Roads in Colorado
 

We want to visit Telluride in early June and then drive to Pueblo and Colorado Springs. I am a "white
knuckle" passenger and would appreciate it if someone can tell me which route is less "Hairy", wider and not "hanging along the edge of cliffs"- route 50 or route 160?? Thanks for your help.

I don't know about 50, but we took 160 from Mea Verde over to 25. It was pretty wide all the way and had a few curvy places, but nothing that would make me scared. There were some very pretty areas going through the mountains.

Going via 160 is almost 400 miles and 7 hours. Going via 50 is about 5.5 hours and 290 miles. Are you willing to drive that far out of the way? It's a beautiful ride on 50.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_50

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_Pass

160 is longer, as is going north up to Grand Junction and then east on I-70. But I can tell you, as a driver/passenger who has a problem with heights, I wasn't real happy two weeks ago when we drove on 50 over Monarch Pass to and from Crested Butte. There are definitely dropoffs (DH's comment was that it would be worse in the summer, because at least in the winter, there's snow piled up between the road and the edge). I let DH drive the Monarch Pass portion, and I sat (sweaty palms) and pretended to read my book. Except for the 10 miles or so by Monarch Pass, the rest of the road is fine and the scenery beautiful (as it is in many places in Colorado).

If you can handle being stressed for that part, then it's worth the time you save in taking that route.

Lexma90- I cannot handle the stress and don't care about the time.
Are there guard rails along the Monarch Pass portion and the rest of Route 50? Is 160 less stressful? We have an extra day built into our trip and will stop over night if we take the longer route.
It will ruin my trip if I know that we will be driving close to the road edge and we are going at the beginning of June. Will there still be snow along the edge?

This should show you what you want [don't want] to see -

http://www.takemytrip.com/10utco/08n_25a.htm

Where are you before you head to Telluride? What route do you plan to get there? The 2 main routes into Telluride involve roads that you won't like [ SR 145 from Dolores/Cortez as well as SR 550 from Durango. ]

I should mention that SW Colorado is mountainous. If you are that scared of these kinds of roads, perhaps this is not the place for you to drive/visit. I don't say this to be nasty, but it seems like you may be VERY uncomfortable driving in Colorado. The areas you want to drive in/through is full of winding, steep, narrow roads. Seriously, rethink this trip.

I have a home in the area, frequently drive to Telluride on both of the SR listed above, and there are several sections that would make you nervous. There should not be snow on edges of road by June on those SR.

I might have to agree with Debi. Go to other parts of Colorado that are served by the "big" roads. I'll say that the Crested Butte road was much joked about by son and friends--who said they would only take a rental car over that road.

Which is the Crested Butte Road?

I think she was just trying to use that road as an example of what the roads are like. Crested Butte is north of Gunnison, no where you would need to go.

Seriously, rethink this plan; I can "hear" the panic in your words.

I think she was just trying to use that road as an example of what the roads are like. Crested Butte is north of Gunnison, no where you would need to go.

Seriously, rethink this plan; I can "hear" the panic in your words.

I know, but is it applicable to the roads around Telluride also.

I understand what you are saying Gretchen and agree with you 100% but I think the OP is really getting it.

I've never had a problem with any road in Colorado, but these were the most dangerous roads in that state in 2008:

* Interstate 25 in Adams and El Paso Counties
* Highway 50 in Pueblo and Delta/Montrose Counties
* Highway 287 in Larimer County
* Interstate 70 in Mesa, Eagle, and Clear Creek Counties
* Highway 13 in Rio Blanco County
* Colorado 172 in La Plata County
* Colorado 160 in Archuleta, Rio Grande, and Costilla Counties
* Colorado 92 in Delta/Montrose Counties
* Colorado 550 in Montrose/Ouray Counties
* ’30 Area’ in Jefferson County
* Highway 119 in Boulder County

HTTY

Thanks to everyone. Debi, we greatly appreciate your honesty and decided you are right and have slightly changed our itinerary. We are passing on Telluride and that area. We will take highway and do Colorado Spings and Denver.

Mavip, I hadn't checked this posting in a bit. As another fear-of-heights person, I would agree with the other peoples' postings about the road to Crested Butte. As for getting to Telluride, it's been enough years since we've been there that I don't recall what the roads (and dropoffs) are like. You've made a good decision for you.

And if you decide you'd like to get into the mountains a bit, I think that driving I-70 should be ok. There are some areas with what I think of as somewhat like a dropoff (others probably don't even notice), and one 1-mile stretch with a kind-of dropoff and no guardrail, but the highway is two or three lanes in each direction and has a nice, wide shoulder. I'm ok as long as we're not driving in that outside lane.

mavip, I think you have made a sound decision. Its your vacation and you should do what makes YOU happy/comfortable. There are plenty of other sites along the way, enjoy your trip.

Yes, you can certainly enjoy the mountains along I70. No problem. don't miss it.