Overnight Rest Place Recommendation ? Poncha Springs, CO Area

[SageBrush]

Hi everybody,

We are flying to Denver on 6/12 to pick up our Model 3 LR and driving it back the 380 miles to the 4-corners area of Colorado. My wife and I are wimpy drivers, and plan to stop overnight. Our tentative plan is to add a few charge miles in Poncha Springs.

I've asked @ThisIsTrue for lodging recommendations since he lives in the Ouray area and thought other people familiar with the area might have suggestions. We can drive either westward or southward from Poncha. I'd like to stop somewhere in the 50 mile range after Poncha. I'm hoping for modest lodgings -- all we really care about is cleanliness and a nice bed for two.

Thanks !

 

[Solarman004]

May not be far enough west for you, but I've stayed in the Comfort Inn in Salida ( US 50) a few times. Nice place.
Going west from Poncha over Monarch Pass, the pickings are slim.

 

[vespax]

Ouray has a few destination chargers at the distillery. Stay at box canyon, guest only soaking in their warm waters... I've Tesla camped at Orvis but they don't have hookups there.

 

[sdoorex]

The Quality Inn in Gunnison is within walking distance of some SemaCharge J1772 chargers. They are free to use but you either need a SemaCharge card or you have to use the app to unlock the chargers.

 

[PLUS EV]

Would definitely help if you told us which route you were taking or at least where exactly you are going. Gunnison is the obvious choice if you go over Monarch Pass, but if you are taking the more southerly route through Durango, there isn't much until you get to Pagosa Springs. That is however the fastest route for getting to Durango or Cortez, which were my best guesses for where you might be headed based on the description. If that's the route you are taking you may just want to stay in Salida as the previous poster suggested.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Depending on how late you get going in Denver, Salida might be the best choice — lots of lodging, although I've never stayed there. It is just a few miles from the Poncha Springs Supercharger Station. 380 miles seems pretty easy to me but not if you get going in the afternoon — driving our mountains at "deer-o'clock" is not safe or fun IME.

With the range of a Model 3 LR you can just go from Poncha Springs to Cortez via Wolf Creek Pass unless you want to enjoy the scenery of Red Mountain Pass or Lizard Head Pass. Last I checked, US 550 had limited traffic due to the fire in the Durango area but that shouldn't be an issue by June 12 (I hope!)

I did 460 miles* yesterday, most of it mountains, and it was a long day — 12 hours 50 minutes. Not the same as blasting along the Interstate — 600 miles with Supercharging stops is my limit for that.


* Boulder to Loveland to Estes Park then Trail Ridge Road to Granby, Silverthorne, Leadville, Poncha Springs, Monarch Pass and home to Ouray County.