Route East out of Colorado??

[KyDan]

Edit- this trip begins June 1 so we're hoping ice/snow won't be an issue!!

We are spending some time in Montrose CO.
Google maps and RV Life trip wizard suggest different exit routs heading
East from Montrose.
Google suggests a southern route on US50 east then a short jog up CO 115 to Colorado Springs.
RV Life trip wizard suggests northern route CO 90 northwest to Grand Junction and then I 70 east to Denver.

We are going to Montrose from Lincoln Nebraska so the northern route getting there makes sense.
Going back east I'm wondering what you folks familiar with the area might suggest???

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Edit- this trip begins June 1 so we're hoping ice/snow won't be an issue!!

We are spending some time in Montrose CO.
Google maps and RV Life trip wizard suggest different exit routs heading
East from Montrose.
Google suggests a southern route on US50 east then a short jog up CO 115 to Colorado Springs.
RV Life trip wizard suggests northern route CO 90 northwest to Grand Junction and then I 70 east to Denver.

We are going to Montrose from Lincoln Nebraska so the northern route getting there makes sense.
Going back east I'm wondering what you folks familiar with the area might suggest???

HWY 50 from Montrose to CO springs is very scenic and worth it . It'll be slower and a couple passes but 70 has passes also . I would choose that route if you haven't been that way before .

[DougW]

US 50 east is a beautiful drive. Monarch pass is a pretty good climb but if you are careful and use proper mountain driving techniques you should be fine. You certainly don’t want to be in a hurry going over this route.

[aceinspp]

Seeing how you will be on highway 50 leaving Montrose CO might want to stay on this route and go into Kansas and visit some of the western towns like Dodge City then head towards Abilene taking highway 50/56 to 156 to I70. Abilene and visit Gray hound museum and Eisenhower museum Library. Later RJD

[ppine]

Take a different route. There is a lot to see in CO.

[HangDiver]

As a resident of Montrose, we almost always use Hwy 50 when heading east. Monarch Pass is steep and long but I've pulled my TT over it many times. You can also avoid Monarch if you wish by taking CO 114 between Parlin and Saguache which brings you into the beautiful San Luis Valley. Then its a short 1-hr drive north to get back to Hwy 50 again.

Let me know if you need other suggestions of places to go/do while here.

Rich

[Domer1972]

In August, after stays in Durango and Pueblo, we're taking US-50 east through southern Kansas - heading to Dodge City. Last year we took the route through northern Kansas US-36 - about as interesting as Kansas can be. When possible, we avoid the interstate highways. Whichever way you go, enjoy!

[KyDan]

Thanks for the info!! FYI we were last in the area 2005 and again 2010.
I remember Monarch pass and have a foto somewhere....
We've stopped at Abilene KS twice for the night and saw the Greyhound museum and Eisenhower boyhood home and museum.

Suggestions for hiking, sight seeing and day trips in and around Montrose CO would be much appreciated!!

Also- in 2010 we were camping in the vicinity of Durango and took the steam train to Silverton one day. Later we rode our motorcycle to Telluride and then took the gondola lift up the mountain. It was July 3 and the whole place was decorated for the 4th. Fun times!!

[DougW]

Originally Posted by KyDan

.

Suggestions for hiking, sight seeing and day trips in and around Montrose CO would be much appreciated!!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Drive the Million Dollar Highway through Silverton to Durango, Spend a bit of time in Silverton. Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction is a good day trip.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by DougW

Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Drive the Million Dollar Highway through Silverton to Durango, Spend a bit of time in Silverton. Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction is a good day trip.

Yes!
Thanks for the suggestions.
We actually camped on top of the Colorado National Monument for one night in 2010. What a view!! Great hiking there too.

[HangDiver]

Since your trip starts in early June I'll avoid one long post and simply add to this thread periodically to offer some ideas for your stay here in western Colorado.

For starters we almost never use I-70 when traveling from the Denver area to Montrose, wether pulling a trailer or not. Instead, a much more scenic and easier drive (in my opinion) is to take CO Hwy 285 from the southwest part of Denver all the way to Hwy 50 in Poncha Springs. Google maps will tell you its 20-minutes longer than taking I-70 to Montrose. Still, its much more scenic and easier drive.

If you choose this route, there will be a fair amount of traffic for the first 25-minutes as you leave the Denver area until you pass the town of Baily, CO. From Baily the rest of the drive to Poncha Springs is relaxing and scenic. Once in Poncha Springs you can turn west on Hwy 50 and go over Monarch Pass. Or you can avoid Monarch Pass altogether and continue south on Hwy 285 to Saguache, CO. From Saguache take CO 114 in Saguache west to Parlin, CO. At Parlin turn west on Hwy 50 and head to Montrose.

Taking Hwy 285 will save you from all the fun and games on I-70 over Floyd Hill, the climb up to the Eisenhower Tunnel, Vail Pass, and Glenwood Canyon.

Regardless of which route you choose keep checking CDOT (https://www.cotrip.org/list/events) for road closures. Recent mud slides in burn scar areas of Glenwood Canyon have caused various I-70 road closures in the Canyon with very long detours.

I've attached a map to highlight the route described above. There's another alternative route from the Denver area that I'll describe in another post.

[KyDan]

I like your suggestion to take 285 to Poncha Springs! In fact I've routed it RV Life trip wizard and will print the turn by turn shortly.

Now you've got me wondering about our exit from Montrose.
I need to get back to I70 at Limon CO.
So I take US 50 east from Montrose thru Canon City to Penrose.
From Penrose what route do you suggest.
By this time we will be needing to get home as fast as possible so sight
seeing is not a priority. The grandkids are coming and we gotta get
home!

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by KyDan

I need to get back to I70 at Limon CO.
So I take US 50 east from Montrose thru Canon City to Penrose.
From Penrose what route do you suggest.
By this time we will be needing to get home as fast as possible so sight
seeing is not a priority. The grandkids are coming and we gotta get
home!

I suggest taking CO 115 north from Penrose to Colorado Springs. Then connect to CO 24 to get to Limon from the Springs. CO-115 is mostly 4 lanes and travel along that stretch is generally pretty fast. Hwy 24 should also be relatively quick up to Limon. The bottle neck will be navigating through CO Springs. Our front range cities (Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, Denver, Boulder, FT Collins) are notoriously over congested. Avoid those places during rush hour(s) if you can. If I were in a hurry to get to Limon, the route above is what I would take.

[HangDiver]

Curious about what camground you'll be staying in? If you're into fishing, biking, hiking, golf??

There's a long bike path that runs through Montrose along the Uncompahgre River, with a water park.

[HangDiver]

As mentioned in an earlier post Black Canyon of the Gunnison passes through Montrose County.

[HangDiver]

I might also suggest a day trip to Telluride which is only about 65 miles away. When we have visitors we'll park in the Telluride Mountain Village parking garage and take the free Gondola up over the summit of Gold Hill and then back down into the town of Telluride. Same for the reverse trip back to the car at the end of the day.

[HangDiver]

Here's a guide for some nearby hiking ideas...

https://www.visitmontrose.com/outdoo...vities/hiking/

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by HangDiver

Curious about what camground you'll be staying in? If you're into fishing, biking, hiking, golf??

There's a long bike path that runs through Montrose along the Uncompahgre River, with a water park.

Thanks loads!!

We have 2 weeks at River Bend RV park and cabins. We're next to the river and alongside our friends from Phoenix.
We do enjoy bike riding on pavement -we don't do off-road much at all.
Rita is really proud of her 1960's era lady Schwinn skinny tire 3 sp bicycle.
We hadn't planned to bring bikes this trip tho.... I'm thinking the bike path you mention is also a good walk.
We enjoy hiking and plan to explore many of the day trip type trails in the area. Never played golf and don't fish much any more...
Way back in 2010 we spent a couple nights at Mancos state park and rode our motorcycle up to the Mountain village parking garage and then took the gondola over the top to Telluride. It was July 2 or 3 and the whole town was decorated for the 4th.
We actually spent the night of July 4th in the Walmart parking lot in Garden City KS.
2 rounds of severe thunderstorms made it a very memorable night!!

[HangDiver]

Nice photos. Glad you found the info above helpful. The south end of the River Walk bike path has very easy access starting right near your campground on Chipeta Rd. Whats a bit funny is that our kitchen window looks out at a nearby pasture and the Riverbend camground... you picked a nice spot.

Rich

[fanrgs]

I don't understand why the OP is asking. CO90 is a mostly gravel road that goes southwest from Montrose to Naturita, not anywhere near I-70. The problem with US 50 east of Montrose is that it is one 10'-wide lane on weekdays due to construction near Sapinero. Knowing that, I personally would use US 50 to Delta, then CO 133 to Carbondale, and CO 82 to Glenwood Springs, which puts the OP on I-70.

The only reason to take US 50 all the way from Montrose to Grand Junction is speed. As far as scenery, that route is actually pretty ugly--dry, gray-tan, alkali-stained Mancos shale hills. I know because I am a geologist and have lived and worked in Colorado for 60 years.

If you want more info on alternative routes suggested by others, see my Colorado Rockies RV camping blog HERE.