This loop takes you north out of
Montrose through Delta and on to Whitewater where you'll then head southwest on
Highway 141 around the west side of the Uncompahgre Plateau to Placerville and
then back to Montrose. You'll pass through some of the
lesser traveled of Colorado’s roads and scenery, particularly the
Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic Byway. With great riding through the wide-open
Unaweep Canyon early on, you’ll drop down into Gateway (a future Moab perhaps)
and the Gateway Auto Museum. Upon leaving Gateway you enter the Delores
River Canyon, with big sweepers through the narrow canyon more reminiscent of
Utah than Colorado (at least that's what you will think). After a stop at the
Delores River overlook, you’ll head into Uranium mining country, and then on to
Naturita. As you head south you’ll cross the Uncompahgre high-plateau ranch
country as you approach the San Juan Mountains, finally crossing Dallas Divide
with its fantastic views of Mt. Sneffels and the San Juans.
GPS Data Files:
[NOTE: After downloading these
files to your computer, you need to re-calculate the route in MapSource or your
software before transferring them to your GPS.]
Just an awesome ride as you climb
into the higher plateau and valley, with twisties giving way to
sweepers as you drop down into Gateway. You will probably want to spend
some time in Gateway (an old town that had run-down over the past years, the
founder of the Discovery Channel is spending big bucks in Gateway,
constructing an awesome "canyon country" resort (perhaps the Moab of the
future) and the Gateway Auto Museum (open to the public for $9, and worth
every penny). You'll probably want to visit the museum and perhaps have
lunch at the deli or the restaurant (very nice).
After Gateway you follow the Delores River
Canyon with sheer red cliffs and lots of sweeping turns; be sure and stop at
the overlook for the Hanging Flume
after you exit the River Canyon (it will
be on your right); ride through some of the Uranium mining country and then
on to the small town of Naturita. ~50 miles
CO-141 south to CO-145 to
Placerville ~36 miles
Easy riding out of Naturita; in a
few miles CO-141 ends and you will be on CO-145 (continue straight and do
not turn right on CO-145 west to Utah), continuing to Redvale, eventually
dropping down off the plateau to follow the San Miguel River canyon to Placerville
(lots of nice twisties).
CO-62 east to Ridgeway and US-50
~23 miles
A beautiful ride as you climb
from Placerville on CO-62, with lots of large sweeping turns as you climb to
the top of Dallas Divide; stop at the pull off on the right just past the top of
the Divide for great views of Mt. Sneffels and the San Juan Mountains to the
south; continue down from the Divide to Ridgeway and US-550.
