Recommendation on Vacation Ideas within 1 day drive from Tulsa

[MilitantBEEMER]

Don't necessarily need a guide on the San Juan unless wanting to drift fish. Park at the first public access below the dam, and walk about 1/4 mile or a little more towards the dam, wade in and use the famous San Juan worm. Thats where that fly was developed, and it works.
I did hire a guide the first time we went there, but once I found out where to go, went back without one for a couple more trips catching just as many fish.

One of my employees and his wife are going to Mesa Verde on an over landing trip the last week of the month. I will let him know as I am sure he would like to catch some fish. Thank you.

 

[38Super]

If you take 412/64 west you can make Taos, in about 8 hours from Tulsa and Trinidad, CO in roughly 9 hours. From Trinidad take Highway of Legends over to Cuchara and enjoy the mountain scenery and cool weather with hikes around the Spanish Peaks area. Good trout fishing around that area too, plus a little over an hour and a half over to Great Sand Dunes NP. If you camp there are places for free or cheap to camp around the Bear Lake/Blue Lake area or tent camp at Cordova Pass at the base of the west Spanish Peak at about 10,000 ft.

Will be in Cuchara the last week of July. Great place. Buddy has a cabin that has been in his family for the past 6 decades. Check out the Dog Bar & Grill in Cuchara.

 

[1Mudman]

So the wife and I are finally getting some time off the first week of July. We are looking for ideas of places to go and visit that are within a one day drive. We are also not looking to break the bank. Any suggestions for West or East? (Not to interested in Texas)
I know many of you are well traveled. Thank you in advance.
PS It needs to be a pet friendly trip. Our pup is to young to board.

Branson, Beaver lake, All on Northwest and N Central Arkansas is beautiful and fun

 

[KG5VW]

Will be in Cuchara the last week of July. Great place. Buddy has a cabin that has been in his family for the past 6 decades. Check out the Dog Bar & Grill in Cuchara.

Been there, good food too! We usually camp at Blue Lake when we stay there. Fishing on Bear lake with kayaks is really good but the lugging them back up the hill and loading is a killer at that elevation!

 

[Poke78]

If you don’t already have tickets for the Durango-Silverton train, it’s tough to get them now but you might get lucky. Choose the bus for the return ride rather than the train, IMO.

 

[red dirt shootist]

Go to Kansas City, buy some reloading stuff, bring it back to Tulsa, make 200.00

 

[TerryMiller]

If you take 412/64 west you can make Taos, in about 8 hours from Tulsa and Trinidad, CO in roughly 9 hours. From Trinidad take Highway of Legends over to Cuchara and enjoy the mountain scenery and cool weather with hikes around the Spanish Peaks area. Good trout fishing around that area too, plus a little over an hour and a half over to Great Sand Dunes NP. If you camp there are places for free or cheap to camp around the Bear Lake/Blue Lake area or tent camp at Cordova Pass at the base of the west Spanish Peak at about 10,000 ft.

Not that the OP is going this way, but just as information for others. Also in the Stonewall and Cuchara area is the Purgatoire River Campground just south of North Lake. 3 1/2 miles off the highway, Purgatoire River running through it, and lots of trees. We used to go up just before Labor Day to have an extra day on our vacation, and at that time (before Labor Day) we pretty much had the campground all to ourselves.

As for the Great Sand Dunes area, also check out Zapata Falls, which is a small waterfall back inside of a cave.

 

[Lucky]

Bella Vistas not bad.

 

[MilitantBEEMER]

Not that the OP is going this way, but just as information for others. Also in the Stonewall and Cuchara area is the Purgatoire River Campground just south of North Lake. 3 1/2 miles off the highway, Purgatoire River running through it, and lots of trees. We used to go up just before Labor Day to have an extra day on our vacation, and at that time (before Labor Day) we pretty much had the campground all to ourselves.

As for the Great Sand Dunes area, also check out Zapata Falls, which is a small waterfall back inside of a cave.

We are really considering this trip later this late summer or early fall.

 

[red dirt shootist]

Go to Kansas City, buy some reloading stuff, bring it back to Tulsa, make 200.00

That didn't even make sense, I guess I was having a dream