Best route from Denver to Mesa Verde

[Maddjoe]

I will be traveling from MN to Mancos, CO (Mesa Verde). I am pulling a 26' fifth wheel with a diesel. Trying to figure out best route (easiest pulls) from Denver to Mesa Verde.
Thanks!

[Busskipper]

Maddjoe wrote:
I will be traveling from MN to Mancos, CO (Mesa Verde). I am pulling a 26' fifth wheel with a diesel. Trying to figure out best route (easiest pulls) from Denver to Mesa Verde.
Thanks!

The Options are listed and Thom has explained all the possible shortfalls of the various roads.

BUT - you certainly did not come from Minnesota, to take a route that would not allow you to Enjoy the Drive, by that I mean, to be able to look out the window and be able to remember almost every mile.

So, I will give you a route, that while not, IMHO, difficult (26' and a Diesel) are more in tune with a Vacation Drive not a simple Route that just gets you from "A" to "B".

Bing Maps


Coming out of Denver, heading west on I-70, jump off on Exit 265 Rt 58 go straight it will turn into Rt 6 getting you right into the Mountains - Rt 6 through 6 tunnels and rejoining I-70 at Idaho Springs -Truly a Special/Beautiful Drive! Now on I-70 you will take that to Rt 91 (Yes you will have to go through the Eisenhower tunnel - that's why you got the Diesel right)- Exit 195 to Rt 91 - You will take Rt 91 to Leadville, Highest incorporated Town in America at 10,000' - Quincy's - Turquoise Lake - just a neat little town. From there heading South on Rt 24 through Buena Vista - K's - Collegiate Peaks - Arkansas River - Rafting - Dirt Roads - then When Rt 24 turns Left to the Springs you go on Rt 285 south to Poncha Springs there you will Take Rt 50 through Gunnison (option here to go to Crested Butte - Gunnison Lake - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - or even a side trip to Lake City. Now Rt 50 will take you west to Montrose where you will take Rt 550 to Ridgway - Big Choice here! - I suggest you spend the night and go to Ouray, the Alps of Colorado, then back and over to Telluride - Trout Lake - possibly Dunton - Rico and on to Cortez and Mesa Verde.

OK if you find this the sort of info you wanted, we can give you a route back, through Denver that is just as fun and only requires a little back tracking.

As you can see there are many different ways to "Get To" Mesa Verde - but IMHO the "drive" needs to be as good as the "destination".

Hope this give you something to think about other than Just "A" to "B".

Best of Luck, and let us know what you decide and how you enjoyed Colorado.

[BarryG20]

I live just south of Denver and have property right across the street from Mesa Verde. I have made the trip many many times over the years tried darn near every possible way. Colo Native and Thom02099 mentioned the best ways. After making the trip literally hundreds of times there are only three ways I go any more.

They are I-25 to Walsenburg and hwy 160. Probably the easiest as far as driving though if you get caught in rush hour traffic in Colorado Springs you will be hating life for that time period. Drive to Walsenburg is uninteresting and from Walsenburg to Del Norte isnt much better except for La Veta pass. That way takes me 6 hours and 15 minutes (sans the trailer).

My favorite way is as both mentioned above US285 to CO112 to US160. It is very pretty, the passes are no big deal including Wolf Creek as Thom pointed out. That takes me about the same amount of time as it is shorter in distance from my house but you are not on the freeway at all. Kenosha pass is nothing, Poncha pass is more but still really no big deal really only a few miles of some curves. Wolf Creek while a significant pass pushing 9 miles up and another 9 down is not really an issue either it is long but the curves are no big deal except for a couple of hairpins on the west side which still are no big deal as the speed limit is like 25 in those two spots, the road is good.

My third way is to take I-25 to 115 in the springs to US50 to Montrose 550 to 62 to 141 to 145. That adds at least an hour more like 90 minutes but from Montrose to Cortez the best scenery in the state several passes none of which are that bad but it is certainly slower. I only go that way anymore if i am looking for the most scenic route and have plenty of time.

If you are coming into Denver from I-70 and not staying in Denver you could save some time by pulling off I-70 out at Limon and take US 24 through the Springs and to the 285 route, I25 to Walsenburg route or the 115 to US 50 Route that would save an easy hour of driving into Denver then south to the Springs.

[Braces]

There is a nice RV Park just across the road from Mesa Verde Park. Very convenient and nice people. The park tour bus and guide were very helpful,guide very knowlegeable,and personable. Can't advise as to route.

[Thom02099]

Maddjoe wrote:
I will be traveling from MN to Mancos, CO (Mesa Verde). I am pulling a 26' fifth wheel with a diesel. Trying to figure out best route (easiest pulls) from Denver to Mesa Verde.
Thanks!

Do you want scenic, or just get there? You'll get differing responses, everyone has a favourite route. Since you want to use Denver as a starting point, there are a variety of different ways to get there:

I-25 south through Colorado Springs and Pueblo to Walsenburg, the US 160 West over North La Veta Pass (easy) and across the San Luis Valley through Alamosa and South Fork, up and over Wolf Creek Pass (not as difficult as legend would have one believe), dropping down into Pagosa Springs and then on to Durango and Mancos. Two passes, not overly difficult (lots of RVs do it all the time), some great scenery ops.

Alternatively, instead of going all the way to Walsenburg, you could take US 24 west from the Springs, up to Woodland Park and into the South Park area to US 285, then taking US 285 south into the San Luis Valley where it joins up with US 160 near South Fork, and then to same directions as the latter above. Goodly climb but not difficult from the Springs up to Woodland Park and then a beautiful drive on US 24 across the south part of South Park, to join up with US 285, which goes down to the Buena Vista area then on to Poncha Pass (another easy one) and then in to the north part of the San Luis Valley, which is flat and beautiful vistas of the mountains around it.

And another alternative, take US 285 south out of Denver through Evergreen, Conifer, Bailey and up/over Kenosha Pass (10000 feet/not difficult) and across South Park, which is at 9000-9600 feet most of the way across. Can get windy there, but it's an incredible drive, the mountain views are impressive. South of Fairplay, US 285 joins up with US 24, then see the paragraphs above. This route has a lot of ups/downs, particularly in the early part of it through Evergreen/Conifer/Pine Junction/Bailey; at Bailey, you'll be in a valley and will gradually climb to the top of Kenosha Pass. Sweeping views to die for at the top of the pass, and an easy drop down into South Park.

OR...from I-25 you can take US 50 from Pueblo west through Canon City and on through the Arkansas River Valley to Salida and Poncha Springs. Then see paragraphs above about crossing Poncha Pass. Very easy drive, curvy but not a lot of ups/downs.

Then there's....I-70. From Denver, major climb, major decent...flat...major climb to Johnson/Eisenhower Tunnels, major decent into Dillon/Silverthorne. Sorta kinda flat for a bit, then major climb up Vail Pass, then decline into the Vail Valley. From there, it's pretty much all down hill to Grand Junction. South on US 50 to Montrose, then US 550 south to CO 62 and on to CO 145 past Telluride and up/over Lizard Head Pass. Not even gonna tell you to stay on US 550 from Ouray to Silverton to Durango. Others may recommend this way, I will not, not for someone wanting to avoid major mountain passes.

There's other variations. If it were me, I'd consider either going all the way to Walsenburg and across US 160 (what I consider the easiest route for pulls), or take US 285 from Denver all the way to US 160. I cannot in good conscience recommend taking I-70 all the way across, since you're looking for the easiest pulls, and these are not. But that's just me.

[Colo_Native]

Take 285 to CO 112, US 160. Easy drive only wolf creek pass and Kenosha for big hills.