Most Breathtaking Colorado Scenery (Grand Junction, Durango: food, parking, nice areas)

[Westcliffe]

Happened to be in Durango this past weekend. Had to be there in 5 hours for a five hour trip. No chance of going Moab way and heard that Lizard Head was worse than Red Mtn Pass on the particular day I headed out. Figured if we didn't die coming out of Ouray on slick roads, surely we could go back the same way on dry roads yesterday :-)

It hit me that once you are in the San Juans with all of the crags (and just that certain look they have), that no other mtn range in Colorado is quite as striking. There are a few spots up around Nederland that have that almost Alps look, and please do not get me wrong; all of the Colorado Rockies are gorgeous, however the Princeton Range, The Sangres, Evans, Massive west of Leadville.................none of it is as IN YOUR FACE as the Million Dollar Highway. The San Juans demand respect which I felt I gave them when I contemplated driving them after heavy snow with two little ones in the back of a modern day crew cab.

****I was also taken with all of the unprepared looking snowboarders just parking and hiking into the mighty San Juans seeking powder with seemingly NO regard for the fact that the avalanche danger was INSANE last Friday. I envisoned getting wiped out by one just trying to keep a truck on the road, let alone skiing in them.

[Westcliffe]

I guess I failed to pose the question:

Where else in Colorado does the alpine scenery rival the SW/San Juans are? I would love to know if anyone else feels the same?

[jim9251]

I love the San Juans. You need to go on the Dallas Divide (hwy 62 from Ridgway) in the fall to really appreciate the colors and scenery. And this summer travel the Alpine Loop in a 4wd. Just breathtaking.

[Snikt]

The San Juans are nice but there are other nice areas, especially in fall.

The Grand Mesa area is nice, McClure pass between Paonia and Carbondale. Aspen and Independence Pass. Twin Lakes area around Mt Elbert

I like the area around Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument, though it's different, more like Utah type scenery.

Rocky Mountain National Park is always good, especially for being so close to the city

[delta07]

I have to agree, the San Juans are absolutely my favorite mountain range. They are absolutely beautiful! I do think the Maroon Bells are gorgeous as well, but they are so crowded, I don't even like going there. I also feel the peaks around Buena Vista are breathtaking.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by Westcliffe

I guess I failed to pose the question:

Where else in Colorado does the alpine scenery rival the SW/San Juans are? I would love to know if anyone else feels the same?

The mountains around Aspen.
The mountains in North-Central Colorado such as in the Flattops wilderness.

[helluvaengineer]

Long time lurker, but I created an account to share this photo of the San Juan mountain range:

[Snikt]

San Juans

[brightdoglover]

I am a rabid fan of the San Juans, but I'll offer a professional's opinion.
I used to go every July 4th week to a guest ranch in Ridgway. The same people tended to come every year at the same time, and it was a neat reunion kind of thing. One guy was a world-traveled geologist. He said, "I've been in every mountain range in the world, and this area is the second-most beautiful. I asked him if first was the Tetons, where I haven't been, and he said, no, they're beautiful but tiny compared to this.He said Nepal was the best.
So I tried it out, went trekking in the Khumbu region. I will say that Ama Dablam was by far my favorite sight, but I had to fly around the world for a couple of days, start my trek at 9,000 feet and get up to 18,000 (Gokyo), forget most of the trip because of altitude, and get bacterial pneumonia on my way out.
I will say the men are just as attractive as Colorado in a Nepalese way, the food is good in both places, and Colorado is a whole lot easier to get to. Let's put it this way, I wouldn't go to the trouble or expense to go back to Nepal, but I've been back to Colorado (the San Juans) many times.

[rock_chalk]

Originally Posted by jim9251

I love the San Juans. You need to go on the Dallas Divide (hwy 62 from Ridgway) in the fall to really appreciate the colors and scenery. And this summer travel the Alpine Loop in a 4wd. Just breathtaking.

Oh yes, absolutely.