Port of Call – Aurora, Colorado Wal-Mart

This was where I spent my very first night on the road, January 15, 2015, and I was pleasantly surprised – in fact, this Wal-Mart hasn’t really had any comparison or competition from any Wal-Mart I’ve stayed overnight at since.

I left my apartment in Thornton just as the sun was going down. Packing and making ready had taken MUCH longer than I had anticipated, and involved over 10,000 steps – most of that being more literal than figurative, since the apartment I was emptying was on the second floor. My first stop was the Aurora BestBuy to pick up a Surface Pro 3 so I could work on the road, but that’s a story for another article.

After that, as I was getting back on the road with every intention to make good time toward Amarillo, I spotted the shining feature of this Wal-Mart and had to stop for the night – the dedicated overnight parking for trucks and RVs! That’s right, this Wal-Mart has 11 easy-in, easy out dedicated pull-through spaces for trucks and RVs to overnight in. In addition to the fact that you’re near an enormous Wal-Mart stocked with goods to keep you warm and fed, there are a number of other places nearby that can cater to your needs. There are Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint stores, Chipotle with online ordering, Wendy’s, Firehouse Subs, Panda Express, McAlister’s Deli (I highly recommend the carrot cake, and a gallon of tea to go), Chili’s, Starbucks, and Del Taco. Just a little north on Tower Road, there is a BrakesPlus, Discount Tire, and Checker Auto Parts, in case you need a little mechanical help that goes beyond what the Walton Family can provide.

The lot was fairly quiet – there was one refrigerator truck further down the line that ran all night, but I could barely hear it, and traffic died off after most of the stores closed at 9pm.

Overall

4 of 5 Stars – This location is the ideal Wal-Mart for overnight boondocking, but I’m still deducting one star because it’s…overnight boondocking at Wal-Mart.

Directions

From I-70…either direction:

Exit Tower Road headed North
Turn left at the first light – Salida Street
Turn left again your first available opportunity – at the building with Verizon and GNC in it on your left.
Turn left again in the parking lot – you’ll pass the storefronts for Verizon and GNC this time.
The entry is directly ahead of you 300 feet.

Geocaching Opportunities

There are 11 Geocaches within walking distance.

Ingress Opportunities

There are three Ingress Portals within walking distance. They are all in close proximity to the WalMart building.

Stargazing / Timelapse Opportunities

None. At. All.