Gunnison,CO - Moab Utah via 550

Thanks again everyone! We take everyone's info and sift thru it! Taking the time that every one has done to answer this post is really appreciated! Nice people on this forum and so very helpful! Thanks again, Tara:)

So glad you got reservations for the Fiery Furnace hike in Arches. You'll love it!! Such fun.

There's nothing like staying in the national parks themselves. Glad you snagged a spot.

There's not a lot of touristy stuff on your route. 10 years ago the contrast between the Bedrock General Store and the Sawpit Mercantile (just off your route toward Telluride) was interesting. One was a historic building with a basic stock, what you might expect in the middle of ranch country). The other more upscale, clearly influenced by the Telluride ski crowd (though they bill themselves as “not quite Telluride.”).

But I see on the web that the Bedrock store has a new owner, and new style. Still the building looks the same, late 19th c.

North of UT 46 (and east of Moab) are the La Sal Mtns, which are nice forested contrast to the red rock around Moab. There's a paved loop through the mountains, and a couple of FS campgrounds (with bright aspens in the fall).

Ouray after 9/15 the weather gets dicey I'd do Ouray 9/1 and then off to Moab.

Thanks everyone and thanks Busskipper! Yes we have been to many of those places you have mentioned. We have been twice on 128 and love it!! We are doing repeats because we love Utah and Colorado and never have enough time. So we have been to all national parks in southern Utah but like I said we are doing repeats to do things we didn't get a chance to do. Moab we have been there 3 times and this makes our 4th! Never got a chance to camp in arches campground but this time we got a spot!! Plus have reserved tickets for the Firery Furnace hike. They have always been full when we were in area. So after we leave arches we are going for 7 days in Fruita campground in Capital reef! We love this park! have been there twice and didn't stay long enough to see everything in the park and surrounding area and probably still wont! lol So we are not sure now what route to take! lol 2019 God willing we will begin our fulltime adventure and have unlimited time to see this great country. Thanks again everyone! Tara

Steeljag wrote:

Busskipper wrote:

caysea7254 wrote:
Thanks everyone for the info! Busskipper not sure what u mean. What do we miss? Please explain. Thanks Tara

Checked your earlier posts - Moab is your only destination? but there is so much we will always try to see on the way if Gunnison is the start - Short easy route - would include Black Canyon - Colorado Monument Rim Drive - and RT 128 my all time Favorite drive in the US.Map

Or the longer more Southwest drive - Which would catch - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - Possibly Lake City and the Alpine Loop - Ouray - Telluride - Trout Lake - San Juan's - Dunton - Mesa Verde - Mexican Hat then on up to Moab.

Your Route is fine, just for me it is more of a day trip with lots of stops into the mountains along the way - Ken's primer on Moab

Sorry not trying to mess with you just hard to drive 50 miles in this area of Colorado and not start looking for some land to move to .

Your route is fine and hoping you enjoy Moab - just try to do the drive on RT 128 while you are there.

Best of Luck,

Busskipper

Thanks for your info and the attached link ! It is our plan to get out there ( maybe in 2019) and do some exploring by both cycling and Jeeping ! No kids, so we can pick our time(s) there, so the best time to visit Moab & Ouray would be ??

Going where the weather suits my clothes !

If this is truly your Vision - then Summer in the San Juan's - June through September - Will allow you to interact with Snow - Alpine FLowers in the high Mountain Fields - and then last but certainly not least the Aspen as they turn Gold in the last Days of September - Aspen in the San Juan's

IMHO, this is truely an American Treasure - the San Juan's and the Surrounds - weather is great in the summer - Elevation will dictate Heat - A/C - or open Windows!

Utah is a Shoulder season trip if not Winter - But my clothes include Fleece :S - My story is back in the 90's we flew both our boys to Vegas - drove to Zion - Hiked to the top of Angles Landings in shorts and T shirts on the 21st of December - then drove through the tunnel to Bryce in the Snow arriving on the Rim of the Hoo Doo'd with 6-8" of snow - Beautiful - to have the clouds part and see the most incredible Sunset, as we Hiked out among the Hoo Doo's - My boys tell their girls about this still.

So as you can see you might need about 6 months to see this area, and in that time frame will only scratch the surface of all that is out there.

Perfect trip would be to start in Leadville/Buena Vista/Collegiates in June allowing you to capture some great Rafting on the Arkansas - Hikes and Drives into the Collegiates - RT 82 in the Toad to Maroon Bells - Few days on the Backside of Vail - Leadville/Camp Hale/Red Cliff, maybe even catching a few days in Crested Butte and Crystal Mill. then on to Gunnison and the Black Canyon before a long Visit to Lake City - Ouray - Silverton - Telluride - Ridgway SP.

Did I mention Marble and Red Stone - then Trout Lake - Dunton - Rico and Mesa verde before heading into Utah for the est of the Fall/Winter.

Now that I have talked about it you might need a few more months..................

Hope this Helps,

Busskipper wrote:

caysea7254 wrote:
Thanks everyone for the info! Busskipper not sure what u mean. What do we miss? Please explain. Thanks Tara

Checked your earlier posts - Moab is your only destination? but there is so much we will always try to see on the way if Gunnison is the start - Short easy route - would include Black Canyon - Colorado Monument Rim Drive - and RT 128 my all time Favorite drive in the US.Map

Or the longer more Southwest drive - Which would catch - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - Possibly Lake City and the Alpine Loop - Ouray - Telluride - Trout Lake - San Juan's - Dunton - Mesa Verde - Mexican Hat then on up to Moab.

Your Route is fine, just for me it is more of a day trip with lots of stops into the mountains along the way - Ken's primer on Moab

Sorry not trying to mess with you just hard to drive 50 miles in this area of Colorado and not start looking for some land to move to .

Your route is fine and hoping you enjoy Moab - just try to do the drive on RT 128 while you are there.

Best of Luck,

Busskipper

Thanks for your info and the attached link ! It is our plan to get out there ( maybe in 2019) and do some exploring by both cycling and Jeeping ! No kids, so we can pick our time(s) there, so the best time to visit Moab & Ouray would be ??

caysea7254 wrote:
Thanks everyone for the info! Busskipper not sure what u mean. What do we miss? Please explain. Thanks Tara

Checked your earlier posts - Moab is your only destination? but there is so much we will always try to see on the way if Gunnison is the start - Short easy route - would include Black Canyon - Colorado Monument Rim Drive - and RT 128 my all time Favorite drive in the US.Map

Or the longer more Southwest drive - Which would catch - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - Possibly Lake City and the Alpine Loop - Ouray - Telluride - Trout Lake - San Juan's - Dunton - Mesa Verde - Mexican Hat then on up to Moab.

Your Route is fine, just for me it is more of a day trip with lots of stops into the mountains along the way - Ken's primer on Moab

Sorry not trying to mess with you just hard to drive 50 miles in this area of Colorado and not start looking for some land to move to .

Your route is fine and hoping you enjoy Moab - just try to do the drive on RT 128 while you are there.

Best of Luck,

Busskipper

550 to Ridgeway is the easy part of 550. If the horror stories for for the part south of Ouray.

62 to 145 is generally a valley run. 145 to the east goes to Telluride and then Lizard Head Pass, the easier alternative to 550 to the Durango/Cortez area.

145 haa a bit of drop and climb where it crosses the San Miguel River. Then it's flat and straight past Norwood.

90 starts with a climb, and has more of a climb when it leaves the Paradox Valley. 46 in Utah is a gradual drop to 191.

It's a nice easy drive in a car and moderately scenic.

Thanks everyone for the info! Busskipper not sure what u mean. What do we miss? Please explain. Thanks Tara