drop my wife off at the airport in Denver. Afterward, I spent the night with dear friends in Highlands Ranch before the three-day drive home. One of the highlights of the Colorado trip for us and Sophie was the drive over Marshall Pass. The Aspens were in their full golden glory and were interspersed with orange and red colors too. Sophie got to go for a good hike at O’Haver Lake in the aspen groves and loved every minute of it.

Me and bro Marshall Pass.

On the Road Again

The drive home took us through a forgotten part of Colorado. I drove Highway 36 through towns like Joe’s, Cope, and Idalia. The wildlife on the way was a bonus. We saw antelope, deer, and hawks. The road was almost devoid of other traffic and I loved the feeling of being the only one on the road. Sophie barked as I pulled over to photograph the cows, maybe thinking she should be out herding them?

Cows in Colo plains and shortgrass prairie.

After another night in Nebraska, then Indiana, we were almost home. Hannibal, Missouri welcomed us at an outdoor cafe. We were at the tail end of lunch hour and the only ones dining outside. Hannibal looks like the real-deal river town in Mark Twain’s famous works and I recommend a visit if you are in the area.

Hannibal MS pet-friendly restaurant

On Wednesday, September 26th we were almost safe at home with only 10 miles to go when we were rear-ended in the Fort McHenry Tunnel. We were the number three car involved in the accident where thankfully nobody was injured. Sophie seemed completely unfazed as we stopped to examine the damage.

All three cars were able to drive out of the tunnel to pull over in a safer area to exchange insurance information. When I got home it was a huge relief that my girl dog had withstood the rigors of a long road trip. She passed the test and will have a bright future as co-pilot on many adventures.