Western Colorado Road questions

[STRaider]

I have some business in Amarillo week after next, and am going to ride the F6B there, and then take off to New Mexico and Colorado. Goal is to leave Amarillo Wednesday, and get back to Dallas on Sunday. A buddy is going with me on his Concours 1400. Our plan is to head toward Red River/Taos after first night, then up to Durango/Silverton for one night, then towards Colorado Springs. He mentioned climbing Pike's Peak, which would be a blast, but I'm thinking our time would be better served with two nights in the Durango/Silverton area.

There is a loop that goes out of Ouray down through Sawpit and Teilluride, Rico, Dolores and back to Durango that looks incredible, but this would require another day in that area, and make it tough to also get to Pike's Peak, and get home by Sunday. I've been to Pike's Peak, he has not. I thought from Durango, we could go east and take 50 to 149, and take 149 down to 160. That looks incredible, but I don't know if that is all paved or if a 4 x 4 would be needed, like the Alpine Loop, and if this is a good road for motorcycles. I also thought maybe going further east and taking 114 down. If anyone familiar with the area had some thoughts on preferred routes, I would love the feedback. I guess we could always extend the trip a day as long as we are out that way, but he mentioned needing to be back by Sunday night. Thanks in advance for any tips.

[jeffedose]

saw pit Dolores Cortez awesome loop. Durango is great place to stay to do loop.eave and get to silver ton around 11 am I think that is when train gets in and you can watch it park in silver ton Main Street ...whole town gets crowded. then you can go down to ouray then out to ridgeway and telluride dead end canyon backtrack about 5 miles go down thru Rico and around back to durango that's a great loop. also 4 corners monument is pretty cool stand in four states at one time. ride from ridgeway to montrose then over to 149 and down to lake city and creede is super cool as well all paved then down to pagosa springs then south from there to chama New Mexico then back into Colorado over cumbres pass to Antonia awesome ride then down back into 285. I think into New Mexico and then across back to Texas


or from red river do it in reverse to get into Colorado to pagosa. great to stay in ouray. ouray chalet hotel about the only flat parking lot in that town for bikes. black canyon of the gunnison is an awesome ride as well. pi,es peak is cool but personally I don't put it up at super epic over four corners riding and molas pass red mountain hwy 550 cumbres pass. but it is doable going north on 285 and cutting over on 24 over Wilkerson pass through hartsel stop at high line cafe then thru woodland park and down to springs. if you narrow it down I'd b happy to take a phone call from you to help out. I've put together many tours and we are getting ready to do another 1600 mile loop around Colorado in 2 weeks and I live in Denver.

[SierraKen]

If I was back in the area you are describing I wouldn't miss the opportunity to ride out 145 thru Naurita then 141 thru Gateway looping back to Ouray. Unbelievable red rock canyon ride with miles of curves. One of my favorite rides! Can be done in one day. So many great roads in your area. Enjoy!

P.s. - the picture of my f6b was taken in Lake City last year.

[STRaider]

saw pit Dolores Cortez awesome loop. Durango is great place to stay to do loop.eave and get to silver ton around 11 am I think that is when train gets in and you can watch it park in silver ton Main Street ...whole town gets crowded. then you can go down to ouray then out to ridgeway and telluride dead end canyon backtrack about 5 miles go down thru Rico and around back to durango that's a great loop. also 4 corners monument is pretty cool stand in four states at one time. ride from ridgeway to montrose then over to 149 and down to lake city and creede is super cool as well all paved then down to pagosa springs then south from there to chama New Mexico then back into Colorado over cumbres pass to Antonia awesome ride then down back into 285. I think into New Mexico and then across back to Texas


or from red river do it in reverse to get into Colorado to pagosa. great to stay in ouray. ouray chalet hotel about the only flat parking lot in that town for bikes. black canyon of the gunnison is an awesome ride as well. pi,es peak is cool but personally I don't put it up at super epic over four corners riding and molas pass red mountain hwy 550 cumbres pass. but it is doable going north on 285 and cutting over on 24 over Wilkerson pass through hartsel stop at high line cafe then thru woodland park and down to springs. if you narrow it down I'd b happy to take a phone call from you to help out. I've put together many tours and we are getting ready to do another 1600 mile loop around Colorado in 2 weeks and I live in Denver.

Having studied the maps this weekend, I am somewhat familiar with most of the roads you are mentioning, and have some of them planned. Great info, appreciate it. My buddy is pretty locked in about having to be back Sunday. He actually lives in Tyler, Tx, so he has an additional 130 miles each way. Tentatively, we were going to stay in Delta, hit 92 and then 149, and try to get to Raton, about 400ish miles, but through mountains. Is that distance doable with all the curves? 400 mountain miles is not like 400 hwy miles. I am still trying to get him to make it an additional day. You have confirmed my thoughts on that loop.

In your opinion, would staying in Durango two days warrant possibly missing hwy 92 and 149?

[jeffedose]

Having studied the maps this weekend, I am somewhat familiar with most of the roads you are mentioning, and have some of them planned. Great info, appreciate it. My buddy is pretty locked in about having to be back Sunday. He actually lives in Tyler, Tx, so he has an additional 130 miles each way. Tentatively, we were going to stay in Delta, hit 92 and then 149, and try to get to Raton, about 400ish miles, but through mountains. Is that distance doable with all the curves? 400 mountain miles is not like 400 hwy miles. I am still trying to get him to make it an additional day. You have confirmed my thoughts on that loop.

In your opinion, would staying in Durango two days warrant possibly missing hwy 92 and 149?

400 is a long day at mtn speeds that is 7 hours of riding and doesn't leave a lot of other time to enjoy anything but that being said if primary reason is sadlletime and just miles then go for it. I agree maturity is great ride but can be very hot. the private gateway lodge owned by the owner of discovery channel has an epic car museum privArely owned but open to public. 92 is a great road thru Crawford birthplace of joe cocker. and down black canyon is epic and then 149 as well. personally I would go thru montrose and down to ouray and then thru silverton down to Durango then across 160 then down to New Mexico from pagosa ....why 550 should not be missed...still not sure about your route to get to delta?we do 350 on a pretty regular basis but 12 hour summer day it's not bad, lunch and some stops along the way.

[Az Wingrider]

ST Raider,

I ride Colorado and New Mexico a lot. I was just in the San Juans last week and was also there in May. There is a loop ride in the area you are interested in, It is called "The San Juan Skyway" The loop is Durango to Cortez on US160, Colorado 145 from Cortez to Placerville, Colorado-62 from Placerville to Ridgway and US-550 from Ridgway to Durango. The loop can of course be started at any point and run in either direction. I recommend riding counter-clockwise because the climb from Ouray over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton is the most spectacular going south. There are currently two trains a day running from Durango. the first arrives Silverton about 11:30 and the second about 12:30 and it is neat to watch them arrive. They each stay about 2 1/2 hours but watching them arrive is the fun part. The ride up the Dolores Valley and over Lizards Head Pass (CO-145) is also more scenic going north.

From Taos to Durango I recommend US-64 and US-84 to Pagosa Springs and US-160 to Durango. The ride through the Carson Forest (between Taos and Chama) is breathtaking. Chama also has a steam train that runs to Antonito Colo and it is fun to watch it leave.

Jeffedose mentioned riding CO-141 from Naturita through Gateway and I assume onto Grand Junction. He is right this is a spectacular ride, the auto museum at Gateway is really good. The downside of this ride is it drops to 4,000 ft elevation and when I rode it two weeks ago we experienced temps in the high 90s.

If you have room in your budget the very historic Strater Hotel in Durango is a step back in history and very luxurious for a hundred year old hotel. In Silverton the Imperial Grand Hotel is also very historic. The saloon and grill in the Imperial Grand is also the best place in town to eat and they always have a honky-tonk piano player.

The US-160, CO-149, US-50, US-550 loop is a good ride but I don't put it in the same class as "the San Juan Skyway". Just my opinion but I really like the Dolores River Valley as well as US-550.

I hope this helps you. Colorado is some of the best riding in the country and I am always up there at least once a year and usually more often.

Have a great ride

[STRaider]

ST Raider,

I ride Colorado and New Mexico a lot. I was just in the San Juans last week and was also there in May. There is a loop ride in the area you are interested in, It is called "The San Juan Skyway" The loop is Durango to Cortez on US160, Colorado 145 from Cortez to Placerville, Colorado-62 from Placerville to Ridgway and US-550 from Ridgway to Durango. The loop can of course be started at any point and run in either direction. I recommend riding counter-clockwise because the climb from Ouray over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton is the most spectacular going south. There are currently two trains a day running from Durango. the first arrives Silverton about 11:30 and the second about 12:30 and it is neat to watch them arrive. They each stay about 2 1/2 hours but watching them arrive is the fun part. The ride up the Dolores Valley and over Lizards Head Pass (CO-145) is also more scenic going north.

From Taos to Durango I recommend US-64 and US-84 to Pagosa Springs and US-160 to Durango. The ride through the Carson Forest (between Taos and Chama) is breathtaking. Chama also has a steam train that runs to Antonito Colo and it is fun to watch it leave.

Jeffedose mentioned riding CO-141 from Naturita through Gateway and I assume onto Grand Junction. He is right this is a spectacular ride, the auto museum at Gateway is really good. The downside of this ride is it drops to 4,000 ft elevation and when I rode it two weeks ago we experienced temps in the high 90s.

If you have room in your budget the very historic Strater Hotel in Durango is a step back in history and very luxurious for a hundred year old hotel. In Silverton the Imperial Grand Hotel is also very historic. The saloon and grill in the Imperial Grand is also the best place in town to eat and they always have a honky-tonk piano player.

The US-160, CO-149, US-50, US-550 loop is a good ride but I don't put it in the same class as "the San Juan Skyway". Just my opinion but I really like the Dolores River Valley as well as US-550.

I hope this helps you. Colorado is some of the best riding in the country and I am always up there at least once a year and usually more often.

Have a great ride

That Loop starting in Durango sounds every bit as good as I had hoped. I don't want to do 400-500 mile days, but may have to a couple simply due to time restraints. The routes you are describing are pretty much how we are getting up to Durango, through Taos, up to Pagosa Springs, and over. Originally, I had us booked for two nights in Durango, but since my buddy must be back Sunday, the loop in Durango may get missed. As it stands now we are riding from Taos to Delta, then the next day hitting 92 to 149 and try to get to Raton that day.

IF we left early enough, I was wondering what yours and Jeffedose thoughts would be about us riding from Amarillo all the way to Durango via the route mentioned (through Taos, 64/84 to 160). That would put us at about 570 miles for the day, but that would give us the extra day to ride the San Juan loop out of Durango. At least it would be cooler than we are used to. Coming out of Amarillo is pretty straight and into New Mexico until we get a littler deeper in, allowing us to ride at a pretty good pace. I typically like to have the extra time to be able to "slow things down" a bit and enjoy the local areas, but it's not always possible. I'd love to be able to ride that San Juan loop while we are out there, but also realize you can't do it all every trip. I am still lobbying for him to be able to stay an extra day. Thanks for the great information.

[F6Dave]

The CO-141 loop is a little known gem of a ride. There are miles of canyons with wonderful sweeping curves. The roads are nearly deserted.

Few know about the Gateway Auto Museum (or the Gateway Canyons Resort) but it is a world class museum and resort literally out in the middle of nowhere. Here are a few snapshots I took the last time I visited:

Cadillac V-16:


Deusenberg:


Olds F-88 (only 2 built, bought for $2.5 Million)


Filling up my old Valkyrie at the resort's gas station (great scenery in the area):


Entrance to the museum:

[miramiramira]

What everybody else is saying about the Southwest corner of CO is spot on. You really can’t pick a bad ride. I’ll chime in about getting there.

I ride from Lubbock to CO at least twice a year. I can get to Durango or Gunnison in a day (through Taos and Chama) and I stage from one of those two cities. It’s day’s worth to be sure but entirely doable.

Going from Amarillo to Taos, consider picking up 104 out of Tucumcari (if you’re willing to exceed the speed limit). It’s a gorgeous ride and it’s a great view rolling off the high plateau into Las Vegas. Or, consider staying on the freeway past Santa Rosa and picking up 84 to Las Vegas. Lately, that’s been my choice of road, it’s not quite as scenic but it’s faster.

If you stay in Raton on the way back, you’ll be thinking about 87 Through Clayton, etc. to get back into Texas. I’d recommend against it because 87 in Dalhart is under major construction and the traffic tie up is brutal (easily over an hour of bumper to bumper stop and go). There isn’t a good way around the construction due to the railroad tracks. Consider running down 25 until you get to Springer or Wagon Mound and dropping down 39 to get back to 40.

This loop, “Durango, we could go east and take 50 to 149, and take 149 down to 160.” That route, Durango to Ouray to Montrose to Gunnison to Creede, to South Fork and back to Durango is all paved and it’s a fine ride. 114 is a good road until you get to Saguache, then it’s tedium. If I wanted to do 114, I’d probably turn around at Saguache and head back to 149. But, I’d probably skip 114 in favor of 149.

CO is a blast, have fun.

[STRaider]

What everybody else is saying about the Southwest corner of CO is spot on. You really can’t pick a bad ride. I’ll chime in about getting there.

I ride from Lubbock to CO at least twice a year. I can get to Durango or Gunnison in a day (through Taos and Chama) and I stage from one of those two cities. It’s day’s worth to be sure but entirely doable.

Going from Amarillo to Taos, consider picking up 104 out of Tucumcari (if you’re willing to exceed the speed limit). It’s a gorgeous ride and it’s a great view rolling off the high plateau into Las Vegas. Or, consider staying on the freeway past Santa Rosa and picking up 84 to Las Vegas. Lately, that’s been my choice of road, it’s not quite as scenic but it’s faster.

If you stay in Raton on the way back, you’ll be thinking about 87 Through Clayton, etc. to get back into Texas. I’d recommend against it because 87 in Dalhart is under major construction and the traffic tie up is brutal (easily over an hour of bumper to bumper stop and go). There isn’t a good way around the construction due to the railroad tracks. Consider running down 25 until you get to Springer or Wagon Mound and dropping down 39 to get back to 40.

This loop, “Durango, we could go east and take 50 to 149, and take 149 down to 160.” That route, Durango to Ouray to Montrose to Gunnison to Creede, to South Fork and back to Durango is all paved and it’s a fine ride. 114 is a good road until you get to Saguache, then it’s tedium. If I wanted to do 114, I’d probably turn around at Saguache and head back to 149. But, I’d probably skip 114 in favor of 149.

CO is a blast, have fun.

Great info and thanks for the heads up about Dalhart. I want no part of that mess. I'm sure I will make some revisions here with this info. Thanks much and Go Tech!!!!!!! I went to school there and by no small coincidence my bike is RED AND BLACK and is appropriately named RED RAIDER.