Colorado Travel Advice

[cosermann]

For those of you with some knowledge of Colorado and Utah - Going to be doing a little travel this summer and have a need to pick a route from the Royal Gorge (Canon City, CO) to Moab, UT. Per Google Maps, it looks like I can take 1) U.S. 50 up to Grand Junction and over to Moab, or 2) take state hwy 9 up to I-70 and then over to Grand Junction, etc. They're both about the same time, although the 9 to I-70 route is about 33 mi longer.

Question - which route would you suggest and why? Is either better than the other in terms of scenery, etc.?

 

[Bosshoss]

Don't know about the other roads but I70 from Denver to Glenwood Springs is a truly spectacular road and the most beautiful interstate road I have ever traveled.

 

[76Too]

Don't know about the other roads but I70 from Denver to Glenwood Springs is a truly spectacular road and the most beautiful interstate road I have ever traveled.

Just came here to post this! It’s genuinely the most beautiful section of interstate in the country. I didn’t believe my friend until I drove it myself 2 years ago.

 

[nmeyers11007]

It would not be the most direct route, but CO RT 550 is absolutely worth seeing. We rode it on a bike trip a couple years ago. Looks like it adds 3 hours to the trip. Silverton is a cool town and they have a small bewery that has killer food and drinks. It is midway on the 550.

 

[cosermann]

Good ideas so far.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

It would not be the most direct route, but CO RT 550 is absolutely worth seeing. We rode it on a bike trip a couple years ago. Looks like it adds 3 hours to the trip. Silverton is a cool town and they have a small bewery that has killer food and drinks. It is midway on the 550.

I remember riding the narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton when I was a kid and my family went out there. Beautiful country for sure!

 

[dieselrealtor]

There are some petroglyphs just N of 70 about an hour W of GJ (Thompson Springs?, Sego? maybe) Definitely worth the time if you enjoy that kind of stuff, an old abandon mining town there as well.

If memory serves me correctly, we took 128 S of I-70 to Moab, canyon drive following the river spectacular scenery. I believe my windows SW theme desktop has some images of that canyon.

 

[xwing]

Just came here to post this! It’s genuinely the most beautiful section of interstate in the country. I didn’t believe my friend until I drove it myself 2 years ago.

It is exceedingly beautiful but can be sometimes very interesting in the winter. The 2 toughest driving experiences of my life were both on that road (and in one case detouring on US-6 over Loveland Pass when I-70 was closed due to a blizzard). But I made it, and have 2 very good stories to tell. You're going in summer, so no worries.

 

[joe138]

Just above Denver, off of I 70 is Mt. Evans. It claims the highest paved road in the US. it is paved to the top of the 14k mountain. It has several breahttaking views.

 

[indyjohn]

I remember riding the narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton when I was a kid and my family went out there. Beautiful country for sure!

I bet that train was a lot more comfortable than the wagon you rode in to get there.

 

[Bosshoss]

It is exceedingly beautiful but can be sometimes very interesting in the winter. The 2 toughest driving experiences of my life were both on that road (and in one case detouring on US-6 over Loveland Pass when I-70 was closed due to a blizzard). But I made it, and have 2 very good stories to tell. You're going in summer, so no worries.

Was at a motorcycle meet in Breckenridge over labor day weekend many years ago.
Headed home and it was 32 degrees and snowing over Loveland pass on Interstate 70, at over 11000 feet if I remember correctly .
Later that day in Kansas it was 95 degrees.
Good times.

 

[Bosshoss]

Just above Denver, off of I 70 is Mt. Evans. It claims the highest paved road in the US. it is paved to the top of the 14k mountain. It has several breahttaking views.

Worth the trip.

 

[den57]

COtrip Traveler Information

Reports regarding traffic incidents, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, active and planned construction, etc.

www.cotrip.org

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www.bing.com

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Are you pulling a trailer?

Hwy 9 to 70 is the prettier drive imho.
9 south of fairplay gets some wicked wind and it is not uncommon to see campers on their side there, so there is that.

9 runs from canon through salida and near buena vista. That is lower country with farms and grassy fields and red rock formations.

9 then runs through a low pass into park county and that is a beautiful high plains area. It runs through fairplay (that whole part of the county is "south park", but fairplay is the town). From fairplay, the road slowly climbs to alma (gold rush tv show filmed a few seasons right off the highway right outside of fairplay heading towards alma. Park county is high, but still ranch country.

Leaving alma, 9 climbs and crosses the continental divide at Hoosier Pass. Lots of views climbing hoosier from the east.

The west side of the pass is summit county. This is high alpine terrain. Pine, aspen, stone and no flat spots. You roll down the valley through breckenridge to 70 at frisco

Heading west frm frisco, you pass copper, vail and beaver creek ski resorts and go through glenwood canyon, which is awe inspiring, even up here.

As you head west, you drop out of the mountains into sandy/scrubby red rock desert towards moab.

If you take the southern route, through gunnison, consider turning north at gunnison and checking out crested butte.

This time of year, it could be 20 degrees cooler in the mountains than in the low country, so the northern route has that going for it in the summer.


An important thing to remember is that in Indiana, if a road is closed, then you can usually find a road going around. In the mountains, if there is a wildfire or rockslide in a choke point, you might have to wait a day or take a 100 mile detour, so check the local news and keep in
mind that your gps will send you up a goatpath.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

Oh and watch your speed going through alma and from breck to frisco.

 

[Stubbleducker]

Oh and watch your speed going through alma and from breck to frisco.

Born and raised in CO - my grandparents lived in a cabin outside Alma at the base of Hoosier Pass.
If you're out there in July, Fairplay (aka "South Park City") has Burro Days and races where you run from Fariplay over the pass to Leadville, but the catch is you're leading a burro the whole time.

As you're going thru Vail/Beaver Creek, make sure and stop to get a T-shirt from Beaver Liquors!

 

[ghuns]

I would make the drive from Vegas to Denver at the drop of a hat.

Best 12 hours you'll spend in a car.

I do have to say, I prefer the Utah scenery to Colorado.

 

[vtnewbie]

Hoosier Pass is a great drive, and you could stop at the old Camp Hale if you like military history. On the other hand, if you drive across on US50, you can stop in the orchards along the way south of Grand Junction. Both drives are scenic.

 

[Gingerbeardman]

The smaller the roads, the better! 50 is a great drive without hassle. You really can't go wrong anywhere. Yes Glenwood canyon is cool but why take interstate when you're in the mountains? The million dollar highway is my favorite if you can squeeze it in. Wolf Creek pass is good. Heck I even loved the drive on that straightest section of road in the state, the one that goes past the alligator farm and the hot springs.

 

[Stubbleducker]

If you do go thru Glenwood Canyon, stop at the Hanging Lake trailhead right on I-70 and take the short 1 miles hike (albeit 1 mile straight up!). It's well worth it!