Good question Pete. Dispersed camping can be found frequently along the route, so there’s no need for super detailed campsite planning. That said, it’s always good to consult a topographical map to understand where campsites might be commonly found along the route (often around lakes, rivers, trail junctions, near flat meadows, etc. Campsites are not likely to be found while traversing steep slopes or in high and exposed areas). My recommendation would be to have an idea of how many miles you want to cover per day and scout the route for campsite possibilities given that mileage. Then, when you’re out there, you can adjust your plan as need be. Maybe you want to hike longer one day, or you happen upon an awesome campsite a little earlier one day and want to stop, or you find that you’re traveling faster/slower than you thought you would and need to adjust. Having that flexibility on the trail is part of the fun, convenience, and adventure. I hope that helps!

Thanks,

Also, looks like the data book offers better info on water? I’m curious if I can get by w/ just natgeo map as it appears to be well marked, as I don’t really want to carry two books/booklets.

For those planning this trip after flying into Denver here is what we did:
From Denver airport, light rail to Union Station ($10.50)
Union Station to Salida, bus runs once a day at 1:55 (~$30 or~ $15 for over 62)
From Salida bus stop, walked less than half mile to Budget Lodge, good value, clean but dated
Walked 1.2 miles to Salida Mountain Sport for gas for stove. Helpful staff!
Nice restaurants downtown near Salida MS as well as next to Budget Lodge.
Taxi (Rocky Mountain Taxi) to eastern side at Rt. 50. (<$50)
Minimal cell service at road/trailhead but good cell signal (ATT/Cricket) after a half mile climb north.
Hike north on the easier side of the Loop as a warm up to the western side.
We stopped at Mt. Princeton for a night and three meals, very nice, expensive.
Day 7 arrive at Twin Lakes (us 60+ year olds planned to average 10 miles per day)
Resupply for eight day at Twin Lakes General Store to get to Monarch Crest (about 80 miles)
Send via UPS 1.5 days of food to Monarch Crest
Monarch Crest to Rt. 50 (eastern side) is less than 15 miles.
Call and get taxi ride back to Salida.
Bus leaves Salida at 7:45 am and arrives in Denver Union Station ~11:00 am.
We were getting used to the altitude and hiking when a family issue arose and we needed to get back home
Unfortunately we had to call our trip short at Twin Lakes but I think the logistics would have worked.

Mark H.

Thanks Rick! We used an Ursack to hang our food. There are black bears in the area, but smaller rodents are the bigger concern. They’ll easily chew through a tent or backpack. Hope that helps!

You can park at the trailhead. I don’t believe you need to do anything special (parking permits or whatnot), but I wouldn’t leave any valuables in your car just in case.

Hi Alex, we don’t do guided trips, but maybe someone else out there can help you out? Good luck!