Re: Railroad Display in Black Canyon - Highway 50 Closures

tgbcvr Wrote:
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> We’re planning to travel that route in
> September, and I’ll be wanting to know if the
> 5:30-7:30 pm alternating traffic window is
> guaranteed for all travelers. If not it would be
> a bummer to wait in line till 7:30 pm and find you
> can’t get through, then have a 3+ hour detour to
> contend with.

The time slots are NOT guaranteed to pass all traffic. They open at the stated times and close at the stated times regardless of the number of vehicles still waiting. They advise queuing early and keeping your fingers crossed. When we were there a couple of weeks ago (traveling from a campsite up the Taylor River to the campground at Ridgway State Park), we elected to do the 92 detour. If you've never driven this road before, the first half of it is narrow, winding and steep in places as it winds in and out of the side canyons on the north rim of the Black Canyon with low speed limits. But it's quite spectacular with great views into the canyons and into the San Juan mountains, and it's completely paved. It's actually one of my favorite drives in the state.

East/West travel across the Colorado mountains can be a bit of a pain this year, with I70 closing regularly when it rains in Glenwood Canyon due to mud-slides from last year's fire, and US 50 more closed than open between Gunnison and Montrose. US 40 across the northern tier is open, but even there you face road construction on Rabbit Ears Pass. And 160 is open at the south end over La Veta and Wolf Creek Passes. But the middle? Dicey at best.

Scott