Hello,

We're mapping out our route on a road trip in late May this year...looking to take Highway 50 from Canon City to Grand Junction in the afternoon... I've never taken this highway... wondering how the road is? Fairly smooth? Lots of twisties? Great scenery?

Should I expect 3-4 hours for this route? Also, what to do in Grand Junction.. planning on being there around 6 or so...

Thanks!!!

 

Highway 50 is twisty, scenic, narrow, steep, traveled and terrifying. Places have shear drops of 300 ft or more off the side. Traffic can be bad with numerous tourists (though May might not be too bad) and huge motor homes & RVs. Gunnison to Delta will be the worst and best. Sometimes there are cops, especially around the small towns. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is incredible as is the Royal Gorge.
Great road, I love it! Have fun, be careful and be mindful of the weather (even at the end of May).

 

I read that first sentence to my wife....got a grimace in return

 

I'd have to say 50 is a good MINI road. I've driven it a few times but unfortunately without SPOON. Each time I've been on the road I want to get home so I can take SPOON out on some of the twisties hehe.

Watch out for slow moving vehicles but you should be able to pass them on the uphill sections.

I'd highly recommend any MINI owner to drive this highway.

Can't really recommend anything to do in GJ because the times I've been there it was for work. Sorry.

 

A trip to Grand Junction would not be complete without a visit to and through Colorado National Monument on Rim Rock Drive (click here for map). It's very scenic, especially in the early morning and late evening, when the colors are best from the low sun (for photos).

Note that MINI5280 has scheduled a road trip to Grand Junction/Palisade (wine country), Colorado Nat'l Monument and Gateway Auto Museum (Gateway is 1 hr sw of GJ) the weekend of June 8 - 10.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I've got performance tires on Ruska...any concerns w/ snow/ice on that road at the end of May?

 

Snow/ice in Colorado? In the mountains? Only until the end of July.
Just keep an eye on the weather - really though I was caught in a whiteout near Leadville one July 4th. Wasn't sticking too bad though and no road closures. You will be above 9,000 ft and close to 10,000 ft in spots.
Should be a fun trip though.

 

Hey Guys, We live in Grand Junction and met some of you at MITM last year. What is there to do here!!! We have lived here 30 years and do know of some roads to play on. What do some of you want to do?? Alpine roads, canyons and just pure beauty, of course twisties and good long stretches all this on 1 road you bet!!! Bring your camera of course!!!Binoculars are recommemded too!! We are looking forward to having all you MINI-Nuts over here. 300 foot drop offs on a shoulder of a road, hehehe, your in a MINI thank goodness!!How long do you want to be here? We have a beginning of a Mini Club here and our web site is,
www.3MClubMini.com Should be a fun trip.... It will be fun!!

 

I think we're spending the night there before heading on further to Yosemite...not in a huge hurry though

 

Nice Twisties!
Have fun!

 

As a former resident of the Grand Valley, do not forget that the areas with the 300-1000 ft drop offs (mountain cliffs) DO NOT usually have containment devices, ie: Guard Rails, installed. I think this is CDOT's answer to keep the DWI population down. BTW, JohnBLZ, a nice detour for you off of HWY 50 would be to hang a right turn in Delta on HWY 92 then left on HWY 65 and drive over the Grand Mesa. Time of about 2-2/12 hrs.

 

you MUST take a quick detour up Skyline Drive. As 50 turns north out of Canon City, watch for the sign on your right (you will see the hogback up there). It is a 1 way road up, and nice and narrow, tho room to pass. It is not a long road but it goes up high towering over Canon City and the valley.

Check it out on your Google Maps - it is that long straight narrow road parallel to 50, with a few switchbacks at the top. It drops you right back into a neighborhood in the city and you are on your way. At most a 10 minute diversion.

Check out the picture at the top of this page (in NAM, the header). Those 3 MINIs - yellow, red and blue - are at the top of Skyline Drive. That is what you will do and see. Gorgeous and worth a picture.

Check it out.

Jonathan

 

Great Tip! Thanks!

 

Wife and I are still planning out this trip...doing white water rafting in the morning and driving west on H50 that afternoon. If we decided not to stay in Grand Junction but a little further west, any recommendations? We're in Vegas the night after that and wanted to get in a little earlier than the 8 hour drive from Grand Junction.

Thanks again all for the tips!

 

Green River is about 90 miles west of GJ. As another former resident of the Grand Valley, I can honestly say that hotels are fairly expensive there, especially, duirng the summer months. Green River is a nice one to stay in and other than that, I would say just drive to Vegas. It's about 7 hours really, as the Utah State Patrol doesn't "patrol" like they used to.

 

Still toying w/ the idea.

The only thing holding us back is the thought of driving 10-12 hours after spending the morning white water rafting.

 

We drove Skyline today..excellent road!I didn't think that anything could be more unnerving than driving across the Royal Gorge bridge but Skyline ranks right up there when you have a tailgater...Will post pics when we get back.Thanks again!

 

The Royal Gorge is like no other! Here's are a few photos of Colorado (MINI5280) and New Mexico MINIs on that bridge in 2004 for our "Run for the Corners Ride" (click Prev and Next to view more): http://coloradorick.smugmug.com/gall.../9064942/Large

Rick