Couple of Routes in Colorado

[2nomads]

We are planning a trip around Colorado this spring/summer and have questions about taking a class A motorhome towing a car on a couple of roads. How is the State Route 50 from Montrose to Canon City, Colorado? Dangerous or doable? And from Estes Park down Highway 7/72/119 to get to Interstate 70? Advice is appreciated.

[folivier]

FYI Hwy 50 about halfway between Montrose and Gunnison will have major construction for 2-3 years beginning this April. It will be closed except for the following times: 2 hours in morning, 1 hour at noon, 1 hour in the afternoon. Then will be open each weekend.
It will be best to avoid that area except maybe for the weekends.
https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/projects/co/little-blue

[Busskipper]

2nomads wrote:
We are planning a trip around Colorado this spring/summer and have questions about taking a class A motorhome towing a car on a couple of roads.

How is the State Route 50 from Montrose to Canon City, Colorado?

Dangerous or doable?

And from Estes Park down Highway 7/72/119 to get to Interstate 70? Advice is appreciated.

Two of my Favorite drives in Colorado - Montrose - We spent a week there last summer - leaving to Buena Vista over Monarch Pass - this is a real drive and so nice to enjoy the top of the Pass. Not Dangerous and Doable by thousands every season. (engine Brake and smart driving up and down)

Drives like this are why many come to Colorado. With the San Juan's from Montrose and the Collegiate Peaks, Arkansas River and Cottonwood Pass in Buena Vista, Hard to beat.

Couple things to enjoy on the drive - Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Blue Mesa Reservoir, Just so much to see it could take a week to just do this Drive, and still be able to come Back for More!

Peak to Peak - 7 - 72 - 119 - Much easier than the Monarch Pass route discussed earlier. Piece of cake - Broad Vistas for most of the Drive but many opportunities to get off the main road and explore - Nederland - Lyons - Brainard Lake, come to mind.

Not sure where you are headed Before or after - you might also enjoy the Drive on RT 6 that follows Clear Creek to Golden and Coors - through the Tunnels and following the Creeks as the Canyon Cliffs are on both sides for much of the drive - IMHO not to be missed - as a drive in both directions as it just is Different. Last note if you need another place to spend a few days try Golden Gate Canyon State Park. 🙂

If we were on the other forum I'd include a number of images - just Beautiful!

Best of Luck, Hope this helps.

[Thom02099]

2nomads wrote:
We are planning a trip around Colorado this spring/summer and have questions about taking a class A motorhome towing a car on a couple of roads. How is the State Route 50 from Montrose to Canon City, Colorado? Dangerous or doable? And from Estes Park down Highway 7/72/119 to get to Interstate 70? Advice is appreciated.

Both are very doable. US 50 from Montrose to Canon City is a beautiful drive with only Monarch Pass in between, not a difficult pass by Colorado standards. Climb lanes make it even better. At the top there is an aerial tram that you can take to the ridge (this is assuming it is open in this pandemic era) with vistas that are what Colorado is all about.

CO 7/72/119 also very doable and highly recommended, also known as the Peak to Peak Highway. Coming out of Estes Park on CO7 there is a goodly climb out of the valley but it is not difficult and you are on the "inside" of the climb, no drop off shoulders or anything like that. It has also been recently repaved so that is an added bonus. The road is a bit narrow until you get to the Larimer/Boulder County line, where it improves. There's ups and downs and curves, as one would expect in Colorado but nothing is daunting.

Most of the route also has wide shoulders/bike lane and there WILL be bicyclists, so be aware of that. This is also a favourite route for motorcyclists, so also heads up for groups of them either coming at you or behind you, ready to pass when possible.

Some great places along the route to pull off for photo ops. If you have time, a side trip to Brainard Lake Recreation Area just outside of Ward is an incredible view of the wilderness area and the mountain peaks that are up close. At an elevation of ~10500 feet, there's some good hiking in that area as well, but be prepared for sudden weather changes and keep water with you if you decide to hike.

Nederland is a funky little town, some touristy places there if you're so inclined. From Nederland to Black Hawk/Central City, there's going to be curves and lots of them, and ups/downs, but again it's all very doable. Good roadway, wide shoulders the entire way.

The entire length of the Peak to Peak, there's no big dramatic drop offs, no shelf roads, no roadways without guardrails like other places in Colorado. It's a very popular route because it is so easy and doable and scenic.

If you get a chance, take a look at Google Earth, you'll see what both routes look like, what you'll encounter. It's a good representation of both drives.

[BarabooBob]

Your route from Estes Park to the I is very scenic but many people will be terrorized by it. I consider it a must drive when I am in the area. I like twisty, hilly, steep roads. I drive an F150 pulling a rather small TT.

[agesilaus]

Many thousands of RVs of all sorts run up and down Hwy 50 road every day, I've been on the other road but it's been a long time. Last couple of times to RMNP we came in from the west.