Hwy 550 from Montrose, CO to Durango, CO

DON'T DO IT! Highway 550, the Million Dollar Highway was featured on a TV show, the World's Most Dangerous Highways. It was many years ago that we drove that road, before the show, in a 38ft HolidayRambler with a toad. My knuckles are still sore. Sharp turns on a grade, no guard rails, narrow in places, trucks coming down the hill at you, as they know the route and travel it routinely. If you have a problem there are no turnouts, no viewpoints large enough for a rig. It is just not a fun drive. That said, once you take the long way around to Durango, like the I-25, do drive the 550 in the car. It is scenic, and the towns of Ouray and Silverton are fun. So, just my humble opinion from a long past very scary drive, just don't do it.

S-n-L wrote:
Hello Everyone,

My husband and I are planning to drive from Montrose Colorado stopping in Ouray for a few nights and then on to Durango on Hwy 550 (the Million Dollar Hwy). I know there is at least one tunnel but it is definitely a truckers route. We are driving a 45' motorhome towing a small Jeep.

We are accustomed to driving some curvy and mountainous roads but this one sounds like a challenge.

For those of you who have driven this road please let us know if we can drive it safely. All thoughts and suggestions are welcomed.

Thank you so much.

Leslie & Stuart

The road is fine - the Speed limit is 15 - 25 in any area that is an issue - so you will not hold up traffic.

I Love these drives - but that's me - I'm comfortable, owned my own Contracting Company and had a CDL for 40 years - Map - Zoom in on the Hairpins - you will see if you are good or not - The CDOT is really good the roads are IMHO really well done - if not they will be restricted (RT 82 Independence pass - Less than 30') So it will depend on you - Good thing is that you are loaded with options.

During your stop in Ouray - take the drive in the Jeep it's only 85 miles, and it is a beautiful - drive you will love every time you can take it - Lizard Head is Also Beautiful and if not taken in the Coach should be Taken in the Toad.

One more Option that is not often mentioned is to head over/around to Lake City and around - little more adventure but again truly Spectacular.

Hoping you have scheduled time to Take the Jeep over the Alpine Loop - when we did it my DW said it was the "MOST SPECTACULAR DRIVE" I had ever taken her on - So much to see - might want to add another week here - as IMHO I have more fun/adventure/sites to see, in the San Juan's as YNP.

Can you drive it safely - all I can say is Many do it every day, Year round as it is open all Winter.

Take Pictures of all you do and get back with an Update.

Best of Luck

You will have no problems at all, the section from Ouray to Silverton is the concern from there just a normal two way hwy. Semi's do it and no one is pushed of a cliff every day. So anyone that rv's in a rig bigger than a 24' class C is out to intimidate the little ones, with a monster rig DUMB remark.

I have to disagree with most of the posts above. Your rig is probably 65' total. The chances you will be able to keep it inside the double yellow lines 100 per cent of the time is just about nil. Do you care about the folks stuck behind you?

There are very few pull outs and traffic will back up behind you which tends to induce some very questionable/poor passing efforts by the folks trapped behind you {yes, I know they are idiots}. You have a toad so why inflict your monster rig on everyone else on a road that is that inherently dangerous?

We have driven this road twice in our 24' Class C {this past July in heavy rain was not much fun}. Have you considered the weather? Not sure when you will be traveling but snow can come early to the high passes.

IMHO: All in all just a bad idea that benefits no but yourselves... if you manage to pull it off without a problem. Yes folks with rigs the size of the yours do it but.... just because you can do something does not mean it is a good idea. Take the Toad.

As always.... Opinions and YMMV

:C

We drove this road in June but left our 5th wheel at a base camp near Ridgeway. I was shocked at the lack of guardrails. The white line on the edge of the road is only 3 inches from a straight down fall of hundreds of feet!! We met logging trucks coming at us from the other direction. Locals think nothing of this road. School buses even travel it! Lot of RV's of every type were traveling it too. This being said, it is one of the most beautiful roads we have ever traveled!! I was drawn to it like a moth to a fire. We drove it three times during our stay in the area. Just be careful and like someone else said take your jeep over it first before taking the big rig. The most scary part is just outside Ouray for about a few hundred yards. People have died on this road. A monument to a preacher and his daughters who went over the edge on their way to church in Silverton is a reminder of the danger. Also a monument to snow plow drivers who have paid the ultimate price to keeping the road open in winter. I would drive it again in a heart beat!!!

If you're comfortable driving narrow mountain roads with lots of switch backs go for it. Beautiful ride but it is challenging.

We are travelling that route early October but in the other direction. I think the best advise is to "hurry slowly"and enjoy the sights.

I drove that road two years ago, towing my 30' travel trailer, and I had no issues at all. There were MANY class A's on the road with us. Obviously I can't speak to your particular comfort level on a road like this, but there are certainly many others who do it routinely. And, it is beautiful.

Yes, truckers use it all year, but you are not driving a semi. Do you mind sharp curves on a two-lane road with a cliff on one side and a 500-foot drop on the other with no shoulder and no guard rail? If not, go for it! If so, use the route I use on CO 62 and CO 145.

You can always drive up to Red Mountain Pass in the jeep while you are staying in Ouray to check the road out before trying it in the coach. The Uncompahgre gorge between those two points is the hairy part.