SOUTH FORK, Co.

[Barry1951]

OK, , , ,In mid July, Patti, I and couple of more couples will be heading to South Fork, Co for a week.

Anyone know that area and can provide information on good rides? ? ? ? ?

[BigLenny]

You're gonna love that area.

 

From South Fork, ride Hwy 149 north until you get to Hwy 50. 149 is a beautiful ride with varying altitude changes. Don't miss it. When you get to Hwy 50, go west until you get to Montrose, Co. Between 149 and Montrose you will ride past the huge Blue Mesa Reservoir. It takes several miles to ride the reservoir. You'll also go through the quaint town of Gunnison, Co. Nice place to stop and take a break. On Hwy 50 just before you get to Montrose, make sure you go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It's on the right hand side of Hwy 50, and you hafta ride a road about 5 miles or so to get to the park, but YOU WILL NOT REGRET the detour.

 

Montrose is where you'll turn south and ride Hwy 550 (Million Dollar Highway), one of the great motorcycle roads in all of Colorado, and an absolute must ride. On this ride you will go through the old western towns of Ouray, and Silverton, and finish in the great western town of Durango. Great towns to stop and grab a T-shirt or a souvenir. You will experience all of the experiences that make motorcycling great on this highway. You'll go over three 10,000+ high passes on this highway, and between Ouray and Silverton, you'll experience some serious sheer drop offs beside the road that'll make your butt do a little puckering.

 

When you get to Durango, go east on Hwy 160. This highway will take you back to South Fork. Between Durango and South Fork, you'll go through a neat little town called Pagosa Springs, Co. This town is famous for its natural hot springs, and you'll see folks bathing in the hot springs as you go through downtown. Between Pagosa Springs and South Fork, you'll ride over 11,000ft Wolf Creek Pass and the Continental Divide. 160 is beautiful through there.

 

All of the towns I mentioned have great places to grab a bite to eat.

[BigLenny]

I take that back. The town of Gunnison is not between Hwy 149 and Montrose on Hwy 50. Gunnison would be to your east when get to Hwy 50 from 149. Don't worry about it though, theres really nothing that is a must to see in Gunnison.

 

One serious note though: When you're riding 149 from South Fork up to Hwy 50, make sure you stop and get gas at Lake City on Hwy 149. If you don't, when you get to Hwy 50, you'll hafta take a detour east to Gunnison to get gas before you head back west to Montrose. there are no gas stations on Hwy 50 between 149 and Montrose. But, if you get gas at Lake City, you won't have to worry about that.

[Dragonslayer]

The Black Canyon on the Gunnison, State park is well worth the ride and visit. Also if you get to Lake City that is a neat little tourist town to stop in. In the summer time, the town is full of young beautiful Russian girls they import for their tourist industry. They have one bar owned by a young kid. I stopped there on the way back from Sturgis in August of 2008, and ended up spending three days there. Tell everybody the Dragonslayer said Hello.