Motorcycle Rides

Southwest Colorado

Description:
Amazing mountain roads and wildlife. We rode in August and saw snow in the upper elevations. Small mining towns like Ouray and Silverton (esp Silverton) looked probably the same 150 years ago.
The air was as clean as it gets. This ride is not for the squeamish many of the roads curling around the mountains are 2 lanes and no guard rails between you and the edge of the mountain. You'll see why they call it the million dollar hwy.
Rating:
    
Hazards:
The wild life is abundant and we had to brake numerous times for deer and other animals. The roads many times are narrow with unprotected drop offs but all were in very good condition.
Places to stop:
Every small town you drive through is filled with history and something to see. Good restaurants in Durango, Silverton, Glenwood Springs (where Doc Holliday is buried making it a mandatory stop), and Aspen. We spent the nights in Durango, Genwood Springs, and Canon City.
Distance:
Approx. 525 miles
Route:
Driving directions to Pueblo, CO
517 mi – about 11 hours 44 mins
Via US-50 - remove
Durango, CO

1. Head southwest on Florida Rd toward E 3rd Ave 0.5 mi
2. Continue on E 15th St/County Rd-240 0.1 mi
3. Turn right at CO-550/Main Ave/Navajo Trail/US-550
Continue to follow Navajo Trail/US-550 60.1 mi
4. Turn left at CO-550/Navajo Trail/US-550 6.2 mi
5. Turn left to stay on CO-550/Navajo Trail/US-550
Continue to follow US-550 40.2 mi
6. Continue on Navajo Trail/N Townsend Ave/US-50
Continue to follow US-50 61.0 mi
7. Turn left at I-70 Bus/US-50/E Ute Ave
Continue to follow I-70 Bus/US-50 0.7 mi
8. Continue on N 1st St 1.5 mi
9. Turn right at F Rd/Patterson Rd 0.3 mi

170 mi – about 3 hours 29 mins
Grand Junction, CO

10. Head east on F Rd/Patterson Rd toward Emergency Entrance 0.2 mi
11. Turn left at 26 1/2 Rd 0.2 mi
12. Turn right at Horizon Dr 0.7 mi
13. At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit and stay on Horizon Dr 1.0 mi
14. Turn right to merge onto I-70 E 84.8 mi
15. Take exit 116 for CO-82 toward Glenwood Springs/Aspen 0.2 mi
16. Turn left at CO-82/Laurel St
Continue to follow CO-82 21.1 mi
17. Continue on Rte-82 Byp 2.7 mi
18. Slight right at CO-82 16.1 mi
19. At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit and stay on CO-82 0.5 mi
20. Turn right at N 7th St/CO-82 0.1 mi
21. Turn left at CO-82/W Main St 0.5 mi

128 mi – about 2 hours 28 mins
Aspen, CO

22. Head west on CO-82/W Main St toward S 1st St
Continue to follow CO-82 0.6 mi
23. Turn left at CO-82/W Hallam St
Continue to follow CO-82 0.5 mi
24. At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto Castle Creek Rd 13.0 mi
25. Turn right at County Rd-15D/Montezuma Rd/Pearl Pass Rd
Continue to follow Pearl Pass Rd 15.5 mi
26. Turn left toward County Rd-738 1.0 mi
27. Turn left at County Rd-738 1.0 mi
28. Slight right to stay on County Rd-738 0.7 mi
29. Turn left 1.1 mi
30. Turn right toward Hidden River Rd 2.3 mi
31. Slight left at Hidden River Rd 0.3 mi
32. Turn left at CO-135 22.9 mi
33. Turn left at E Tomichi Ave/US-50
Continue to follow US-50 59.9 mi
34. Turn left at W US-50 74.4 mi
35. Turn left at US-50 19.7 mi
36. Slight right toward CO-45/N Pueblo Blvd 0.2 mi
37. Slight right at CO-45/N Pueblo Blvd 3.7 mi
38. Turn left at CO-96/Thatcher Ave
Continue to follow CO-96 2.0 mi

219 mi – about 5 hours 46 mins
Gas:
Siverton-48 miles, Ouray-27 mi, Montrose-36 mi, Grand Junction-66 mi, Glenwood springs-88 mi, Aspen-45 mi, Gunnison-59 mi, Salida-66 mi, Pueblo-97 mi
Submitted by:
Rich Bailey on March 29, 2009, 9:50 pm

 

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Southwest Colorado