Ouray To Moab

Google tells me it will only save 30 minutes. Unless you hear from others I would say the interstate route would win. Now if you want a beautiful drive and to make a day of it. Take 141 all the way to grand junction. It runs along the river so no big elevation changes and the views are amazing. It is full of curves but nothing really sharp or switchback like.

I assume you've driven the section of CO 62 west of Ridgway to Placerville where one turns south to Telluride (6.5% grade on the east side).

Beyond that, there's about a 15 mile section west of Paradox which a is pretty good grunt of a climb. Some grades up to 9%. But heading from Ouray to Moab means you'll be going up rather than down that section -- more grunt but not a braking issue. Not a particularly fast section anyway, as there are curves with pretty low recommended speeds on them. Pulling this route may not save you much time, but it will save 50 miles. Not much exposure along this route (not another Million Dollar Highway!).

That being said, it is a pretty drive without much traffic. Most of the traffic will be other RV's and a few oil-field semi's. You go through some farm land along the river bottom and then climb through layers and layers of rock as you head into Utah.

Think of it this way, part of the distance you save is the very desolate drive from Delta to Grand Junction. Another part of that 50 mile savings is that boring drive from the UT/CO border to the US 191 turnoff. The route you asked about a least takes you through some different scenery.

i have done it both ways and prefer googles way. they are very good 2 lane highway's with little traffic on much more scenic.

We've done the route in question and don't recall an issue around Paradox. It's a very pretty drive, especially for fall and you enter the La Sal area.

I just looked in the Mountain Directory and Hwy 46 is not listed from Naturita to La Sal.

Thanks; Moun Dir talks about some sharp dropoffs and I don't want that with the 5er if I can help it.

I don't know - this is a get from here to there thing and sightseeing not important.

Yes, Ken, have pulled Lizard Head a few times - both ways. Not any issue there.

I get mixed reviews here in Ouray from the locals. We are looking at - per Google - some 58 miles and 37 minutes difference.

I am pretty much ok with shelf stuff - without the trailer. DW and DD do NOT like dropoffs! :-)

Driving Red Mountain Pass again tomorrow in truck; did it the other morning. Beautiful !

Will give update on my other posting.

Just go through Montrose to Grand Junction, then take I-70 to Crescent Junction and turn there onto 191. Very easy drive and has lots of beauty. No problems at all for pulling. Be sure to gas up in Grand Junction.

4runnerguy wrote:

Another part of that 50 mile savings is that boring drive from the UT/CO border to the US 191 turnoff. The route you asked about a least takes you through some different scenery.

Ken, Lauren,

I've always driven the I-70 route just to get off at exit 214 and drive RT 128 into Moab, Been driving it for over 20 years and just thinking about it gets me excited (not quite as much as to be at the Bells this Weekend for Sunrise Photo's and day Hikes) and so it would be hard for me to ever miss that drive - just like a hike up into the Bells this time of Year - Those are TWO Very, VERY Special Places.

So if it were me I'd likely, no Definitely, Drive out of Ouray to Rt 133 over to Carbondale spend the night - get into the Bells and then up to Ken's for a beer before heading out to 128.

Sounds pretty good,

JMHO,

I'm not understanding what you're reading in the Mountain Directory with steep dropoffs.

None of your route is listed: 145, 46, 191. Is your route planned from Ridgway to Naturita to La Sal to Hwy 191?

There's a grade and shelf where CO145 climbs out of a river canyon

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.1291728,-108.2253831,3a,75y,14.94h,67.49t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1ssc2nY3KGYbL8JY_MBeOoTQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dsc2nY3KGYbL8JY_MBeOoTQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D219.74449%26pitch%3D0!7i3328!8i1664!5m1!1e4

You've been in the river bottom since Placerville. Here is climbs up to a plateau area around Norwood. It's relatively flat to Bedrock and Paradox.


There's another bit of grade and shelf where CO90 climbs out of the Paradox Valley (headed toward Utah)

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.3500152,-108.9902714,3a,75y,341.91h,86.81t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdIZ7Sl6hPYN_7uurIibOJw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DdIZ7Sl6hPYN_7uurIibOJw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D241.34834%26pitch%3D0!7i3328!8i1664!5m1!1e4

Grades don't bother me; shelves do with the trailer. And they bother DW with or without the 5er. I never thought to look at Google! Thanks, paulj.

Think we will go the long way.

Heading to Red Mountain here is a little bit. Going up and over to Ophir Pass pulloff and turn around and come back to Ouray. The construction areas have no time restraint on weekends.