Mr Steve wrote: Any one have comments on traveling north on 550 from Durango to the 50? I heard it was great viewing, but a bit of a tough drive.
Depends on your diffination of tough. Durango to Silverton is nothing, some tight turns mostly perty good. Silverton to Ouray is a little different. Some drop offs on the way up to Red Mt Pass but generally 25 to 35 MPH. There was some road constructions which may or maynot be completed by now but it wasnt that big of a deal. Your escorted through the area. Going down to Ouray is all 25 MPH execpt for several 15 MPH switch backs. You have the mountion on your right and the drop offs on the left. I spent so much time paying attention to my speed I didnt even notice the left side. When I do that road again I will be a little more relaxed which may or maynot be a good thing. I was so worried about braking which turned out to be a non issue for me. The only time I had to touch the brakes was for the switch backs.
hpk
2000 Ford F-350 SRW 4X4 PSD 28' Prowler 50 gal X-ferflow in the bed tank. Banks big exhaust and Stinger kit.
One last dumb question at 550 north bound, is it 2 lanes, one north and one south? The reason I'm wondering so much about this route is that my wife gets real up tight on some mountain roads. Thanks
I drove the MH and towed from Durango to Siverton a month ago. No problems with that part of the 550. There is some fou lane noth of durango. There was one construction area where they had one lane with a traffic light controlling traffic but it did not hold us up too long. We did not go farther than Silverton so I will let others comment on that part of the road.
Harvard wrote: Lets not forget Mesa Verde just outside of Cortez, where the 12th Century Cliff Dwellers roosted....
Hey! I'm sitting in Mesa Verde RV Park right now, sippin' a brewski and planning tomorrow and I am at least a 14th or 15th century cliff dweller!
Seriously, all of the above comments are right on the mark. On Hwy 550 issues, the construction up on Red Mountain meant lots and lots of heavy trucks bringing materials to the site just east of the pass. Makes the turns a bit more snug, especially if you meet at the Bear Creek corner. To avoid that we took 145 south over Lizard head pass - an equally beautiful drive but much easier on the driver.
Speaking of gorgeous spots, the Trout Lake area just east of the Lizard Head pass is my choice except for those pesky -30 degree winters. Ahh...if only it were summer year long.
Me,DW & Max the Maltese
2005 Nissan Titan, Offroad Crewcab 4x4
FunFinder X-210
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quote: We stayed in Durango, Grand Junction and Fruita -- All in the South Western part of the state where the Colorado River starts at the rockies.
Actually, although the Colorado River runs through the Fruita/Grand Junction area it starts much further North of there, the river running through Durango is the Animas River, which flows South & West from Durango and merges with the San Juan River which flows westward to the Colorado at lake Powell, irregardless it is a great area to visit, lots to do and see in South West Colorado including Mesa Verde and the four corners area.
Mr Steve wrote: Any one have comments on traveling north on 550 from Durango to the 50? I heard it was great viewing, but a bit of a tough drive.
Huge amount of construction with thin windy curves that make it nail biting... They stop the traffic in either direction to get you through though. MAKE SOME TIME for the trip. took us two hours longer than the GPS gave me.
* This post was
edited 07/21/08 06:18pm by mposter *
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Mark, Lindi & Hayden
'05 Forest River Salem
'04 Chevy Silverado
fireman93514 wrote: I drove the MH and towed from Durango to Siverton a month ago. No problems with that part of the 550. There is some fou lane noth of durango. There was one construction area where they had one lane with a traffic light controlling traffic but it did not hold us up too long. We did not go farther than Silverton so I will let others comment on that part of the road.
Silverton to Durango is a cakewalk and a great visual experience. Some construction just outside of Silverton though. Ouray -- Great Stop!
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