Colorado trip--route

[kingfisher24]

from pueblo to bayfield/durango,,,up to grand Junction,,,I70 to boyd state park at loveland and then into kansas down into ok and then back to tejas…

any surprises on any of the routes for this trip?

thanks:lol

[dznf0g]

I did Showlow, AZ, to Durango to Grand Junction to Rocky Mtn NP last summer, purposfully taking all the mountain road I could find. No problems for me.

[mojo]

Depends on how comfortable you are with towing over mountain passes. It's all doable, but requires your undivided attention while driving Wolf Creek pass and 550 from Durango to Ouray.

[gmw photos]

If I were going from Gr Jct to Loveland, I would not just do I-70. You would miss some of the most scenic parts of the state. Getting off the interstate and doing some of the roads to the north, then making way over thru RMNP will net some of the best of Colorado. Be aware though that US34 from Estes Park over to Loveland is ( I assume ) still being re-constructed after the flood last September.

As others have said though, some of that will depend on your comfort level regarding towing over passes.
Taking I-70 would simply run you up over/thru Eisenhower tunnel.

If you have time and desire, I always love going up around the Walden ( North Park ) area. Then you could drop down thru the Poudre River canyon to Ft Collins.....then south to Loveland. If that way, choose your camp spots carefully because some of that was burned in the High Park fire two years ago. Mother nature has been beating up on Colorado the last few years.

[BGates]

The most challenging mountain pass in your route on US550 between Durango and Grand Junction is Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray. An alternative is to go over Lizard Head Pass and through Telluride. The pucker factor is much lower.

[Landrum]

Man I almost had a heart attack driving 550 a few years ago. There is NO WAY I I could handle that with the Airstream. Just the idea makes me want to throw up.

[eubank]

For when are you planning this trip? It's still kind of snowy at times even just south of the area in NM. This shot is from this morning:


Lynn

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Landrum

Man I almost had a heart attack driving 550 a few years ago. There is NO WAY I I could handle that with the Airstream. Just the idea makes me want to throw up.

I found it quite pleasurable with a 30'er. To each their own. I did it many years ago with an old (90s) suburban, a 22' SOB with only a friction sway control...much more harrowing.

Last year, with a 30'AS, a 2500 duramax with exhaust brake and a HAHA, it was like driving a sports car in comparison. No issues at all.

[eubank]

I don't think that 550 (Durango - Ouray) has many killer grades that require extraordinary power or even super-tight curves that will cause you to block traffic. It does, however, offer some relatively narrow roads in parts, with sharp, scary-feeling cliffs off to the side.


Lynn

[ghaynes755]

Colorado 550 = great views, nice road, steep drop offs. Oh and did I mention that we don't have guard rails. Who needs stinking guard rails. Someone asked when you are going. Rt 34 through RMNP may not be fully open until later in May. We had great snowfall this year. Last year opening was May 24.

[Dan and Liz]

If you decide to drive I70, just be aware the downgrades on the eastern slope can be treacherous --particularly since it will be crowded and there will be a lot of people who are completely clueless about mountain driving. I avoid it if at all possible, towing or not.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Dan and Liz

If you decide to drive I70, just be aware the downgrades on the eastern slope can be treacherous --particularly since it will be crowded and there will be a lot of people who are completely clueless about mountain driving. I avoid it if at all possible, towing or not.

Eisenhower to Denver can be a little bit "intense" with traffic at times .

Towing, you won't do a lot of relaxing thru that stretch....kinda have to keep an eye on everybody, as cars running solo like to run pretty fast, even uphill, but especially downhill, most of the time.
For the most part, when towing in stretches like that, to me, it's mostly about staying in the slow lane and driving your own drive.

[gamakai]

Traveled HWY 50 thru Kansas to HWY 160 in Colorado this past week-end. Good roads and light traffic--snow and ice still on Wolf Pass. Drive slow and careful and you want have any problems

[vinstream]

Correct me if I'm wrong.... But the reason to come see beautiful Colorful Colorado is to see the mountains?! So come see them, enjoy them and stay off the funny legal stuff and drive safe!

PS the reason for no guard rails is to push the snow off the road... True fact!

[SafariSS]

Originally Posted by Landrum

Man I almost had a heart attack driving 550 a few years ago. There is NO WAY I I could handle that with the Airstream. Just the idea makes me want to throw up.

550 is so beautiful it would be a shame to miss it. I have pulled my 30 that route three times, you just have to take it very slow and easy and dont care if someone is behind you. There are passing lanes for speeding subarus.

I would not take it if i had a marginal tow vehicle or questionable trailer brakes.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Landrum]

It was VERY beautiful, and I'm sure I'd do it given the chance. When I drove 550 I had just finished the Alpine Loop in a jeep, so I had two days of white knuckle and adrenaline filled driving. We don't have roads like that in Arkansas.......

[Ahab]

Taken at 10,000' on top one of the several passes on the way to Gunnison. If we had people behind us it was no biggy to pull in one the many pull offs on the way. Most of the time we were able to stay ahead of the Pack.

[Denis4x4]

Originally Posted by BGates

The most challenging mountain pass in your route on US550 between Durango and Grand Junction is Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray. An alternative is to go over Lizard Head Pass and through Telluride. The pucker factor is much lower.

This adds about an hour more and 60 miles to the trip. Having put a new Jeep over the edge due to black ice on Molas pass, my wife refuses to go over Red Mountain any more. Quite frankly, the scenery on 145 is every bit as impressive as that on on 550 in my opinion. If you do go on 550, be sure and stop at the Memorial for snow plow drivers that have died on that stretch of the road.

[gmw photos]

Originally Posted by Denis4x4

.....snip....

If you do go on 550, be sure and stop at the Memorial for snow plow drivers that have died on that stretch of the road.

....and snow plow drivers are not the only ones that have a hard time with this stretch. I snapped these two pics of a gas tanker coming down the hill while I was on a bike trip a few years ago. Ah....the smell of burning brake linings in the mountains.....

[ggoat!!!]

That poor sagging Honda...where is the weight distribution?

Just think how much that front axle (which is the primary drive axle) is unloaded coming down a 10,000ft mountain pass...

Egads!