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jsmart's avatar
jsmart
Explorer
Aug 01, 2015

Hwy 139, "Douglas Pass" from Rangley to Fruita, Colorado

Anyone take this route? Thinking of going through there in early fall. Was through there as a boy with my father driving an ore truck. We have a 32' class A with a toad.
  • We drove 139 in the northbound direction back in 2012. I remember it being a good climb up to the pass with some sharp curves. Wouldn't call them switchbacks, but I do remember being glad that we didn't meet a truck going the other way on one curve. IIRC we passed an 18 wheeler and a tanker going the other way, so you should have no problem.

    A couple of pictures from the climb.


  • It is a good 2 lane mountain road.......have used it couple times towing my 34' FW
  • From the 'Mountain Directory for Truckers and RVers' (highly recommended, by the way):

    If you're coming southbound: It's 6 miles of 6-8% grades with 25 mph speed limit and numerous 15 mph curves and switchbacks. About 2-1/2 miles down from the summit there is a 1/10 mile section of 10 or 12% grade. After the 6 miles of 6-8% there are several miles of 4%.

    When we last drove this southbound the pavement was breaking up badly on the 'drop-off' side. Hopefully, it has been repaired!

    We enjoy driving Hwy 550 (Red Mtn. Hwy) from Silverton to Ouray much better than Hwy 139. :)
  • Thanks for all the posts, We came up Hwy 1 from LA to Monterey last summer, so tight roads and twisting turns I can do. Will be good to see that country again.
  • We went through there heading north in early July with our 31' MH with toad. A few miles of it was a bit bumpy from the crumbling pavement, but not to the point of being dangerous in my opinion. Just bumpy enough that my kids complained that I was hitting too many bumps while they were trying to draw pictures.
  • Lived there, drove Tractor Trailer all over. Douglas Pass is 8500 ft. Not a problem just rather steep at 7%. They may ahve fixed the road by now.
  • We go over Douglas Pass several times a year since one of our favorite fishing holes is West of Vernal. Ours is a 38' motorhome towing an 18' boat and never had any trouble at all.