need Denver, Colorado - Salt Lake City ideas. input.

hey,

out of a 30 day coast to coast to coast trip, this is the only 4 days/ 3 nights that i must really plan out. i am picking up my wife in Denver, CO where she will fly in to, and we are going through independence pass, estes park and on to Salt Lake for her flight home. we will do about 200-300 miles a day, or up to 7 hours driving if necessary. first weekend in June.. long days, and indy pass should be open.

if any of you COLORADO, UTAH or other savvy travelers have any good points in between... please let me know.

the route shown in this attached map - CLICK HERE - is something she showed me, and based on more scenic than other routes she saw. the route shows up kind of light on here, but is visible.

thanks in advance for any help.

rob

 

If you're not in a huge hurry, out of Denver, head towards Golden and CO-46 West. 46 will "T" at CO-72...make a right on CO-72 north. This is a nice road that runs behind/through the Flatiron Mountains. There's a cool little bar in Nederland that I forget the name of... Stay north and at Redmond, CO take CO-7 North to Estes Park. This route is way more scenic and keeps you out of all that Broomfield and Boulder traffic.

Cruise through the park. Just down the road from Granby is Hot Sulphur Springs. They have amazing hot springs there to relax in (the only hot springs waterfall I've ever seen!). They also have campsites and cabins if you're ready to stop for the day.

The route you show on your map from Kremmling to Edwards has a few unpaved sections - I hope you know that. The route to Kremmling is nice, but I'll suggest another route from Granby to Independence Pass:

From Granby, stay south on US-40 towards Winter Park. There are some awesome curves on this section...a few hairpins...be ready for them! When US-40 intersects I-70, take I-70 West about 20 miles and exit at Georgetown. Take US-6 over Loveland Pass and on to Dillon. This little side trip is awesome unless you had your heart set on riding through the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70!

Get back on I-70 West at Dillon for about 10 miles. Take the exit for Copper Mountain/CO-91. CO-91 will take you over Fremont Pass and right into Leadville - a really neat old mining town.

At Leadville, head south on US-24 and hang a right on CO-82. This will take you over Indy Pass and down into Aspen. Stay on CO-82 to Glenwood Springs and I-70 West.

I-70 West between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction is actually a very scenic and fun stretch of superslab. Stay on I-70 into Utah and take the exit for US-6 in Green River. The next section from Green River to Price is straight as a board and boring, but if you've never been here, the Book Cliffs and Roan Cliffs are actually kind of pretty (they line the road).

DO NOT SPEED through Wellington, Price or Helper. Always a speed trap there! Now it gets fun...US-6 goes through Spanish Fork Canyon which is a great ride. US-6 will hit I-15 in Spanish Fork, UT. Take I-15 North and you'll be in SLC in about an hour.

Let me know if you want some fun riding in and around SLC. Have fun!

 

thanks for the input.
i will try to follow those on the map tomorrow.

thanks again

 

wow! that's a hell of a response!

one thing...kinda out of your way...but the road SOUTH from Glenwood/Carbondale...82 south to 133 over into paonia...ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS:



you would then head west on 92, north on 50 into Grand Junction...

 

nice.

i knew i would get responses, but you guys are what makes this forum rock!

since the OL will only be with me for about 4 days of the 30.... i want those 4 days to be kinda scenic for her. she will sit on her queen platform, and just stare at the scenery. keeps her quiet.

 

That road south is absolutely breathtaking. It's actually a lot nicer going FROM Paonia 133 to the 82 because when you start coming down iont the valley...the one you're looking at in the pic...it's just amazing.

My mom lives there. If the damn town didn't have only 5000 people and one bar one grocery I'd probably live there. It's really nice.

Hell, man...damn near the entire state of Colorado is gorgeous!

Another AWESOME thing to do would be to take the cutoff from the 133 and head over to Crested Butte and then down into Gunnison / Montrose, but that's about 25 miles of totally unpaved road. It's pretty well maintained in the summer...


you COULD modify BlackBastard's idea and continue south on the 24 to the 285 south to the 50W, then N on the 135 into Crested Butte then west on CR 12 (the unpaved but nice one GORGEOUS) then North on 133 to 82 into Glendwood but that's adding a lot of miles obviously.

Damn...can I come?

 

Another thought and this pushes your mileage a little bit.
Denver to Glenwood Springs, then 133 to Paonia, then down to Montrose, then to Ouray, Co. About 315 miles.

Next day, Silverton, Durango, Co, to Monticello, Ut, to Blanding Ut. You can stay there or press on to Hanksville Ut, which will be about 315 again for the day.

Third day, Hanksville through Capital Reef, to Torrey, then south toward Boulder and Escalante. The first 30 miles out of Torrey is spectacular. Head on over to Bryce Canyon, then pick a spot to stay around there.

Last day, up 89 to Salina, then 28 to Nephi, then the last 70 miles is I15 to Salt Lake.

Lots of options and variables, but a beautiful trip.

 

thanks for the assistance.
the wife's head is spinning now. lol.

i'm going to stay on top of the road conditions in advance... maybe a call to the local PD, and road crews to see how those roads are at the time we are going. i'll keep the plan flexible too. i am willing and able to cover some serious mileage if needed, and the OL is a trooper <-- read non-complainer... so we should be ok.

i like learning the local mindset and ideas on the roads. a map in hand just doesn't do the roads justice.

 

When it gets a little closer to travel time, check out this page: http://www.dot.state.co.us/ The upper left "Travel Info" button will give you road conditions, road closures (for the passes...I'd check on RMNP and Indy Pass in early June...you never know) and major construction projects.

If you have the time, I would take JustDave's advice and take CO-133 south from Carbondale. That is one beautiful road! Hook back up with I-70 in GJ or follow Time2Cruise's route through Utah.

Either way, that CO-133 should not be missed, and it's not much of a detour from my original suggestion. No matter what, you and the OL will get plenty of nice scenery!

 

the park, and state contacts assure me that the road will be open on, or before memorial day weekend. however, they caution that it may be snow blown and/or icy. my plans can bend, and be molded accordingly. i'd really like to do indy pass, but can understand the weather situation.

i will keep on top of the conditions. thanks for the link.