Off The Grid: The Advantages (and Challenges) of Electric Car Camping in the Rockies

A strange thing happened to me this year. I started getting invites from consumer goods manufacturers to attend travel-related press trips. For instance, a deodorant company built an epic treehouse in Tennessee and wanted me to stay in it, even though it’s not available to the public. A razor manufacturer wanted to fly me and a guest to the Bahamas under the guise that I’d mention their name while writing about the completely unrelated resort.

Why are companies doing this? Because people don’t watch ads anymore. That and up-and-coming generations increasingly value experiences (such as travel) above things (such as consumer goods or even cars). In any case, I had previously declined these invitations. That is until Chevrolet offered to let me drive their new electric car through Rocky Mountain National Park. Since both of those interest me, I begrudgingly said “yes!”

First things first, the new Chevy Bolt (not to be confused with the Chevy Volt hybrid) promises 230 miles per charge. The sticker says $40,000, although—depending on individual state incentives—the price could end up being closer to $30,000. The better news is owners can break even in 4-5 years and pay a fraction of the cost thereafter to continue driving it.

But you didn’t come here to read about cars, electric or otherwise. Is the Bolt capable of getting you off the grid?

Sort of. Upon touching down at Denver International Airport, I immediately took a liking to the “Kinetic Blue” bullet delivered to me. I liked it even more after its instant torque took me from zero to 60 miles per hour in just over 6 seconds, which is what base Camaros can do. To get to my destination—the popular and beautiful Glacier Basin Campground—I would need to travel 170 miles round trip, plus a few more miles to nearby hikes, the visitor’s center, and around the adorable town of Estes Park.