Durango to Ouray

[GoHorns]

Planning to spend a week in Ouray, Co. this summer.... coming from Texas via Durango.

Pulling a 26' bumper tow with a Dodge 1500 4x4.

I've pulled through plenty of mountains before... just not this route.

Should I re-route?

[seagrace]

Sorry, apparently I'm not allowed to post relevant content.

[NCWriter]

Cortes to Ridgeway or the reverse is a beautiful route, part of the scenic San Juan Skyway. You can relax, stop for coffee in Telluride and just generally enjoy the road scenery. We took lots of photos.

[southernsky]

Doable take your time and enjoy the scenery.

[jolooote]

The Cortez to Ridgeway Rt is beautiful and easier. There is Lizard Head Pass you'll go up over. I certainly hope you'll stop a couple days to see Mesa VERDE SINCE YOU'LL BE SO CLOSE. Also hope you'll use u'r 4x4 to do some of the Jeep trails. Stop at the visitors center or any Jeep Rental place to ASK ABOUT THE TRAILS AND MAPS. They range from easy to Dangerous. Stay off one called Black Bear, people have died on it. An easy beautiful trail is the Ophir Pass trail. Hope u'r in Silverton to see the Steam engine train come in from Durango.

[Thom02099]

GoHorns wrote:
I like the looks of the Cortez to Ridgway route! I think that's the one.

Thanks,

You won't be disappointed by this choice.

[NMDriver]

Ozlander wrote:
I've never seen heavy traffic on the road. been over it several time pulling a trailer.
There's millions of miles of roads in the world that don't have guardrails and people seem to do OK without them.

You must not have traveled 550 from Durango to Silverton on a weekend or during the summer vacation period. I lived in Durango and drove 550 to work in Grand Junction, but maybe what I call heavy traffic is not what you call heavy traffic. Being the 9th vehicle behind some tour bus/RV creeping up or down the mountain is not pleasant and provokes some hairy passing behavior in some people.

Going off of a road that does not have a guard rail, does not have the same consequences in flat lands as it does in the CO mountains.

[PhilipB]

We did it in our 33' fiver a few years ago. It wasn't any problem, just slow and easy. As I recall, there were places to pull over and let folks pass.

[GoHorns]

I like the looks of the Cortez to Ridgway route! I think that's the one.

Thanks,

[Ozlander]

I've never seen heavy traffic on the road. been over it several time pulling a trailer.
There's millions of miles of roads in the world that don't have guardrails and people seem to do OK without them.

[NMDriver]

Easy to go over through Cortez to 145-62-Ridgeway to Ouray instead of over 550. Quite a bit out of the way but a scenic, easy, drive and tow.

If you use 550 you will be on the mountain side of the road going down near Ouray but be cliff side going up from Silverton and down into Silverton.

Watch your trailer tracking on the switchbacks. There is not a lot of room on some and traffic can be heavy in the opposite direction.

[azdryheat]

I've seen 40'DP's on that road but that doesn't mean they belong there. There aren't many places for passing and the slow moving RV's only get in the way. The 555 is very narrow in places and has some tight hairpin turns. I wouldn't take my toyhauler on that road out of consideration for everyone else. Go to Montrose to the north and come in that way. I camp in a beautiful park in Bayfield and ride my motorcycle on the 555.

[Ductape]

I would drive that with an RV now if the roads were dry. But the first time I drove it in an SUV I left finger prints in the steering wheel. 🙂

It all depends on the driver.

[GoHorns]

I can come in from the North via Montrose and Ridgway.... and avoid most of the hairpins.....

We are definitely going to make the drive south of Ouray.... we just may not be towing at the time....

[MWJones]

I don't think there is no other route. That hwy 550 is called the million dollar highway because they say that a million dollar's
worth of gold and silver was in the rock used to build it.

[ppine]

Those roads are not for the faint of heart. Most flat landers get pretty puckered pulling a trailer. The roads are narrow with a lot of truck traffic. There are few guard rails and huge dropoffs. Avoid them in the snow which can happen any time. You will enjoy yourself.