Ten Days of Riding in Colorado
Day 1: Woodland Park to Estes Park,
~200 miles
[click map for larger view]
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Woodland Park
 to Deckers via CO-67 north ~23 miles
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Deckers
 to Pine to Pine Junction (Silver Springs) via CR-126 north
~25 miles
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Lots of twisties mixed with sweepers along the South Platte
River and Rampart Range Mountains. |
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Pine Junction to Conifer via US-285 north/east ~7 miles
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Mostly sweepers on 285 with nice views. |
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Conifer to Evergreen via CO-73 ~9 miles
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A small backroad that winds up to Evergreen. |
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Evergreen to Bergen Park via CO-74 ~4 miles
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A quick trip up to Bergen Park |
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Bergen Park to Echo Lake via CO-103 ~18 miles
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Very nice ride with lots of twisties climbing over Squaw
Pass
 to Echo Lake (worth a photo).
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Echo Lake to Mt. Evans via CO-5 ~14 miles
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Mt. Evans to Echo Lake via CO-5 ~14 miles
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Return by same route back down to Echo Lake. |
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Echo Lake to Idaho Springs via CO-103 ~13 miles
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Nice ride with more twisties as you drop down to Idaho
Springs and I-70. |
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Idaho Springs to Central City Parkway via I-70 east (Exit 243
-- Hidden Valley -- ~3.5 miles)
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Central City Parkway to Central City to Blackhawk ~10 miles
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This is a new road with big sweepers and great views as you
climb to the top of the mountains to go to the old mining town (and now with
small stakes gambling) of Central City; the road through Central City is
small and narrow and will drop you down to Blackhawk (another old mining
town with gambling now). |
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Peak-to-Peak Highway
 -- Blackhawk to Nederland via CO-119 north (~19 miles);
continuing north on CO-72 to the CO-7 junction (near Raymond -- ~22 miles);
west/north on CO-7 to Estes Park (~19 miles)
LODGING in Estes Park.
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Day 2: Estes Park to Leadville,
~300 miles
[click map for larger view]
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Estes Park US-34 west to Rocky Mountain National Park
 , Trail
Ridge Road to Grand Lake
 to Granby
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Granby US-40 west for 2 miles to CO-125 north to Walden ~52
miles
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Walden CO-14 west to US-40 ~33 miles
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The CO-14 west turn is just before Walden, but you can ride on
in to town for a bite of lunch, perhaps; take CO-14 west through North Park back
to US-40.
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US-40 west to Steamboat Springs ~25 miles
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Steamboat Springs CO-131 south
via State Bridge to Wolcott ~75 miles
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Backtrack on US-40 east to the turnoff for CO-131 south; nice
road with lots of twisties and sweepers, where you eventually join the Colorado
River at State Bridge once again.
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Historic State
Bridge Lodge and State Bridge
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Walcott I-70 east to US-24 exit ~15 miles
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Quick superslab trip back to the east.
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US-24 south/east to Minden over Tennessee Pass Leadville ~38
miles
Lodging in Leadville
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Day 3: Leadville to Montrose, ~200 miles
[click map for larger view]
Lodging in Montrose for four nights; I suggest the Best
Western Red Arrow Motel in Montrose. I use this for our Rockies-Gold
rallies and Shelly, the manager, treats us really well. Tell Shelly or the
other staff that we recommended his place.
| Best Western Red Arrow |
| 1702 E Main Street, Montrose, Colorado,
81401-3811, US |
| Phone: 970-249-9641 |
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| Toll Free Reservations: 800-468-9323
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Montrose will serve as
your launching point for three days of rides, thus allowing you to unpack and
not carry all of your things each day. We do our High Country Cruisers
Rally/Gathering there most years and find it to be one of the best spots for
several days of riding in Colorado.
Day 4: Colorado National Monument and Grand
Mesa Loop ~210 miles
[click map for larger view]
I highly recommend that you do this loop
with Colorado National Monument in the morning and Grand Mesa in the afternoon.
It can get very hot at the Monument, so in the morning it will be cooler, plus
the sun will be to you back for better photography of the monument and will also
not be in your eyes. Grand Mesa is at a much higher elevation and will be
cooler in the heat of the afternoon.
This trip provides
for some gorgeous riding along the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway, and the
Colorado National Monument (admission required).
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US-50 west to Grand Junction ~62 miles
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Mostly 4-lane with some sweepers. |
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Left on CO-340 for about one mile to Glade Park Road. |
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Left on Glade Park Road to Colorado National Monument
 and the
Rim Drive to Fruita ~30 miles
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One of Colorado's more hidden
spots as most folks just whip through Grand Junction on I-70; Colorado
National Monument provides unique views of Red Rock erosion and views of the
Grand Valley below (once upon a time this was the Grand vs. Colorado River);
the Rim Drive is a nice, slow road with lots of twisties; be sure to stop at
the |
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Colorado National Monument (National Park Service) |
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I-70 east to CO-65 ~30 miles
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You might want to stop at the Horizon Drive exit in Grand
Junction for a bite of lunch; several restaurants readily available. |
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CO-65 south/east climbing over Grand Mesa then dropping down
into Cedaredge to CO-92 ~55 miles
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Grand Mesa
 is another one of Colorado's more hidden spots
and is the largest flat-top mesa in the world. It will be much cooler
at the top, which you will undoubtedly appreciate; take a side trip to the
Grand Mesa Lodge and enjoy some of the sights in this area, eventually
dropping down through the town of Cedaredge. |
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Colorado Scenic Byways Byways Grand Mesa |
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CO-92 west/right to Delta and US-50 ~4 miles |
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US-50 back to Montrose ~22 miles
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Day 5: Unaweep Canyon (Uncompaghre) Loop ~235
miles
[click map for larger view]
(Unaweep/Tebeguache Scenic Byway)
This loop
takes you north out of Montrose through Delta and on to Whitewater where you'll
then head southwest on Highway 141 around the west side of the Uncompahgre
Plateau to Placerville and then back to Montrose.
This
route takes you through some of the lesser traveled of Colorado’s roads and
scenery, particularly the Unaweep/Tebeguache Scenic
Byway. With great riding through the wide-open Unaweep Canyon early on, you’ll
eventually end-up with narrow canyon riding more reminiscent of Utah. After a
stop at the Delores & San Miguel River overlook, you’ll head into Uranium mining
country, stopping for lunch in Naturita. As you head south you’ll cross
high-plateau ranch country as you approach the San Juan Mountains, finally
crossing Dallas Divide with its fantastic views of Mt. Sneffels and the San Juan
Mountains.
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Montrose US-50 west to Whitewater
~52 miles
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You will have ridden this way the
day before. |
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CO-141 south to Gateway and on to
Naturita ~95 miles
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CO-141 south to CO-145 to
Placerville ~36 miles
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Easy riding out of Naturita; in a
few miles CO-141 ends and you will be on CO-145 (continue straight and do
not turn right on CO-145 west to Utah), continuing to Redvale, eventually
dropping down off the plateau to follow the San Miguel River to Placerville
(lots of nice twisties). |
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CO-62 east to Ridgeway and US-50
~23 miles
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US-550 north to Montrose ~28 miles
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Day 6: Crawford and Black Canyon North Rim
Loop ~165 miles
[click map for larger view]
(West Elk Scenic Byway)
This loop takes you over to
Blue Mesa Reservoir then north on Highway 92 to Crawford, home of Joe Cocker's
Mad Dog Ranch Fountain Cafe (unfortunately the Cafe is closed, but the gift shop
is open and is worth a stop). After spending some time in Crawford you head
further north on Highway 92 to Delta and then back south into Montrose.
If you do the reverse
of this ride and head to Crawford first, then head on to Highway 92. Enjoy the
ride along the North Rim of the Gunnison River (do not turn off for the North
Rim of the National Park as it is an unpaved road). Several nice pull-offs (be
sure and stop at the turnoffs and, for the one at the east end, walk along the
trail for some great views) and overlooks provide spectacular views of the
Gunnison River Canyon. After crossing Blue Mesa Dam, head west on US-50 towards
Montrose. About five miles east of Montrose you can take the right turn to the
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Enjoy the drive along the Rim Road,
and for real excitement, take the short, STEEP road to the bottom of the Canyon
(turn right just past the park entrance station).
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Montrose US-50 west to Delta ~22 miles |
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Delta CO-92 to Hotchkiss ~20 miles |
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Hotchkiss CO-92 to Crawford to North Rim Black Canyon to Blue Mesa Dam and
US-50 ~55 miles
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US-50 west over Blue Mesa Summit and Cero Summit to the turnoff for Black
Canyon National Park ~30 miles |
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CO-347 into Black Canyon NP, climbing to the top of the rim of the canyon,
then return to US-50 ~24 miles round trip
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Awesome views and some short trails on the main part of the park -- these
roads are paved. The Rim Road is very nice and go all the way to the
end. Also, immediately past the entrance station to the park (where
you pay your fee) there is a road that goes down to the Gunnison River in
the bottom of the canyon -- be sure and take this down
 . NOTE: It
has 15% grades, but the Wing handles them well -- just watch for the
temperature gauge to possibly climb as you come up out of the canyon as the
speeds are slow. |
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Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
(National Park Service) |
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US-50 west to Montrose ~8 miles
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Day 7: Montrose to Durango via Telluride ~238
miles
[click map for larger view]
[click map for larger view -- Mesa Verde NP]
Lodging in Durango for two nights
Day 8: Durango to Silverton to Ouray to Silverton to
Durango ~145 miles
[click map for larger view]
Day 9: Durango to Gunnison ~230 miles
[click map for larger view]
Lodging in Gunnison.
Day 10: Gunnison to Woodland Park ~177 miles
[click map for larger view]
NOTE: The roads included in this 10-day
trip include most of my favorite roads in Colorado, with a few exceptions.
Other favorites not included here:
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CO-14 through Poudre Canyon
 (Cache
la Poudre River) and over Cameron Pass
 , Ted's Place to Walden
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I-70 through Glenwood Canyon
 to
Vail, over Vail Pass
(these were taken in October during a Fall snow), and continuing on to Dillon to Eisenhower Tunnel
to Idaho Springs to CO-470 near Morrison; US-6 from Dillon to Keystone
to Loveland Pass to I-70 by-passes the Eisenhower Tunnel and is a
great ride
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CO-9 from Kremmling to Silverthorn
to Frisco to Breckenridge and over Hoosier Pass
 to Fairplay to Hartsel
to Guffey
 to Parkdale |
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CO-134 from US-40 near Kremmling
over Gore Pass
 and dropping down to CO-131; particularly spectacular
when the Aspen are brilliant yellow in the Fall |
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US-40 from I-70/Empire over
Berthoud Pass
 to Winter Park and on to Frasier and Granby |
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CO-91 from Copper Mountain/I-70
over Fremont Pass to Leadville, then US-24 south from Leadville to
Buena Vista
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And, although not exclusively in
Colorado, CO-17 from Antonito, CO (south of Alamosa on US-285) along
the Conejos River climbing over LaManga and Cumbres Passes
 to Chama,
NM; US-84 north from Chama, NM to Pagosa Springs, CO
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