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My family and I are relocating from northern Utah to Austin, TX. We have made the drive before going thru Utah and New Mexico then east to Texas. I have the option of driving through Colorado, which is obviously going to be a beautiful drive. However, it will be me and my two dogs. The rest of the family will fly. I do not like driving over treacherous mountain passes with steep drop offs, of which there are many in Utah. We love the outdoors and roadtrips, but my husband drives the parts that scare me. For those of you familiar with or living in Colorado, are there major dropoffs along HWYs 50 & 550 from Grand Junction to Montrose, Durango and down to Albuquerque? Considering this is a moutainous area, I also would like an efficient route preferably not to winding. While I am sure it is one of the most beautiful parts of the lower 48, this is not a sight seeing trip for me. Any comments would be most appreciated.
Epark2112! How ya be? I've made that trip many a time as I have close friends I see in Albuquerque. There are a few different ways to make that trip.
1. Grand Junction to Montrose is 4-laned, a couple minor drop-offs but nothing to get in a twist over till you get to Montrose. Eight miles south of town the road goes to 2 lane and recently there has been a lot of deer getting run over between Ridgeway and Ouray. BE CAREFUL! Obviously Red Mountain Pass and Coal Bank Hill are NOT for the faint of heart. It is the most beautiful and the most dangerous pass in Colorado. Coming south out of Durango you have another dropoff as you are ascending up 550 (a continuation of 50). Going southbound, you are ok on it, though. Trafficwise, it has been quite busy down there for a long time with lots of road construction as some parts are 4 laned here and there. You go through Aztec (watch the speed limit!!). Aztec to Bloomfield is 7 miles, watch it through there as well. Bloomfield to Albuquerque is around 170 miles. No dropoffs, but not much on roadside services as you are going through a sparse indian reservation. Once you hit that 2nd stoplight and are heading SE on 550, hit the Roadside Cafe. Good food! A couple franchise motels are nearby, Super 8 is one of them. 550 is a gradual climb, you cross the continental divide just a few miles north of Cuba. And you REALLY watch your speed there!
2. Beings as you are in no. Utah-Salt Lake area, here is how I go in the winter. Head out of Moab on 191 southbound, and when you get to Monticello head east on 491. Moab is around 4000 elevation, and you have a 3000ft. climb to Monticello. But it is a gradual climb with a couple small dropoffs. Stay on 491. Mostly farm and ranch traffic, but you do have semis rolling through as there is a port of entry 2 miles east of Monticello. Pretty much a straight shot to Dove Creek, Cahone, and then Cortez, elevation stays the same as you are not climbing the mountain passes at all that way. You can either double back to Durango on 160 and head south on 550 and head to Albuquerque (see above), or stay south out of Cortez on 491 and head to Shiprock, N.M. and then through Gallup at Interstate 40. NOW! That road is ok in the morning and early afternoon, but NOT at night. No dropoffs, pretty much a straight shot. It's 4 laned till maybe 10 miles south of Shiprock, but it has had a bad reputation for DUI's (at night) and still does, IMO. Don't drive at night through here. An alternative through this stretch is when you get to Shiprock, turn east on US 64 and go to Farmington. You can link up there with 550 at Bloomfield or go south on state highwy 371 out of Farmington. It's been a long time since I've been on 371 but I believe you are ok on it. It dead ends at Interstate 40 in Thoreau, maybe 20 miles east of Gallup. As you are coming out of Salt Lake, I think this is the route I would take if I were you.
3. Head south out of Grand Junction to state hwy 141. You're not going to set any speed records this way, but I go this way quite a bit as well. Has some climbs, but no hairpin curves or anything like that. VERY scenic as well, Gateway canyon is muy' cool!. For many years Gateway has had no services, but has lately. Sadly, it's become touristy and I go past that and stop in Naturita. Stay on 141, you have a climb, then you come down a ways to Disappointment Valley. You can run wide open there for a good ways. Gypsum Gap is 6100 ft. but not really a pass at all. Slick Rock Hill, however, is. You climb nearly 1000 ft. but after that the elevation stays at 6600 ft. and you are going to Cortez from there, on to Durango, etc., etc. This is a lonely stretch with FEW services but I like going this way.
4. As you are heading south of Monticello on 191, hit state hwy. 46 to Paradox, Colo. It turns into Colo. state hwy 90 and goes through Naturita, then hooks with 141 to 491 to Cortez to Durango, etc., etc.
I'm hoping this helps you, but I think I'm leaving something out here. One of the top posters in this forum is Jazzlover, who knows this area well, actually better than I do. JL-whazzup? I'm leaving something out here, what is it?
A quick note- the second and third routes don't involve windy mountain passes and dropoffs, but watch for wildlife, especially the Dissappointment Valley stretch and Unaweep Canyon. Much to my disgust, Gateway has gone a little touristy which results in knucklehead drivers heading back to Grand Junction. I know the state patrol people somewhat in the Naturita-Nucla area, and they are dropping the hammer on bonehead drivers. Just be careful. You don't have a lot of roadside services going through here, but if you don't want mountain passes and hairpin curves, this is what I suggest. Next time you come through though, spend a little time here. You'd like it!
Jazzlover, whatcha think? Hmm?
Last edited by DOUBLE H; 04-19-2009 at 05:19 PM..
Reason: correction, addition, and spelling!
Forget the Colorado portion of US550. It is not for the faint-of-heart when it comes to mountain driving. Period. Probably the best route is I-15 to Provo, then US6/50 over Soldier Summit to US191 south to Moab, then Monticello. Then US491 to Cortez, CO and south to Shiprock, NM. Then US64 to US550 at Bloomfield, then US550 to Bernalillo, then I-25 to Albuquerque. That is the least mountainous alternative that you have. Any alternate route through Colorado is going to entail some mountain driving and slower going.
Now, some other caveats. This route travels through some pretty remote country, with long distances between towns. I assume you have traveled this route before with your husband, but it may feel a lot different when you are by yourself. I also strongly advise against driving the US550 stretch between Bloomfield and Bernalillo at night. There is the usual wildlife on the road, plus you may have to deal with a lot of drunk drivers. A unlucky lady driver friend of mine had an encounter with both on that road at night in a rental car--dodging some drunken Navajos first, and later hitting a deer that rendered her car underivable. Yes, she was driving alone on business, and it was not a pleasant experience for her.
I forgot about 550 from Bloomfield to Bernalillo regarding the drunk drivers. Yes , Jazzlover is right. He has underlined that suggestion I had on motel and food services at Bloomfield. Several years ago that 170 mile stretch was known as NM state highway 44, it was two laned, and I saw a lot of wrecks on that road. Yes, DUI's are a problem at night there as well. A good portion of that road is reservation land.
Those routes I described have some long stretches with no services. I'm only going on memory on this but Salt Lake to Albuquerque is a LONG drive. Don't push it. Make sure your vehicle is road worthy as well. Good luck to you.
Many thanks to Double H and Jazzlover for the detailed responses. They are very, very helpful. I would have guessed that the beautiful drive through Colorado would not be compatible with my fear of drop-offs. Will do that another time with the family.
Regarding the remote parts of NM and the reservation driving, I was fully planning on driving only in early morning thru mid-afternoon. We are not fans of driving at night due to all the wildlife (human or animal). Driving through Moab and the rest of the Colorado Plateau is always a pleasure and not scary for me other than one section called Hogback Ridge south of Boulder, Utah, if memory serves. I will most likely be driving our brand new Toyota 4wdr so reliability should not be too much of an issue.
Forget the Colorado portion of US550. It is not for the faint-of-heart when it comes to mountain driving. Period. Probably the best route is I-15 to Provo, then US6/50 over Soldier Summit to US191 south to Moab, then Monticello. Then US491 to Cortez, CO and south to Shiprock, NM. Then US64 to US550 at Bloomfield, then US550 to Bernalillo, then I-25 to Albuquerque. That is the least mountainous alternative that you have. Any alternate route through Colorado is going to entail some mountain driving and slower going.
Well, now you and Double H have scared the bejesus out of me! I was planning to drive north along 550 the 2nd weekend of May to do the scenic drive from Durango to Montrose with my 70-year old mother in my 4WD Hyundai Tucson and despite lots of people telling me it's a glorious drive and I really should try it, I'm now getting a bit anxious. I live in Colorado and have driven on mountain roads around the Front Range but there are still times when I get nervous. So now what to do? Do we bite the bullet and take the drive for the experience or do we chicken out and go north another way? We have a hotel room booked in Gunnison so at some point we'll have to get over there whichever way we go.
Well, now you and Double H have scared the bejesus out of me! I was planning to drive north along 550 the 2nd weekend of May to do the scenic drive from Durango to Montrose with my 70-year old mother in my 4WD Hyundai Tucson and despite lots of people telling me it's a glorious drive and I really should try it, I'm now getting a bit anxious. I live in Colorado and have driven on mountain roads around the Front Range but there are still times when I get nervous. So now what to do? Do we bite the bullet and take the drive for the experience or do we chicken out and go north another way? We have a hotel room booked in Gunnison so at some point we'll have to get over there whichever way we go.
We drove Hwy 550 in November from Durango to Delta. First time. Never seen roads like that. Between Silverton and Ouray you go over Red Mountain Pass. Amazing beauty. No guard rails. Drive slow, pay attention. You'll be fine.
TIP: Stop in Silverton, drive through town to the little City Hall, in an old vintage building, open to the public, go on in and use the restroom.
We drove Hwy 550 in November from Durango to Delta. First time. Never seen roads like that. Between Silverton and Ouray you go over Red Mountain Pass. Amazing beauty. No guard rails. Drive slow, pay attention. You'll be fine.
TIP: Stop in Silverton, drive through town to the little City Hall, in an old vintage building, open to the public, go on in and use the restroom.
Okay, I guess we'll risk it . I think going north we'll be on the inside track, next to the cliffs rather than on the outside looking down at the 1000ft drop? Please say yes
Previous posters: shame on you, you've forgotten about US50 - Gunnison. The "Cerro" summit is the highest point along that stretch at 8,000 feet. I can't consider this a mountain pass. Then outside Saguache there is another "pass" (which I don't consider a pass due to lack of steepness and lack of switchbacks) at 10,000 feet.
Therefore, the route which avoids mountain passes and takes you through scenic Colorado along well maintained highways with no fear of falling off a cliff is:
- Grand Junction, US 50 south to Montrose
- US 50 east to Gunnison
- Highway 114 southeast to Saguache
- Highway 285 south to Alamosa
- Highway 285 south to Santa Fe NM
- I-25 south to El Paso, Tx
- I-10 to Jct US-290
-US 290 to Austin
Avoid Ouray-Durango. This has two real mountain passes. One of which is "Red Mountain" at 12,000 feet with a no guardrail section and a steep drop off.
My family and I are relocating from northern Utah to Austin, TX. We have made the drive before going thru Utah and New Mexico then east to Texas. I have the option of driving through Colorado, which is obviously going to be a beautiful drive. However, it will be me and my two dogs. The rest of the family will fly. I do not like driving over treacherous mountain passes with steep drop offs, of which there are many in Utah. We love the outdoors and roadtrips, but my husband drives the parts that scare me. For those of you familiar with or living in Colorado, are there major dropoffs along HWYs 50 & 550 from Grand Junction to Montrose, Durango and down to Albuquerque? Considering this is a moutainous area, I also would like an efficient route preferably not to winding. While I am sure it is one of the most beautiful parts of the lower 48, this is not a sight seeing trip for me. Any comments would be most appreciated.
Oh heck yes. Don't do it. Find another route. I'd go through EAST Colorado if I were you. Stay away from the mountains. They scare the heck out of me too. One time we drove from Silverton to Durango, CO and I was in tears and nearly hysterical by the time we got there. Don't even *ask* about the drive to Ouray.
East Colorado. Trust me.
20yrsinBranson
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Thanks for the outstanding replies!
. I think going north we'll be on the inside track, next to the cliffs rather than on the outside looking down at the 1000ft drop? Please say yes 
