I am wondering if anybody has any first hand experience traveling to Ouray using this route thru the Gunnision area.
www.google.com
Trinidad to Walsenberg IH 25 North then taking what looks like 69 thru Gardener, Salida, Gunnison, Cimmeron, Montrose. That looks like pretty good stretch of Million Dollar Highway coming South out of Montrose. That southbound trek would put me on the outside lane with a view of the cliffs, but how intense is that stretch of road and the Gunnision area with that Vertical landscapes has me wondering also.
I am thinking going back thru Pagosa Springs on 160 to Durango then North on 550 might be the best way to go.
Not sure which way I want to come into to Ouray this time and looking to the board for first hand experiences with the roads leading to that area.
That Gunnison Area I would not know what to expect or that drive south out of Montrose. Not wanting to do anything crazy as I will be around 51 ft with the Jeep attached to the tow bar. Coming from Texas I have options. I want to avoid long stretches of Interstate travel, but be on roads that are decent and don't require any real craziness with a Motor Home towing a jeep either.
June 2020 we traveled a bit of Colorado Highways as we came out of Arches NP on Highway 191 South thru Monticello thru Dolores, Mancos on to Durango. That was the lower elevation easy drive. My only concern in June of 2020 was the Fires that were burning at that time throughout the state, but we were never effected by any of them at that time.
In June 2020 when we departed Durango North KOA for TX we traveled 160 East thru Pagosa Springs and then south thru New Mexico on 84 then east on 380 near Roswell NM into Texas, Down south on 87 thru Big Spring TX. That road is nice, the area immediately out of Pagosa Springs has vegetation right next to the road so you are just hoping that nothing jumps out.
June 2020 I had saw a Lexus with Utah Plates that had collided with a huge elk between Durango and Pagosa Springs. The collision put both the Lexus and the Elk out of operation. The Elk permanently. The Lexus had radiator and other major problems and it wasn't going any further under its own power I might add.
Is the route thru Gunnison
Not RV able?
What about that Stretch of 550 coming out of Montrose down South to Ouray?
I realize that 550 travel will be required at some point. I am not freaked out by the prospect as I am thinking 550 North out of Durango might be the option I want to take into Ouray. I have the mountain to my right hand side, seems pretty safe that direction to me.
Right Now I have myself in Vernon Texas planning my route into Ouray, Colorado