Brian Norden Wrote:
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> I notice that you have included Cimarron in your-
> itinerary. If you have time, continue on to
> Gunnison
Depending on time, your health, etc. there are several side trips between Montrose and Gunnison to consider. A few of them are[1]:
-While driving East from Montrose, the grade is on your right (south). Just past the the slide area there is a turnoff with a dirt road which climbs up to the top of the mesa. When I was last there(2007) a washed out culvert near the hiway was a bit much for the rental car so I walked up a ways. Soon after you leave the hiway the road forks, the right fork follows Hairpin creek on the grade while the left fork goes up the hill and crosses the grade climbing out of Hairpin Creek less than a mile up the road. From there you can hike a bit on the grade either way. There are some neat views (before you reach the grade) back down the valley towards Cedar Creek and Montrose. Note that the turn (20 degrees, a little muleshoe type) which gave the creek its name is on private property and is fenced off on both levels (I tried) and that you can't see the curve from the fence. [this is one of those places I hope to get back to with more time and to get permission to enter, wrote down the name on the fence...]
-A few miles West of Blue Mesa Dam, between Cimmaron & Gunnison, right after you cross Pine Creek, there is a road to the left (North) that goes down to the base of the dam (can't get there)[2]. Part way down there is a parking lot and a trail down to river level (almost 300 stairsteps) where there is a short section of the grade you can walk in the upper Black Canyon. This is the route to the Morrow Point Res. boat tour. Never have done the tour, I'll let others talk about it.
- At Blue Mesa you can cross the dam (CO hiway 92) and drive about 5 miles to Pioneer Point overlook to have a good look at the Curacanti Needle. Trail down Curacanti Creek is a fun walk ( I never did find the "strenuous" part, but my standards are known to be a bit warped) *but* it ends far enough up the creek that, while you can see down to where the river used to be, you can't see the Needle without a swim/float. The road also has several nice views down into the canyon on the way out to P. Point.
-If you take CO 149 at Iola (to the right, South) about 20 miles it will lead you back to the Lake Fork just above where the Lake City branch left the "Little Black Canyon". At Gateview take a right (North) on Forest road 3009 which descends to the old grade and follows it into the canyon. At about the site of Burnam, this crosses the river and heads up Pine(Blue) Mesa. Take the right onto rd 3012 to continue following the grade. there is a pull-out at a site believed to be one of the construction camps from 1889 (not a lot there) and the road eventually ends at a small campround. From that point it is a short (easy) hike down the old grade to the reservoir.
-About 3 miles west of Gunnison there is a road that goes off to the left (south) which crosses the grade south of the river. Short road on grade towards Gunnison ends at sewage plant.
I also recommend a stop at, assuming it is still there, the Montrose forest service office to get some maps. Used to be free, still cheap, maps covering Gunnison, Uncompahgre, and San Juan National forests all used to be available there. Many of, or at least parts of, the grades show on these maps and will help you with finding them and ways to reach them. Also make for fun when dreaming of future trips! (Pick up, if you can, Rio Grande, San Isabel & Pike to cover most of the D&RG, RGS & DSP&P lines. Also Carson & Santa Fe forests in New Mexico.) Stops at Forest Service offices can often be a good source of maps and info...
That's probably more than you wanted to know/have time for, so I'll let others talk about things Montrose-Ridgway-Durango, etc.
hank
ps. similar questions have been asked here before, some exploration of the archives might prove fruitful...
[1] all road numbers are off my forest service map of Gunnison, ca 2005.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2018 12:14PM by hank.
