Take in breathtaking views of the Colorado Mountains, the Great Unconformity, and a seven-mile wooden trough bolted to the canyon wall.
The Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic Byway is a 5-hour or longer drive from Whitewater to Placerville by means of Route 141 and 145. Side trips can add many miles to what is one of the most breathtaking travels anywhere in the Colorado Mountains. This 133-mile drive intersects the Uncompahgre Plateau through the Unaweep Canyon. Start the trip on Route 141 in the town of Whitewater. Enter the Unaweep Canyon and make a very short stop at the Grand Valley Overlook. The view here is spectacular. Next, take a left and follow Divide Road which climbs 2 miles to a cattle guard, where you can view the Great Unconformity, a unique line between Precambrian granite and Triassic sandstone that represents a 2.2 billion-year gap in geological history.
Return to Route 141 and head west to the Unaweep Divide, where West Creek and East Creek flow in opposite directions. After passing Driggs Mansion, the canyon narrows, where you locate the West Creek Picnic Area. Further, the road opens up to the west side of the Uncompahgre Plateau. At the subsequent town of Gateway, you enter the Dolores River Canyon. Thirty miles along the river takes you to the dizzying Hanging Flume, a 7-mile wooden trough bolted to the canyon wall, a must to see. Past the town of Norwood, the road returns along the San Miguel River towards Placerville. Here, you can pick up the San Juan Skyway and make the return trip or drive on.
Starting Point:
Whitewater, CO
Distance of Drive:
133 Miles
Must Eat:
Hanging W Chuckwagon
160 Whiting Road, Whitewater, CO 81527
Phone: 970-256-9314
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Summer and Spring
Points of Interest on Drive:
Dolores River Canyon Uncompahgre National Forest
Tagged with: best time:spring and summer • Colorado • summer destinations
Filed under: Best Road Trips