For those who are wanting to know what it's like to drive US 550, check at the street view at this point: 37.975590, -107.657809 in Google Earth or Google Maps. Try this link. Semi coming downhill, RV with toad heading up. :E I would have to say that these two met at one of the very tightest curves and narrowest places on the highway. If you look further up the highway, you can see that ahead of the RV is a flat bed semi heading up hill. Those two trucks passing would also have made for an interesting picture. The downhill truck driver has pulled way to the side, indicating he knows this road pretty well. Go uphill a few more frames then turn around and look how close the semi's trailer gets to the rock wall!So now when someone asks on this forum about driving US 550, you can refer to this picture in this post. This is why people say the road is only OK to drive if you are an experienced mountain driver. (Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore!) Just another ho-hum day on US 550. ;)

4runnerguy wrote:For those who are wanting to know what it's like to drive US 550, check at the street view at this point: 37.975590, -107.657809 in Google Earth or Google Maps. Try this link. Semi coming downhill, RV with toad heading up. :E I would have to say that these two met at one of the very tightest curves and narrowest places on the highway. If you look further up the highway, you can see that ahead of the RV is a flat bed semi heading up hill. Those two trucks passing would also have made for an interesting picture. The downhill truck driver has pulled way to the side, indicating he knows this road pretty well. Go uphill a few more frames then turn around and look how close the semi's trailer gets to the rock wall!So now when someone asks on this forum about driving US 550, you can refer to this picture in this post. This is why people say the road is only OK to drive if you are an experienced mountain driver. (Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore!) Just another ho-hum day on US 550. ;)Oh how I MISS those drives -- You mean they were able to pass each other and not end up in the ditch!:)Will be flying out to Colorado over Memorial Day can't wait to get into the Mountain and drive a little.Thanks Ken,

LOVE that drive on US-550 from Ouray to Durango.

And this is where the road is still pretty close to the river - wait till you get to where it's a good 500 feet or more straight down with no guard rails.

2lazy4U wrote:And this is where the road is still pretty close to the river - wait till you get to where it's a good 500 feet or more straight down with no guard rails.At least where there is the greatest drop to the river (300') it's a on a straight section of road (between Bear Creek Falls and the turnoff to Engineer Pass. Besides, whether one drops 100' or 300', the result is the same! It's going around the curve with a big rig approaching that is tricky.

Guardrails only needed to keep the bad drivers on the road.

Driving US 550 above Ouray, CO | Good Sam Community

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
May 09, 2015
I don't understand what all the fuss is about........the lanes are the same width whether there are guard rails or not, turns/curves/switchbacks etc.
Stay in your lane or go home

Kinda like those signs.......'Road Narrows Ahead'
The road (lane) doesn't narrow it's just that shoulder make get narrower due to bridge or roadside obstacles but lane is still same width.

Only restriction is no permitted loads thru tunnel south of Ouray
Thom02099
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
SheepCamp wrote:
Guardrails only needed to keep the bad drivers on the road.

This should be required viewing for flatlanders thinking of driving this with a big rig/toad or trailer/5er! Do ya really wanna do it, when there are alternatives?!?
SheepCamp
Explorer
May 09, 2015
Guardrails only needed to keep the bad drivers on the road.
4runnerguy
Explorer
May 09, 2015
2lazy4U wrote:
And this is where the road is still pretty close to the river - wait till you get to where it's a good 500 feet or more straight down with no guard rails.

At least where there is the greatest drop to the river (300') it's a on a straight section of road (between Bear Creek Falls and the turnoff to Engineer Pass. Besides, whether one drops 100' or 300', the result is the same! It's going around the curve with a big rig approaching that is tricky.
2lazy4U
Explorer
May 09, 2015
And this is where the road is still pretty close to the river - wait till you get to where it's a good 500 feet or more straight down with no guard rails.
The_Texan
Explorer
May 09, 2015
LOVE that drive on US-550 from Ouray to Durango.
Busskipper
Explorer
May 09, 2015
4runnerguy wrote:
For those who are wanting to know what it's like to drive US 550, check at the street view at this point: 37.975590, -107.657809 in Google Earth or Google Maps. Try this link. Semi coming downhill, RV with toad heading up. :E

I would have to say that these two met at one of the very tightest curves and narrowest places on the highway. If you look further up the highway, you can see that ahead of the RV is a flat bed semi heading up hill. Those two trucks passing would also have made for an interesting picture. The downhill truck driver has pulled way to the side, indicating he knows this road pretty well. Go uphill a few more frames then turn around and look how close the semi's trailer gets to the rock wall!

So now when someone asks on this forum about driving US 550, you can refer to this picture in this post. This is why people say the road is only OK to drive if you are an experienced mountain driver. (Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore!)

Just another ho-hum day on US 550. ;)

Oh how I MISS those drives -- You mean they were able to pass each other and not end up in the ditch!:)

Will be flying out to Colorado over Memorial Day can't wait to get into the Mountain and drive a little.

Thanks Ken,

Forum Discussion

Driving US 550 above Ouray, CO

About Bucket List Trips

Related Content

driving from Ouray to Canyonlands NP

2020 with stain above awning

Can you mount solar above vents?

Idle/Drive Ratio

Stalls While Driving