Drive from Durango to Telluride

[Basketball Jones]

OK. I've done the Purgaory/SIlverton/Ouray/Telluride drive (and back) and, though it was beautiful, I'd like to avoid it if possible this time. How is the Mancos/Dolores/Rico/Telluride route?

 

[A. BETTIK]

Just as good, but apples and oranges. My most recent drive through there was a year ago.

My initial thoughts of Cortez were of a national park driven desert town, but the trip to Dolores convinced me of a thriving farming community supported by McPhee Reservoir. We stopped at the turnoff to Dolores to get snacks and caught some brief glimpses of the reservoir along the way to Dolores.

I enjoyed the drive up 145 from Dolores. There was the long and steady climb to altitude as sandstone canyon walls heightened. I still remember one ranch that struck me as prime, lush grass meadows extending up tributary creeks, boxed in by steep pined canyon walls.

I don't remember Stoner or Rico now. After Rico 145 climbs to a pass with fourteeners to the west. We got some fantastic views and pictures as these mountians busily generated afternoon rain and snow storms for us. These views alone would be worth the route choice.

The drive from Alta to Keystone was iconically scenic and lush as well off to the east on the hill overlooking Telluride to the north.

Leaving Telluride, I was also impressed with the steep drop in altitude down to Placerville. But you have already experienced this part of the journey from the other direction.

The route into Ridgeway has a nice view to the south, especially around sunset. And Ridgeway was recently in the national news a few months back for some political thing I can't remember now. Still, it struck me as a nice town as well.

I still dream about Ouray and the canyon it nestles in. Geogrhaphy does that to me.

 

[Basketball Jones]

I have made the drive over to Cortez when we went to the national park. Just never further
The drive through Silvertion and Ouray was spectacular, though butt-clenching