A Commemorative Guide & Roadmap
UNAWEEP-TABEGUACHE SCENIC & HISTORIC BYWAY
Your Roadmap to the Sights & Attractions of the
An adventurous journey through history, geology, culture,
and nature awaits you on the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic
& Historic Byway (UTB).
The UTB is located in western Colorado, south of the city
of Grand Junction. It extends from Whitewater, Colorado to
Placerville, Colorado, passing through the communities of
Gateway, Naturita, Redvale and Norwood. With short spurs
o the Byway to Nucla, Bedrock/Paradox & Disappointment
Valley. The Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway
is a hidden gem in Colorado’s State Byway program, having
characteristics and resources of regional, state, national and
global significance. Passing through the spectacular canyon
country of the Colorado Plateau, the Byway exposes travelers
to the scenic, natural, geologic, historic and cultural treasures
of the Byway corridor. The Byway corridor contains vast
tracts of public land that provide unparalleled recreational
opportunities that contribute to the local economies.
Join Us!
UNAWEEP-TABEGUACHE SCENIC & HISTORIC BYWAY
NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE
The Fremont and Anasazi Indians, which
lived throughout all of Colorado, inhabited
these canyons between 750 A.D. and 1200
A.D. They cultivated crops, built masonry
structures and hunted the indigenous
wildlife until the 13th century when they
disappeared from the area. Most of the
artifacts from these ancient civilizations
are gone due to natural forces, but some
artifacts and petroglyphs are still visible
today scattered along the Byway. Later, the
Ute Indians came to inhabit this area and
are considered the oldest living inhabitants
of Western Colorado.
EARLY EXPLORERS
Two early explorers representing Spain
traveled through parts of the Scenic Byway.
The first was Juan Antonio Maria de Rivera,
who made two trips into what is now
western Colorado. In 1765, his expedition
was to investigate the possibility of silver
mines. The second expedition in 1776 was
led by Fray Francisco Atanasio Dominguez
and Fray Silvestre Velez de Escalante who
kept a journal that recorded their route and
adventures. The expedition’s purpose was
to find a safe supply route from Santa Fe,
New Mexico to the missions in California.
EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT
Beginning in the 1870’s and through the
1920’s, various metals and elements were
discovered in the canyon walls. Mining
for gold, copper and carnonite (used to
produce radium, uranium, and vanadium)
spurred European settlers to move to
the area. By 1922, most of the mining
operations were closed until, as a part of
the Manhattan Project, the U.S. Army
reprocessed the mill tailings to produce
uranium used in the first atomic bombs.
From the 1940’s to the 1980’s, uranium
mining fluctuated. All mining had ceased
until recently. Now mining along the UTB
is increasing demand due to oil and gas, as
well as uranium.
RANCHING & AGRICULTURE
The Ute Treaty of 1880 signed by Chief
Ouray removed the Ute Indians from the
area. There was a massive land rush where
ranchers settled throughout the Byway.
Many original homesteads are still
standing today.
Along with the honest cattle ranchers came
horse thieves and outlaws who used the
maze of canyons as an easy hideout. Some
famous outlaws such as the McCarthy
brothers were among the thieves. The
McCarty brothers were a group of outlaws
run by Tom McCarty, a Mormon bandit
who was one of the first to introduce Butch
Cassidy to the life of banditry. Tom McCarty
and younger brother Bill began to rustle
cattle in the 1870s, but by the 1890s, they
formed the McCarty Gang and stepped up
to robbing banks.
Cattle ranching and farming are a major
part of the UTB communities’ culture today.
During the spring and fall, lucky Byway
tourists may encounter a cattle drive.
HERITAGE & CULTURE
UTB wildlife includes golden and bald eagles, peregrine falcons, black
bears, mountain lions, desert bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyote, elk, deer,
fox, rabbits and many more reptiles and mammals. The areas on the rivers
and streams (riparian habitat) provide homes for a variety of species
including great blue herons and river otters. The streams and rivers
themselves are home to rainbow and brown trout and countless aquatic
insects. Best viewing takes place early in the morning and in
the evening.
To ensure the safety of all creatures wild, domestic, and human – please:
• Drive with caution at all times and especially during low light &
visibility hours.
• Use binoculars, spotting scopes or telephoto lenses to view wildlife
from a distance.
• If an animal’s behavior changes by your presence, you are too close
and should back away slowly.
• No matter how tame an animal seems, do not attempt to feed, pet
or catch any wildlife.
• For the protection of your pet and all wildlife, pets should be on
leashes or kept in your vehicle.
GEOLOGY
The Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway runs through the heart of the
Uncompahgre Plateau. About 300 million years ago the area that is now the Plateau
was uplifted into a mountain range known as the ancestral Rocky Mountains of
“lJncompahgria.” Over time the mountain range was eroded down to its roots, furnishing
the sand, gravel, and mud for the red rock formations of southwest Colorado. This process
of erosion removed over one half billion years’ worth of material from the rock record,
causing the Chinle Formation of the Triassic Period to lie directly on the Precambrian
rocks. More information is included in the Mile Marker Tour section.
PALEANTOLOGY
Like the pages of a huge book, the rock layers along the Byway reveal information
about environments and species that existed here in the ancient past. Well-preserved
fossils of reeds, horsetails, ferns, conifer trees and cycads tell us the area was
once a lush forest. Paleontologists have found partial skeletons of the Diplodocus
and Camarasaurus, dinosaurs who thrived on the abundant plants. Tracks of small
carnivorous dinosaurs have been found from Cactus Park to the Dolores River Canyon.
Numerous fossils of shelled invertebrates provide a history of the huge seas and
lakes that covered the area. In the clis around Placerville, nine new types of early
amphibians and reptiles have been discovered. Fossil freshwater fish found in the
vicinity of Paradox Valley has provided scientists with new information on the evolution
of bony fish. Colorful fossilized trees and dinosaur bones were made into stone tools by
prehistoric people. Later, fossils were collected by miners for their heavy concentration
of uranium ore. Miners tell of piling fossil bones and trees in ore carts and sending them
into the crusher at the Uravan mill. Today, fossils are protected by law and can only be
collected with a permit.
GEOLOGY & PALEANTOLOGY
WILDLIFE
MOUNTAIN BIKING
The thrill of mountain biking is alive and well in the West End and the trails are as diverse as the area
itself. From technical single track to mellow 4WD roads, there are mountain bike trails for every rider.
Kids and beginners will enjoy the bu singletrack at Thunder Trails and the Burn Canyon Areas outside of
Norwood. Advanced cyclists will be challenged on epic rides like the Paradox and Shamrock Trails. There
are also a host of road cycling options if you prefer to stick to the pavement.
HIKING
The Colorado Plateau provides a broad range of hiking and walking options in its diverse ecosystem
of mesas, high alpine environments, and dramatic red rock canyons. You and your family can explore
endless miles of trails with breathtaking views, birdwatching, petroglyphs, rock formations like arches
and much more as you walk through old-growth pinyon and juniper pines, and deep canyons teaming
with roaming wildlife.
ROCK CLIMBING
According to Out There Colorado, the West End is home to some of the most storied rock-climbing
routes. Most of the rock is sandstone with everything from short crags to pinnacles to long cracks.
So, whether you’re into bouldering, sport climbing, or crack climbing, there’s truly something in this
remote destination for every climber, including those with less experience.
HORSEBACK RIDING
From trail riding to arenas to rodeos, horseback riders and enthusiasts have many options in the West
End. The area showcases 30+ trails and countless double tracks and Jeep roads for you to explore on
horseback on your own or with an experienced outfitter. If you are more of a spectator, please check out
events at the Nucla Rodeo Arena and the San Miguel Fairgrounds in Norwood.
MOTOR SPORTS
ATV, 4WD, OHV and dirt biking - all great ways to see the varied terrain and most stunning scenery of
the West End. Drivers and riders enjoy some of Colorado’s best OHV trails and ATV trails that range from
singletrack, doubletrack, Jeep roads and historic byways such as the Rimrocker Trail that spans 160 miles.
See red rock canyons, winding rivers, desert vistas and alpine forests - all from your side by side or ATV.
SCENIC DRIVES & TOURS
The highly acclaimed Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic & Historic Byway runs on highway 141 and 145
through the West End. It takes you on a fabulous journey through history, geology, culture, and nature.
May other o shoots exist for tours and explorations. SEE OUR GUIDE + MM MAP
WATER SPORTS
With the confluence of the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers, along with two reservoirs, there are ample
opportunities for water sports like stand-up paddle boarding, rafting, and boating.
HUNTING & FISHING
The great outdoors of the West End oers a host of hunting and fishing opportunities. Hunters enjoy a
trophy unit on the Uncompaghre Plateau while fishermen have the Buckeye, Rainbow and Miramonte
Reservoirs as well as the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers for fly fishing.
WINTER RECREATION
The West End oers plenty of winter activities to keep you busy all season long - snowmobiling,
snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, fat tire biking, sleigh rides and ice fishing. With significant snowfall at higher
elevations, such as Wright’s Mesa outside of Norwood, and temperate weather in the valleys, winter can
be enjoyable even for those who don’t love the cold.
ATTRACTIONS + ACTIVITIES
ASTRONOMY & NIGHT SKIES
The UTB has many stargazing opportunities along the canyon corridors. Locals will tell you about the
stars in the West End are stunning and the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) agrees. Norwood was
the first town on Colorado’s Western Slope to be designated as a “Dark Sky Community’’. Nucla
and Naturita were both added as IDA communities in 2021. This honor has currently been awarded to
22 International Dark Sky Communities around the world, 15 of which are in the US, with others being
in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Scotland, and the U.K.
PETROGLYPHS
The rimrocks of Western Montrose County are rich with history. One hundred and fifty million years ago,
this landscape included dinosaurs and lush plants that were eventually deposited in sandstone beds that
now define the Morrison Formation. Its massive rock outcroppings of red and gray sandstone provided an
excellent medium for the early inhabitants of this area to tell their stories. These rock etchings, although
their content may seem primitive and unfamiliar, beckon us to search for the common themes that
connect all of humanity throughout the ages. In doing so, we can understand the powerful human need to
define our place and purpose on this earth, and to ensure that our lives do not go un-remembered.
MUSEUMS
Visit the Gateway Car Museum in Gateway. The Rimrocker Historical Society (RHS) has a small museum
hosting artifacts of the area’s natural history, Native American, pioneer and mining history. RHS also
maintains a picnic area and campground at the site of the historic Uravan Ball Park. Wright’s Mesa
Historical Society Museum is located in the old log cabin on Lucerne Street in Norwood.
AGRITOURISM
Agritourism is exactly what it sounds like...an intersection of agriculture and tourism where a budding
industry is emerging to provide an educational experience to visitors. This is a tour of an orchard, classes
on cheese making, wineries and much more in the West End.
DOLORES RIVER
The Dolores River is a tributary of the Colorado River. It was named by the explorers, Dominguez and
Escalante, its name derives from the Spanish El Rio de Nuestra Señora de Dolores, River of Our Lady of
Sorrows. These 102 miles stretch of river carves its way through broad valleys and tight canyons with
sheer canyon walls. The river drains a rugged and arid region of the Colorado Plateau west of the San
Juan Mountains and whitewater boating ranges from flatwater to Class IV rapids (Snaggletooth Rapid),
with access points at Bradfield Bridge, Mountain Sheep Point, and Gypsum Valley recreation sites.
Depending on private landowner approval access may also be provided at Slick Rock. The Lower Dolores
is situated below McPhee Reservoir and therefore flow is based on release from the McPhee Dam.
SAN MIGUEL RIVER
The San Miguel River starts in the San Juan Mountains southeast of Telluride and flows northwest, along
the Uncompahgre Plateau, past the towns of Placerville and Nucla and joins the Dolores in western
Montrose County approximately 15 miles east of the state line with Utah. This river is just 81 miles long
but is one of the few untamed rivers left in the world.
RIMROCKER TRAIL
Spanning a distance of 160 miles, the Rimrocker Trail provides 4WD, OHV and bicycle access through
some of the West’s most stunning scenery. Visitors are immersed in natural beauty as the trail guides
them through a landscape of redrock canyons, winding rivers, desert vistas and alpine forests.
EV Charging
START
END
Dolores River
Dolores River
San Miquel River
152.9
151
145.1
143
140
140
139.8
137.3
134
133
131.5
129.5
119.7
117
115.2
111
110.5
110.8
106
101.3
99
92.1
91.5
88.5
88
86
84
83.4
82.1
81.5
80.9
79.7
78.7
77.5
76.4
76
75.7
74.2
74
64.3
62.4
62.3
57.5
116.8
102.6
101
99.4
96.1
94.6
94.2
94.1
90
87.1
86.7
86
80.3
NUCLA
NATURITA
REDVALE
GATEWAY
WHITEWATER
To Grand Junction
To Telluride
To Ridgway
San Juan Skyway Byway
Starts Placerville
To Moab
Bedrock & Paradox Spur
Disappointment Valley Spur
Lone Cone Spur
To Dove Creek
To Miramonte
Reservoir
URAVAN
NORWOOD
PLACERVILLE
60.7
110.1
154
UNCOMPAGHRE NATIONAL FOREST
DOMINGUEZ-ESCALANTE
NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA
THE PALISADE WSA
SEWEMUP MESA WSA
PARADOX VALLEY
Paradox Trail
Paradox Trail
Rimrocker Trail
Rimrocker Trail
Divide Road
Divide Road
Niche Road
Cactus Park
50
141
141
141
141
62
145
145
90
90
97
84
111.1
Dispersed Primitive Campsites
Museums
Stargazing
Swim
Libraries
Public Land Access
Trailhead
Developed Campsites
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Fuel/Services
Lodging
START: JUNCTION CO HWY 50 & HWY 141
MM 154 Whitewater - Interpretive Signs
MM 152.9 East Creek Canyon
• MM 149.7 East Creek Day Use
• MM 149.2 East Creek Day Use
• Dispersed Primitive Camping Sites
MM 151 Nine Mile Hill
MM 145.4 East Creek Designated OHV Route
MM 145.1 Grand Valley Overlook - Interpretive Sign
MM 145 Cactus Park Recreation Site
MM 143 Geology
MM 140 Unaweep Canyon Geology
MM 139.8 Divide Road
MM 137.3 Unaweep Climbing
MM 134 Unaweep Divide (Elevation 7,048 Ft.)
MM 133 Wildcat Trail
MM 131.5 Fall Creek Waterfall
MM 129.5 Driggs Mansion & Thimble Rock - Interpretive Sign
Mm 119.7 Unaweep Seep - Interpretive Sign
MM 117 West Creek Picnic Area - Interpretive Sign
MM 115.2 The Niche Road
MM 111 Gateway - Interpretive Sign
MM 111.1 Public Land Access - County Road 4.2
MM 110.8 Public Land Access - County Road 4.1
MM 110.5 John Brown Canyon Road
MM 106 Geology Of The Dolores River Canyon
MM 101.3 Salt Creek
/ Sinbad Valley - County Road Z6 - Interpretive Sign
MM 99 Petroglyphs
MM 92.1 Sewemup Mesa Trailhead
MM 91.5 The Spring
MM 88.5 Roc Creek
MM 88 Petroglyphs
MM 86 Mesa Creek - County Road P12
MM 84 Biscuit Rock - County Road Q13
MM 83.4 Coke Oven
MM 82.1 Horse Collar & John Christian’s Grave (Right) Mailman’s Ladder (Left)
MM 81.5 The Hanging Flume - Interpretive Signs
MM 80.9 Mining History - Interpretive Sign
MM 80.3 The Confluence Of The San Miguel & Dolores Rivers Overlook
MM 79.7 Cactus Park Recreation Site (Site Development, In Progress)
MM 78.7 The Donkey
MM 77.5 Club Ranch Corrals
MM 77.5 Atkinson Mesa - County Road S17
MM 76.4 Y11 Road (River Road) & Shamrock Trail
MM 76 Public Land Access - Road U18
MM 76 Ghost Town Of Uravan - Interpretive Sign
MM 75.7 Storage Cave
MM 74.2 Uravan Ball Park Campground / Kiosk
MM 74.2 Tabeguache Creek - County Road V19
MM 74 Nature Conservancy - San Miguel River Tabeguache Preserve
MM 64.3 Calamity Road (Nucla Loop)
MM 62.4 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 90: Paradox/Bedrock Spur
MM 62.3 Dominguez & Escalante Expedition - Historic Marker/Interpretive Sign
MM 62.3 Vancorum
MM 60.7 Naturita
MM 60.4 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 97: Nucla Spur
MM 57.5 Public Land Access - Hwy 90
MM 116.8 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 145: UT Byway - Hwy 145
Disappointment Valley Spur - Hwy 141
MM 110.1 Redvale
MM 102.6 Public Land Access - Road A 42
MM 101 Norwood
MM 99.4 Miramonte Reservoir & Lone Cone Spur - Road 44
MM 96.1 Norwood Hill Recreation Site - Interpretive Sign
County Road 47
MM 94.6 Lower Beaver Creek Recreation Site
MM 94.2 Upper Beaver Creek Recreation Site & Boat Launch
MM 94.1 Public Land Access - X48 Road
MM 90 Nature Conservancy - San Miguel Canyon Preserve
MM 87.1 Species Creek Recreation Site
MM 86.7 Corral Site Recreation Area
MM 86 Caddis Flats Recreation Site
MM 84 (Hwy 145) Placerville
END - JUNCTION CO HWY 62 & HWY 145
QUICK REFERENCE
EV Charging
START
END
Dolores River
Dolores River
San Miquel River
152.9
151
145.1
143
140
140
139.8
137.3
134
133
131.5
129.5
119.7
117
115.2
111
110.5
110.8
106
101.3
99
92.1
91.5
88.5
88
86
84
83.4
82.1
81.5
80.9
79.7
78.7
77.5
76.4
76
75.7
74.2
74
64.3
62.4
62.3
57.5
116.8
102.6
101
99.4
96.1
94.6
94.2
94.1
90
87.1
86.7
86
80.3
NUCLA
NATURITA
REDVALE
GATEWAY
WHITEWATER
To Grand Junction
To Telluride
To Ridgway
San Juan Skyway Byway
Starts Placerville
To Moab
Bedrock & Paradox Spur
Disappointment Valley Spur
Lone Cone Spur
To Dove Creek
To Miramonte
Reservoir
URAVAN
NORWOOD
PLACERVILLE
60.7
110.1
154
UNCOMPAGHRE NATIONAL FOREST
DOMINGUEZ-ESCALANTE
NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA
THE PALISADE WSA
SEWEMUP MESA WSA
PARADOX VALLEY
Paradox Trail
Paradox Trail
Rimrocker Trail
Rimrocker Trail
Divide Road
Divide Road
Niche Road
Cactus Park
50
141
141
141
141
62
145
145
90
90
97
84
111.1
Dispersed Primitive Campsites
Museums
Stargazing
Swim
Libraries
Public Land Access
Trailhead
Developed Campsites
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Fuel/Services
Lodging
START: JUNCTION CO HWY 50 & HWY 141
MM 154 Whitewater - Interpretive Signs
MM 152.9 East Creek Canyon
• MM 149.7 East Creek Day Use
• MM 149.2 East Creek Day Use
• Dispersed Primitive Camping Sites
MM 151 Nine Mile Hill
MM 145.4 East Creek Designated OHV Route
MM 145.1 Grand Valley Overlook - Interpretive Sign
MM 145 Cactus Park Recreation Site
MM 143 Geology
MM 140 Unaweep Canyon Geology
MM 139.8 Divide Road
MM 137.3 Unaweep Climbing
MM 134 Unaweep Divide (Elevation 7,048 Ft.)
MM 133 Wildcat Trail
MM 131.5 Fall Creek Waterfall
MM 129.5 Driggs Mansion & Thimble Rock - Interpretive Sign
Mm 119.7 Unaweep Seep - Interpretive Sign
MM 117 West Creek Picnic Area - Interpretive Sign
MM 115.2 The Niche Road
MM 111 Gateway - Interpretive Sign
MM 111.1 Public Land Access - County Road 4.2
MM 110.8 Public Land Access - County Road 4.1
MM 110.5 John Brown Canyon Road
MM 106 Geology Of The Dolores River Canyon
MM 101.3 Salt Creek
/ Sinbad Valley - County Road Z6 - Interpretive Sign
MM 99 Petroglyphs
MM 92.1 Sewemup Mesa Trailhead
MM 91.5 The Spring
MM 88.5 Roc Creek
MM 88 Petroglyphs
MM 86 Mesa Creek - County Road P12
MM 84 Biscuit Rock - County Road Q13
MM 83.4 Coke Oven
MM 82.1 Horse Collar & John Christian’s Grave (Right) Mailman’s Ladder (Left)
MM 81.5 The Hanging Flume - Interpretive Signs
MM 80.9 Mining History - Interpretive Sign
MM 80.3 The Confluence Of The San Miguel & Dolores Rivers Overlook
MM 79.7 Cactus Park Recreation Site (Site Development, In Progress)
MM 78.7 The Donkey
MM 77.5 Club Ranch Corrals
MM 77.5 Atkinson Mesa - County Road S17
MM 76.4 Y11 Road (River Road) & Shamrock Trail
MM 76 Public Land Access - Road U18
MM 76 Ghost Town Of Uravan - Interpretive Sign
MM 75.7 Storage Cave
MM 74.2 Uravan Ball Park Campground / Kiosk
MM 74.2 Tabeguache Creek - County Road V19
MM 74 Nature Conservancy - San Miguel River Tabeguache Preserve
MM 64.3 Calamity Road (Nucla Loop)
MM 62.4 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 90: Paradox/Bedrock Spur
MM 62.3 Dominguez & Escalante Expedition - Historic Marker/Interpretive Sign
MM 62.3 Vancorum
MM 60.7 Naturita
MM 60.4 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 97: Nucla Spur
MM 57.5 Public Land Access - Hwy 90
MM 116.8 Junction CO Hwy 141 & Hwy 145: UT Byway - Hwy 145
Disappointment Valley Spur - Hwy 141
MM 110.1 Redvale
MM 102.6 Public Land Access - Road A 42
MM 101 Norwood
MM 99.4 Miramonte Reservoir & Lone Cone Spur - Road 44
MM 96.1 Norwood Hill Recreation Site - Interpretive Sign
County Road 47
MM 94.6 Lower Beaver Creek Recreation Site
MM 94.2 Upper Beaver Creek Recreation Site & Boat Launch
MM 94.1 Public Land Access - X48 Road
MM 90 Nature Conservancy - San Miguel Canyon Preserve
MM 87.1 Species Creek Recreation Site
MM 86.7 Corral Site Recreation Area
MM 86 Caddis Flats Recreation Site
MM 84 (Hwy 145) Placerville
END - JUNCTION CO HWY 62 & HWY 145
QUICK REFERENCE
Begin Here
JUNCTION CO HWY 50 & HWY 141
Head south on Hwy 141 from Hwy 50 at Whitewater, CO
MM 154 WHITEWATER - Interpretive Signs
Some of the Grand Valley’s first orchards were located in
Whitewater. The town draws its name from Whitewater
Creek, whose banks are white because of a high alkali
content. Soon after turning onto Highway 141 a sign
directs the traveler to a boat launch along the Gunnison
River. This access provides a way for boaters to get their
watercraft in or out of the river. Upriver, the Gunnison
flows through a deeply cut canyon for many miles within
the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area. It
is a mellow float and very popular. Within a half mile the
highway crosses the Gunnison River.
Local Attractions:
Gateway Boat Ramp - MM 154 turn left on Desert Road,
then right on Mill Tailings Rd.
MM 152.9 EAST CREEK CANYON
A left turn just after the first bridge onto County Road
34.4 leads to a rugged natural surface road that climbs
along the east rim of East Creek Canyon. The road
requires a high clearance vehicle and is popular with
motorized recreationalists. There are also several hiking
opportunities from the road. The road is within the
Dominguez – Escalante National Conservation Area.
It is also part of the Tabeguache Trail that crosses the
highway at that point on its way to Grand Junction.
MM 151 NINE MILE HILL
The beginning climb of Nine-Mile Hill. Large blocks and
boulders of the Burro Canyon Formation litter the slopes.
These fossil laden deposits represent lush, well watered
continental environments of the Lower Cretaceous Period.
The area is a popular rock climbing and bouldering venue.
Several pullouts provide access to the climbing areas.
Occasionally, desert bighorn sheep can be seen along
the road. Desert bighorn sheep were reintroduced to the
desert canyons of western Colorado starting in the 1990’s
by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Decisions about where the
sheep would be placed were partially determined by the
presence of desert bighorn sheep petroglyphs in the nearby
canyons made by prehistoric inhabitants of the region.
This is a popular recreation area for relatively unimproved
exploration via hiking and horseback riding. The
Tabeguache trail, a long distance mixed use trail popular
with mountain bikers, motorcycle riders and jeep
enthusiasts, also runs through the Ninemile Hill area.
Recreation Sites:
• MM 149.7 East Creek Day Use
• MM 149.2 East Creek Day Use
• Dispersed primitive camping sites
• MM 145.4 East Creek Designated OHV Route
MM 145.1 GRAND VALLEY OVERLOOK
Interpretive Sign
As the highway tops out at Nine Mile Hill there is a wide
pullout on the west side of the highway with interpretive
signs. The Grand Valley Overlook provides a view of the
Grand Valley far below and the Bookclis and Mt. Garfield
that rises above the valley. A gate adjacent to the pullout
allows access to a trail that leads to segments of the old
wagon road. The grade presented a sizable obstacle to
horse-drawn wagons in the early days with intermittent
18% grades.
MM 145 CACTUS PARK RECREATION SITE
The Cactus Park Road provides access to many miles
of roads and motorized trails, including the Tabeguache
Trail. The road is a major access point for the Dominguez
– Escalante National Conservation Area (NCA), including
the Dominguez Wilderness Area. The NCA has a map
of designated routes. The Cactus Park area has been
designated as a Special Recreation Management Area
with an emphasis on motorized recreation but is also used
by mountain bikers and equestrians. There is a staging/
parking area, restrooms & campsites are designated, but
undeveloped. High clearance vehicles are recommended.
MM 143 GEOLOGY
The deep rusty red Chinle Formation gives way to
Precambrian rock. The age of this metamorphic rock is
approximately 1.7 billion years old, while the Chinle’s
age is 210 million years old. The huge time gap probably
indicates erosional activity and is referred to as the
Great Unconformity.
MM 140 UNAWEEP CANYON GEOLOGY
The full extent of Unaweep Canyon comes into view.
The Precambrian metamorphic rocks and granite form
impressive clis over 1,200 feet high. The origin of
Unaweep Canyon has been a topic of debate by geologists
for many years. One theory that is broadly accepted is
that Unaweep Canyon is the ancestral channel of the
Gunnison River and possibly the Colorado River. A deposit
of Gunnison River gravels in nearby Cactus Park and the
direct alignment of Unaweep and DeBeque Canyon of
the Colorado River bolsters that theory. The presence of
Gunnison River gravels near Gateway, CO supports the
Gunnison River only theory. The canyon also sports some
evidence of alpine glaciation – note the U-shaped canyon
walls, impressive cirques and hanging valleys.
MM 139.8 DIVIDE ROAD
The Divide Road (FR 402) begins its 83-mile long
journey up to and along the crest of the Uncompahgre
Plateau. The Divide Road provides important access
to a wide swathe of public lands. The road begins with
a few switchbacks that get it up on a narrow bench of
Precambrian rock. A bird’s eye view of Unaweep Canyon
is possible about 2 miles up the road.
Some 6 miles up the Divide Road the Dominguez Road
heads o to the left. The road allows access to the
Dominguez-Escalante NCA and leads to a few developed
campsites and a wilderness trailhead in upper Dominguez
Canyon. There are also a few undeveloped campsites
along the road, but the surface of the road may discourage
bigger camping rigs.
The road is also part of the far-ranging Tabeguache Trail.
The Smith Point Trail (636), open to hikers, mountain
bikers and equestrians, wanders up-canyon from the road.
Once beyond Dominguez Creek, the Tabeguache Trail
climbs out of the canyon and then follows the Dominguez
Trail that has been used as a stock driveway since the
early ranching days. Beyond the Dominguez Road, the
Divide Road provides access to numerous motorized and
non-motorized trails including the popular Carson Hole
hiking trail.
MM 137.3 UNAWEEP CLIMBING
On the right-hand side of the road is an inconspicuous
parking area that has been established for those who want
to climb the sheer clis of Unaweep. The Access Fund
manages three parcels that contain some of the best rock-
climbing walls in Unaweep Canyon.
MM 134 UNAWEEP DIVIDE (elevation 7,048 ft.)
Unaweep Divide pullout provides a viewpoint of an
inconspicuous sage brush flat. From this point the
topography drops to the east to form East Creek, or west
to form West Creek. The Ute Indians name for this place,
Un-a-weep, means “canyon with two mouths”. It is unique
because the two creeks flow out of opposite ends of the
same canyon. There are multiple explanations for the
Take the Tour
MILE MARKER TOUR + BYWAY POINTS OF INTEREST
This tour takes you along the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway, State Highway 141 and
145. Although primarily an auto tour, there are several points of interest that can only be reached by way
of short hikes a couple-hundred yards or less. Be alert for the designated mile markers (MM) and if you
are slowing your speed please be aware of the trac around you; for safety always signal your intentions.
Mile markers are approximate. The tour guides you from Whitewater to Placerville, Colorado.
Dispersed Primitive Campsites
Public Land Access
Trailhead
Developed Campsites
Picnic Tables
Restrooms
Stargazing
Fuel/Services
EV Charging Station
Lodging
Museums
Libraries
Cemeteries
Swim
KEY
origin of the Unaweep Canyon (see MM 140). In the late
19th century, members of the Hayden Survey recognized
the canyon’s oddity; it’s the only geological oddity of its
kind in the world. Some geologists suggest that Unaweep
Canyon is the result of a large fault across the breadth of
the Uncompahgre Plateau that the Gunnison River followed,
and then abandoned as uplifting occurred.
MM 133 WILDCAT TRAIL
The Wildcat Trailhead (640) is located on the south side
of the road. The trail crosses the floor of the canyon, then
makes a dramatic, steep ascent to the Uncompahgre
Plateau, and oers stunning views of Unaweep Canyon.
The trail is designated for foot and equestrian use.
You may have noticed the bird nesting boxes attached to
fence posts for the last few miles.
The Unaweep Bluebird Trail, started by Bob Wilson in
1999, is part of the Nest Box Network monitored by
Cornell College of Ornithology. Local volunteers monitor
57 nests for species, egg numbers, fledglings and any
unusual activity. Per Mr. Wilson, “Some boxes are placed
in pairs as some species were taking over existing nests
and killing young… The birds that use the nesting boxes
are Mountain and Western bluebirds, Ash-throated
flycatchers, Mountain chickadees, House wrens.”
MM 131.5 FALL CREEK WATERFALL
Fall Creek Waterfall on the north side of Highway 141 is
one of several waterfalls in the Unaweep Canyon. The
waterfall is on private land with no public access.
MM 129.5 DRIGGS MANSION & THIMBLE ROCK
Interpretive Sign
The pullout for the Driggs Mansion is on the south side
of the highway. The stone building was built between
1914 and 1918 by Lawrence Driggs, a wealthy author and
socialite from New York. Driggs hired local stonemasons,
Nunzio Grasso and his son, to build the structure.
Sandstone from a nearby canyon was used to construct
the home. Legend has it that Driggs had built the
“mansion” for his wife, but some say he planned to use it
as a hunting lodge. In 1923 he sold the property.
Over the decades the building had fallen into disrepair
and was being vandalized. Concern about the structure’s
condition spawned an eort to save it. In 2005 Alpine
Archaeological Consultants did an assessment of the
structure resulting in a report that recommended
stabilization of the mansion. Alpine performed the
stabilization in 2012. The mansion is on private
property, so visitation isn’t allowed. The prominent rock
outcropping that towers over the mansion is Thimble Rock
– note the intrusive pegmatite dikes and sills that give the
granite clis their unique coloration.
MM 119.7 UNAWEEP SEEP
Interpretive Sign
Locally known as “Swamp Hill”, the 79-acre Unaweep
Seep is a very special wetland that has been designated
as an Area of Critical Concern (ACEC) by the BLM.
Spectacular granite clis rise above a unique, biologically
diverse riparian area. The seep is home to a variety of
water-loving plants including the rare Giant Helleborine
and Canyon Bog orchid. One of a few known populations
of the Nokomis Fritillary butterfly makes the seep its
home. The diminutive butterfly’s caterpillar feeds on
the Northern Bog violet. There is a large pullout with
interpretive signs on the left
Towering 3,000 feet above Unaweep Seep to the north is
Camel Point. Camel Point is not named for its resemblance
to a camel, but rather after an outlaw by that name who
carried the body of one of his victims to the top of the
rock, throwing it o the edge in an attempt to hide his
crime. He was later captured and punished.
MM 117 WEST CREEK PICNIC AREA
Interpretive Sign
The West Creek Picnic Area, maintained by the BLM, is
on the right. There are a few picnic tables, shady parking
spots and an ADA restroom – a nice place to take a break
and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty. West Creek
has cut a narrow drainage through ancient rock. The clear
waters of the stream hold trout and are open to fishing.
MM 115.2 THE NICHE ROAD
The Niche Road (CR 6.3) takes o to the left. The
dirt road, built in the 1920s, initially travels up Casto
Draw before making an impressive climb up (SOB Hill)
through the Niche. Once past the Niche the road enters
the Uncompahgre National Forest, becoming the Pine
Mountain Road (CR 19 ½, FR 405). The road continues
south to intersect with roads that lead out to Tenderfoot,
Calamity and Maverick mesas.
The maze of maintained and unmaintained roads to the
nearby mesas area have mostly to do with carnotite
mining back in the first half of the 20th Century. The
radium boom, starting in 1912, began several cycles
of West End mining. Back in those days carnotite was
hauled out in mule trains to Whitewater. If you want to get
a sense of what those early mule skinners went through,
try mountain biking the old Pickett Trail. The trail drops
o the Tenderfoot Mesa Road (FR 405.3c) and was used
to haul ore from the mines. The trail isn’t for the faint of
heart, and superior route-finding and bike handling-skills
are required.
Vanadium was the next big mining boom from around
1936 to 1944. Vanadium, another element in carnotite,
was used to harden steel. In 1943-44 the U.S.
government began extracting uranium for carnotite and
the mill tailings in Gateway and Uravan. Uranium was
used in the top-secret Manhattan Project that built the
first atom bombs dropped on Japan in World War II.
The backcountry roads in this area are very popular with
jeepers, ATV’ers and history bus. The old Calamity Camp
used by miners from the 1920’s until the 1950’s is on the
National Register of Historic Places. Visiting the remains
of the old mining days is a lot of fun, but please be careful.
Don’t go into old mines and be very careful around old
buildings – they can be unstable. Use extreme caution
when traveling the backroads.
MM 111 GATEWAY
Interpretive Sign
So named as the “Gateway” to the spectacular slickrock
country of the Dolores River Canyon. The river valley
around Gateway was settled in the late 1880s by folks
from back east. The town was the hub for the north Dolores
River country for many years. Ranching was the lifeblood
of Gateway, but mining had a big impact on the economy,
as well. The remains of the abandoned Nisley and Wilson
Vanadium Mill rest in testimony to the mining boom of the
1930s and 1940s. By 1950 carnotite ore from the nearby
mines was hauled to a mill in Grand Junction.
The first settlers of the north Dolores River region
followed a well-established trail through Unaweep
Canyon developed by Native Americans. When the first
explorers, fur trappers, miners and settlers arrived in
western Colorado they were greeted by Native Americans,
who called themselves ‘Nuche”, we call the Utes. The
archaeological record places their arrival in western
Colorado to sometime after the 1400’s. Their migration
into the intermountain west was part of a larger movement
of Numic language speakers from the Great Basin around
A. D. 1000.
Prior to contact with Euro-Americans the Ute bands lived
a transient subsistence lifestyle that took them through
an established territory in search of the necessities of
life. Their hunter/gatherer ways were much like those
of the Desert Culture they replaced. That lifestyle was
dramatically altered with the arrival of the horse in the
18th Century. The acquisition of the horse wasn’t equally
distributed among the Utes. Ute bands closest to the
Spanish in the south had horses before bands in northern
Colorado. By the early 1800s most Utes had horses and
were ranging out from their traditional territories. The
horse allowed the Utes to travel greater distances, be
more eective hunters and move to favored camps more
eciently.
An extensive Ute trail system through the Dolores River
Canyon spread out over the Uncompahgre Plateau and
into the La Sal Mountains. Most of those trails are now
covered over by today’s roads, but a few fragile remnants
remain today. Ute rock art graces the canyon walls in
several places along the Byway. Gateway is surrounded by
public lands managed by the BLM.
Local Attractions
• The beautiful resort is Gateway Canyons
Resort, oering fine dining, lodging and various
adventures. The resort was built by John Hendricks,
Discovery Channel founder and former Discovery
Communications chairman.
• The world class Gateway Auto Museum
• The iconic rock formation associated with Gateway
is “the Palisade”. It’s been said the massive red
rock formation looks like a huge boat and serves as
Gateways backdrop to endless outdoor adventure.
• Gateway Community Park
• Public Land Access
MM 111.1 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - COUNTY ROAD 4.2
County Road 4.2 takes o to the right and parallels the
Dolores River for several miles before intersecting with
gnarly two tracks that head out towards Steamboat Mesa,
Granite Creek, and a piece of seldom visited country
called the Dolores Triangle, by that time the traveler is in
Utah. This piece of backcountry heaven is only frequented
by the most adventurous souls and ranchers tending to
their slow elk (cattle).
MM 110.8 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - COUNTY ROAD 4.1
County Road 4.1 bears right. There are several
undeveloped campsites along the road within a few
miles of Gateway. Eventually the road crosses into Utah.
The impressive Stateline Rapid on the Dolores River is
immediately o the right side of the road. A bumpy dirt
road follows the river canyon for several miles to the
mouth of Cottonwood Creek. A few miles to the southwest
as the crow flies over unroaded and untrailed terrain lies
the infamous Rose Garden Hill along Kokopelli’s Trail.
Once across the state line remnants of ranching activity
can be seen along the road. The historic Hubbard Ranch
occupies the flats adjacent to the mouth of Beaver Creek.
The Hubbard’s settled here in 1912, and along with
the Young’s, Massey’s, Casto’s and Ames’ were some
of the early homesteaders in the valley. Nearby the old
Hubbard place Indian rock art can be found on sandstone
walls. The petroglyphs (pecked into the stone) were
made by Native Americans – Utes and their predecessors
inscribed the images as an expression of their beliefs,
to communicate with each other and record events they
experienced. Please refrain from touching the rock art or
disturbing archaeological sites.
Local Attractions
Gateway Trails Trailhead, at the back entrance to Gateway
Canyons Resort. Turn left on 4.1 Road for .5 miles, turn
left for 1/10th of mile & the trailhead is on the right.
MM 110.5 JOHN BROWN CANYON ROAD
County Road 4.4 bears to the right. Driving about five
and 1/2 miles up this road will take you to the summit
overlooking the town of Castle Valley, UT. At the summit
in the canyon to the right is an area that has several
embedded dinosaur tracks. The road has been a major
transportation artery for many years despite its mostly
unpaved nature. It is part of the Gateway-Castleton Road
that connects the Colorado River Valley north of Moab
with the North Dolores River Valley. The road wastes no
time climbing out of the river canyon, then winds its way
over miles of highlands adjacent to the La Sal Mountains in
Utah. The Paradox and Kokopelli’s trails follow sections of
the road. It is well-maintained, but can be slippery during
late winter mud season, heavy summer rains and late fall
storms – no winter maintenance. The road is named after
a turn of the century rancher from Moab, UT who grazed
horses in nearby Kirks Basin. The road provides access to
the many carnotite mines overlooking Gateway. About 0.4
miles up the road an unobtrusive sign marks the end of the
Dynamite Trail that is part of the Gateway Trails system.
MM 106 GEOLOGY OF THE DOLORES RIVER CANYON
Pull o the Byway onto any number of wide spots in the
road, be aware of trac. Look to the southwest and
closely inspect the slopes of the brick red Moenkopi
Formation. Careful viewing will reveal scattered exposures
of white rock. The white rock is alabaster, a rare form of
relatively soft sedimentary rock that is used by sculptors.
Most alabaster is mined in Italy and is pure white. The
Dolores Canyon alabaster has streaks of pink running
through it. The alabaster deposits are on private property
so please don’t trespass.
This is a good place to observe the geologic strata that
make up the scenic North Dolores River Valley. The Byway
rests on the Cutler Formation consisting of interlayered
marine, freshwater and sand dune deposits that were
laid down from 280 to 240 million years ago. The Cutler
Formation creates a hodge-podge of slopes and clis. It is
particularly well exposed along the Cutler Rim Trail of the
Gateway Trails system. The brown and red sediments of
the Moenkopi Formation rest on top of the Cutler. Shale,
siltstone, limestone from a shallow sea, and tidal and
mudflats make up this formation. Approximate age of the
Moenkopi is 225 t0 215 million years old.
Resting on top of the Moenkopi Formation is the sloped
multi-colored Chinle Formation. Aged at around 210
million years old, this formation is made up of fine
deposits from stream and lake origins. The Chinle is well
known for uranium-bearing deposits of carnotite and
petrified wood. The Cli-forming Wingate Sandstone
sits on top of the Chinle Formation. These impressive
clis represent deposits of windblown sand that covered
most of the Colorado Plateau around 200 million years
ago. Deposits of the brown Kayenta Formation replace
the Wingate clis. Ledges and terraces characterize this
geologic layer. The salmon colored Entrada Formation
is next. The multi-hued clis of the fossil and dinosaur
bone bearing, uranium rich Morrison Formation are well
exposed on top of the Entrada.
MM 101.3 SALT CREEK/SINBAD VALLEY - COUNTY ROAD
Z 6 Interpretive Sign
County Road Z6 meets the Byway just before the
Salt Creek Bridge. Z6 follows Salt Creek some 4 plus
miles on an intermittently bumpy road until it reaches
Sinbad Valley. The high clis on the left form an almost
impenetrable barrier to Sewemup Mesa. About five miles
up this canyon there is a strange stain on the right side of
the canyon wall, it looks like a sailing ship. There is also a
copper mine on the right wall, called the Copper Nugget.
On the right is the Sinbad Valley and Sew em’ up Mesa
pullout. Sinbad Valley at the head of Salt Creek is a salt
valley created by the collapse of the sedimentary formations
on top of subterranean salt and gypsum deposits. Paradox
Valley to the south has the same origins.
The high mesa to the left of Salt Creek is Sew ‘Em Up
Mesa. It is one of the true wild places in western Colorado
and has been designated as a wilderness study area.
There are no formal trails to the mesa and only a few
natural breaks in the rimrock to allow passage. Back
in the 1890s rustlers took full advantage of the mesa’s
remoteness and limited access. Back in those days many
of the small ranching operations resorted to cattle rustling
to stay afloat. After cutting a few head of cattle from one
of the large cattle company’s herds, the rustlers would
hide the livestock in some protected pocket on the mesa,
then proceed to cut out the existing brand and sew ‘em up
to hide their deed. Once the cowboy surgery healed, they
were branded with the rustler’s brand.
Ahead the river canyon begins to narrow with clis rising
precipitously. Golden eagles and ravens frequent these
canyon walls. (High clearance vehicle & map needed.)
MM 99 PETROGLYPHS
Access a lightly used path on the cli side of the roadway.
Just a short walk from the roadway is a large boulder with
examples of petroglyphs.
MM 92.1 SEWEMUP MESA TRAILHEAD
Trailhead access is on the cli side of the roadway. From
the trailhead, hike up a good trail to a perched gravel bed
that has placer workings. Travel around the left side of the
workings and pick up a narrow trail marked by small rock
cairns. Follow the cairns up through a portion of broken-
down cli until you reach the top of a small knoll. From
here the views are expansive. The trail goes west passing
onto a number of small areas of slick rock, veering left on
the south side of a small sandstone topped hill. The trail
stops at the first good drainage to the west of the hill. The
trail (an old, abandoned cattle trail) is an entrance route
into the remote BLM Wilderness Study Area. From here,
cross-country travel in any direction is possible.
MM 91.5 THE SPRING
This is a natural spring with delicious, cool water.
The water is untreated. The seep emanates from the
interface between the Chinle and Wingate formations, and
the nearby rock is covered with mosses and water-loving
plants that inhabit this unique micro-environment.
A nice place to stop and refresh as travelers have done
for years.
MM 88.5 ROC CREEK
This was the headquarters of Roc Creek Ranches
established in the early 1900s. The town of Uranium
was once located here as well as the Rajah, the first big
uranium mine of the region.
MM 88 PETROGLYPHS
Walk from the mile marker on the north of the roadway,
stay left of the large boulder, and on to the rock face.
Several rock art etchings can be seen on this section of
the overhang, although they have worn down with time.
MM 86 MESA CREEK - COUNTY ROAD P 12
This graveled road provides access to the Mesa Creek
drainages, Blue Mesa and the Campbell Point Road.
The road quickly climbs to a bench that grades into the
meadows and flats along the North Fork of Mesa Creek –
notice Blue Mesa above on the left.
The Mesa Creek drainages have a wealth of backcountry
roads quite suitable for o-road vehicle adventures.
The Paradox Trail comes out of Blue Basin, then follows
P 16 Road out of the South Fork of Mesa Creek before
connecting with P 12 Road as it crosses Mesa Creek and
drops down to the Byway. High clearance vehicle + map
needed for backcountry travel.
MM 84 BISCUIT ROCK - COUNTY ROAD Q13
The big round rock is a local landmark. Just below is
a bridge where the road crosses the river and goes up
to Carpenter Ridge above Paradox Valley. There are
remainders of rock piles where the water carried from
the flume finally ended as it shot at the hillside. In the
cli below the road there is a big cave that has been
excavated by archaeologists over the years.
The dirt road crossing the bridge continues up to
Carpenter Ridge, which spans the length of the Paradox
Valley, west of here. This route is the western section
of the 166 mile long Rimrocker Trail, that crosses the
backcountry from Montrose, Colorado to Moab, Utah.
The 118 mile long Paradox Trail also crosses the Dolores
River at this point, allowing bikepacking mountain bikers
access to Red Canyon and Carpenter Ridge.
MM 83.4 COKE OVEN
On the west side of the road is a dome shaped coke
oven built in the 1880’s. Coal was heated in the oven
to produce coke, a combustible material that burns
practically smoke free. It is believed that coke from the
oven was used by blacksmiths during the construction of
the Hanging Flume.
MM 82.1 HORSE COLLAR & JOHN CHRISTIAN’S GRAVE
(Right) MAILMAN’S LADDER (Left)
A dirt road on both sides of the highway leads to these
interesting sites. Both are just a short hike o the
highway.
On the slickrock face to the left you can see the remnants
of a ladder etched in stone. The steps have worn down
over the years, and the handrail has fallen away. The
ladder was used in earlier days to go down to pick up mail
at a box along the road. Each evening a man would walk
down and back, bringing the mail for all the men working
in the mines in the area.
The road on the right points you toward a unique rock
formation on the opposite side of the river. Water runo
from above has washed a hole through the rocky cli and
falls a great distance to the bank of the river where it has
washed a small pond before entering the river. Old time
locals called this the Horse Collar.
Park your vehicle and hike down toward the rim. Slightly
to the left of the path is a grave marker for John Christian.
John was a member of the Royal Family of Denmark.
At the age of 21 all male members of the Royal Family
were expected to serve in the army. John did not want
to go, so he rowed his boat far out in the North Sea,
near a steamship that was bound for the U.S. He cleared
immigration and came West where he built a cabin near
here using wood from the flume, and worked for the Club
Ranch. He was a handyman and farrier for the ranch,
and an inventor. He created donkey “ice shoes”, and was
working on a perpetual motion machine. One day the
ranch owners stopped by with some groceries for John
and they found him dead. They buried him, marked his
grave with a stone, and burned the cabin.
MM 81.5 THE HANGING FLUME
Interpretive Signs
This kiosk tells a little of the history of the Hanging Flume
and oers a great overlook providing a bird’s eye view of
the Hanging Flume that clings to the canyon wall below.
In the late 1880s there was a major gold strike along Mesa
Creek Flats below the confluence of the San Miguel and
Dolores Rivers. The Montrose Placer Mining Company,
composed of wealthy St. Louis investors bought six-and-
a-half miles of mining claims along the rivers. The gold was
there, but in what quantity nobody knew. What they did
know was that they needed a large supply of water to wash
the gold from the gravel beds—four miles down river from
the confluence. When the flume builders ran out of earth
for a ditch, they constructed a wooden flume and hung it
onto the canyon walls high above the river. It was an open
water chute six feet wide and four feet high, built from 1.8
million board feet of lumber. It rested on brackets bolted
to the cli with the end of the bolts driven 18 inches into
the rock. Additional support came from a brace extending
diagonally down from the outer edge of each bracket
to a groove cut into the rock wall and anchored with a
spike driven through the wood and deep into the rock.
Sometimes the lumber was transported down the finished
flume bed, at other times the workers swung down from
the top of the cli in a bosun’s chair. Not one worker was
killed on the project. The flume transferred 80 million
gallons of water over a 24 hour period. The total length of
the ditch and flume was 13 miles. It functioned for three
years, but failed to turn a profit—the gold was too fine
and washed away with the hydraulic pressure. Today the
Hanging Flume is listed by the Worlds Monument Fund as
one of the “100 most endangered Sites in the World.
MM 80.9 MINING HISTORY
Interpretive Sign
After sorting ore from the rock, miners shipped the ore to
the mill and the rock spoils were dumped over the hills.
Look for similar mine dumps along the route.
MM 80.3 THE CONFLUENCE OF THE SAN MIGUEL &
DOLORES RIVERS OVERLOOK
On the west side of the road is a dirt road that will take you
to the canyon’s edge or by taking a short hike to the cli
edge will give you a long view of the confluence and the
river canyons. The Dominguez and Escalante Expedition
first named the Dolores River, “El Río de Nuestra Señora
de Dolores” or “The River of Our Lady of Sorrows”. The
San Miguel River was originally called “Rio de San Pedro”.
MM 79.7 CACTUS PARK RECREATION SITE
(site development, in progress)
A BLM day use site provides a stop to stretch your legs,
have a tailgate picnic & overlook the canyon of the
San Miguel River canyon.
MM 78.7 THE DONKEY
To the east on the red rock cli, the donkey was painted in
1955 by a miner who lived in a cave house. It symbolized
their use in the mines. The donkey has been painted many
dierent colors over the years.
MM 77.5 CLUB RANCH CORRALS
On the river side of the roadway, the corrals are one of the
few remaining remnants of the Club Ranch that occupied
the river bottom where Uravan was built. Lumber for the
corrals reportedly came from the Hanging Flume.
These corrals also held the livestock used at Uravan.
About the Club Ranch, in the 1880s, Dr. Dearborn, a
retired army doctor, got an option on placer claims and
range land along the San Miguel River. He enticed friends
back East to partner with him and form the San Miguel
Cattle Company. They bought herds of cattle that were
coming up from Texas, and at one time the Club ran
10,000 head of cattle on their range. The ranch changed
hands several times until about 1910 when Standard
Chemical bought the property on the west side of the river.
The ranch was named after the “clubs” card suit.
MM 77.5 ATKINSON MESA - COUNTY ROAD S 17
The road provides access to Atkinson Mesa and all its
backcountry routes, including the Rimrocker Trail. The
maze of backcountry roads on the mesa is enjoyed by
Jeepers, ATV’ers and mountain bikers. The mesa is littered
with old mines and remnants of the uranium mining era.
Carnotite ore wasn’t the only thing miners hauled out of
those mines. There are many stories of huge dinosaur
bones mixed in with the ore.
MM 76.4 Y 11 ROAD (RIVER ROAD) & SHAMROCK TRAIL
After turning west on Y 11 Road (maintained gravel road),
continue down the river on the west side of the San MIguel
River. Locals know this route as the “River Road” as it
connects the old town of Uravan to Bedrock. This is an
enjoyable canyon drive and the perfect viewing area for
the historic remnants of the flume. The popular hiking
and biking Shamrock Trail is accessed to west of Y11
Road just past the old Black Bridge. The confluence of the
San Miguel & Dolores Rivers is a popular recreation spot
for fishing, dispersed camping, picnicking and outdoor
recreation.
Flume Reconstruction Project - In 2012, with the support
of History Colorado and private funders, teams of experts
came together here to find the answer to “how did they
do that?” 48 feet of the flume has been re-built (using
modern day tools) in five days, working over the edge of
the cli here. The project can be viewed, as well as an
informative kiosk, on a short side trip, 3.2 miles down the
River Rd./County Road Y 11.
MM 76 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - ROAD U 18
This road leads up to a great viewing spot where you can
take in the whole layout of Uravan. The road once led to
the Uravan Airport, no longer in existence.
MM 76 GHOST TOWN OF URAVAN
Interpretive Sign
In 1914 Standard Chemical built the Joe Jr. Mill here,
to process carnotite ore that was being mined locally.
At this time radium was recovered from the ore and used
for radiology research and painting luminous dials.
By 1918 the company owned 375 mining claims in the
area and employed 200 men in its southwestern Colorado
plants. The company ultimately produced 74 grams of
radium (at $70,000 a gram), roughly 47% of the country’s
entire domestic radium production.
In 1928 U S Vanadium (USV) bought this property,
including the ore processing mill, and developed the
town, giving it a new name: Uravan—for URAnium +
VANadium. It grew into a bustling company town of
1,500 people, with all the modern amenities of the
times. They operated 940 local mines and processed
240 tons of ore a day for vanadium, used in hardening
steel in war armaments. There were 4,000 workers in
the total operations. In the 1940s, uranium was milled
here under the Manhattan Project and used in the first
atomic bombs. Following WWII, Uranium was processed
for peaceful purposes. After years of booms and busts, in
1984 the Uranium industry in this area finally shut down.
In December of 1986, the last resident left “kicking and
screaming”. The town was dismantled, shredded, and
buried as part of a Superfund cleanup project.
MM 75.7 STORAGE CAVE
Look carefully on the cli side of the roadway to spot this
opening, mining blasting supplies were stored here during
Uravan’s mining days.
MM 74.2 URAVAN BALL PARK CAMPGROUND / Kiosk
This park was dedicated on July 4, 1957 as the Carbide
Recreation Park. It consisted of a picnic area and
grassy baseball field—complete with lights, and was
a popular spot for the people of Uravan and the West
End community. The Rimrocker Historical Society
maintains this historic site as a picnic and campground.
The campground serves as an outdoor recreation hub
due to it’s easy access to public land. Popular access
points include; Y11 Road, U18, EE22 Road (Hieroglyphic
Canyon), V19 Road, S17 Road & W19 Road.
MM 74.2 TABEGUACHE CREEK - County Road V 19
Just before crossing the highway bridge County Road V
19 is on the left. Site of the 1880 gold mining town of
Cameville. Another one of the many natural surface roads
along the Byway, the road parallels Tabeguache Creek
briefly, crosses the creek then switches back to the rim as
it heads east over open flats before reaching County Road
Z 26. Another access point to the Rimrocker Trail.
The mouth of Tabeguache Creek is on the left as the
highway crosses the river. It’s one of the major drainages
coming o the south side of the Uncompahgre Plateau.
Inside the creek’s canyon walls is some rough terrain, but
that’s what makes exploring it that much more fun.
MM 74 NATURE CONSERVANCY - SAN MIGUEL RIVER
TABEGUACHE PRESERVE
The 250-acre property runs along the river for 2 ½ miles
preserving vital riparian habitat. One of the first reports
of Black Phoebe’s establishing nesting sites in western
Colorado some 20 years ago came from this area. It’s a
nice place to stop for lunch or a break.
MM 64.3 CALAMITY ROAD (NUCLA LOOP)
Both the Juan Rivera Expedition of 1765 and the
Dominguez and Escalante Expedition of 1776 were in
this area. Escalante writes in their journal that they “went
up a rather high and steep incline, but not too rocky, and
started over an extensive mesa…” Scholars feel that this
was Calamity Draw (see MM 62.3). In the early 1900s
this bridge washed out, and probably lent its story to
the naming of the road, bridge, and draw. Also, along
this stretch of highway you can see rockwork supporting
the old roadbed. The road was rebuilt from old mining
2-track to a graded road during the Roosevelt era, by the
Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC). Highway 141 has been
redirected and upgraded many times during its existence.
MM 62.4 JUNCTION CO HWY 141 & HWY 90
PARADOX/BEDROCK SPUR
The west segment of Highway 90 begins, winding up Dry
Creek on its way to Paradox Valley. It’s worth a side trip
o the Byway to visit Paradox Valley. The highway travels
along the valley floor. Red rock clis rise on both sides of
the valley. The valley received its name from A.C. Peale,
a member of the 1875 Hayden Survey. Peale noted that
the Dolores River didn’t run through the valley, but across
it, splitting it in two. Paradox Valley is one of several salt
valleys created by the action of subterranean salt. The
salt was deposited by an ancient inland sea that dried
up, and the remaining salt and gypsum covered over by
subsequent geologic deposition.
BEDROCK - Near the center of the Paradox Valley is the
town of Bedrock. The town of Bedrock was established in
1883. The Bedrock Post Oce opened on November 8,
1883. The town’s general store and post oce were built
on solid rock, hence the name. Fun Fact: Bedrock is also
the name of the fictional town setting of The Flintstones
animated television series.
Just before crossing the Dolores River, County Road
Y 11 intersects the pavement. The highway crosses the
Dolores River near Bedrock, CO. There’s a small BLM
campground along the river, but currently no services are
available. The old Bedrock Store is just ahead. The west
end of the valley is ranching country; creeks and springs
that emanate from the nearby La Sal Mountains provide
irrigation water for agricultural fields. Near the west end
of the valley County Road U 5 passes through the town of
Paradox on its way to Buckeye Reservoir – a camping spot
favored by locals.
Like many western Colorado areas, Paradox Valley was
homesteaded soon after the removal of the Utes in 1881.
There are even a few stories of “sooners” sneaking into
Paradox Valley to claim the best land, but most were
turned back by the Utes. Since the Paradox region was
on the fringes of civilization, even after legitimate settlers
moved in, there were a good many outlaws, malcontents
and men with checkered pasts that frequented the area.
It was common knowledge that the notorious outlaw trail
passed through Paradox.
Just south of Paradox Valley, along La Sal Creek is the site
of the famous Cashin copper mine.
Part time rancher and resident Tom McCarty, his brother,
Bill and Bill’s son, Fred, were the perpetrators of an
ill-fated bank robbery in Delta in 1893. Fred and Bill were
shot dead for their eorts, but Tom got away. He hid out in
the nearby La Sal Mountains until things cooled down.
He later caught a train at Crescent Junction, Utah, headed
for Oregon. Tom ran with Butch Cassidy for a while.
PARADOX - The dry, sparsely populated valley is named
after the apparently paradoxical course of the Dolores
River. Colorado State Highway 90 follows Paradox Valley
on its way from Naturita to the Utah state line, crossing
the historic Dolores River Bridge near the small town
of Bedrock. The town of Paradox lies a few miles north
of the highway. Paradox is located at 5,000 feet at the
Dolores River to nearly 6,000 feet at the southeast end.
Steep sandstone and shale walls bound the valley to the
northeast and southwest. The valley was named in 1875
by geologist and surveyor Albert Charles Peale after he
noted that the Dolores River had a “desire to perform
strange and unexpected things” in the area. Instead of
flowing down the valley, the river emerges from a narrow
gap in one wall, cuts perpendicularly across the middle,
and exits through another gap. As a consequence of the
unusual geography, the valley cannot be easily irrigated
by the Dolores River, but springs and streams fed by
snowmelt from the La Sal Range support the Valley.
Local Attractions:
• BLM Dolores River Recreation Site
• Buckeye Reservoir Recreation Site
• Rock Climbing o of Long Park Road (EE22)
• Paradox Valley Rock Art - National Historic Register
Designation
• Public Land Access/Trails
MM 62.3 DOMINGUEZ & ESCALANTE EXPEDITION
Historic Marker/Interpretive Sign
The Expedition left Santa Fe on July 29, 1776 and would
return on January 2, 1777, after traveling over 1,700
miles. All returned alive to Sante Fe, after facing all
kinds of unimaginable challenges. But, at the time the
Expedition was considered a failure. They had not made it
to California. Looking back, we realize that they provided
the first description of the American West, including the
first maps of the area not yet explored by the Europeans.
This is one of the markers that was erected along the route
celebrating Colorado’s Bicentennial in 1976. On August
21, 1776, they camped in a meadow nearby.
MM 62.3 VANCORUM
Vancorum was built in the 1930s to house the
executives of the VCA Mill near Naturita and was known
as “Snob Hill”. A dozen plus log cabins are situated on
the upper bench overlooking the San Miguel River. Today
the cabins have been completely restored and are the
sight of a new glamping park, Camp V.
MM 60.7 NATURITA
Naturita is located at 5431 feet above sea level on the
San Miguel River. In 1881 a man named Payson built
the first cabin in Naturita. The following year Rockwell
H. Blake built an adobe house in the East End of the
present town. The area’s primary source of income due
to its remoteness from the railroad was cattle. Cattle
could be driven to railheads in Montrose or Placerville
on the hoof. The cowboys driving cattle to Montrose
would follow a trail over the Uncompahgre Plateau now
taken by Highway 90. In 1900 Naturita was primarily
a stopping o place for freight wagons transporting
copper ore from the Cashin Mine near Bedrock to
the railroad in Placerville. Mrs. Rockwell Blake named
Naturita which means Little Nature in Spanish.
Mrs. Blake designated the place with this unusual name
because of its beautiful setting beside the river.
Local Attractions:
• West End Visitors Center/UT Byway Interpretive
Center - Interpretive Signs
• Little Nature Park
• Naturita Town Park
• Naturita Library
• Rimrocker Historical Society Museum
• International Dark Sky Community
MM 60.4 JUNCTION CO HWY 141 & HWY 97
NUCLA SPUR
Nucla is located at 5823 feet above sea level 5 miles
north of Naturita, on Hwy 97, at the base of the
Uncompahgre Plateau and the San Miguel Basin. In
1894 a ditch company called the Colorado Cooperative
Company organized a colony of its members to build a
seventeen-mile ditch to bring water from its head gate
and the San Miguel Canyon northeast of Norwood to the
Tabeguache Park. The colonists, not wanting to waste
an acre of good farmland, situated the town site on a
rocky hill unfit for farming. C.U. Williams, a member of
the company, proposed the name Nucla for the new
town, as he and many of the colonists believed it would
become the “Nucleus’’ of the area. The arrival of the
water to the Tabeguache Plateau was the beginning of
farming and ranching that continues today.
Nucla is also the southern terminus of the Delta-Nucla
Road. As the name suggests the mostly gravel road
connects the towns of Nucla and Delta. The road is a
major artery for those partaking in a host of motorized
and non-motorized recreational pursuits. Mountain
bikers can access both the Paradox and Tabeguache
trails from the road. The campground near Columbine
Pass is a favorite summertime camping area.
Local Attractions:
• Nucla Town Park & Volunteer Park
• Nucla Range Loops Trail System
• Rainbow Reservoir
• Rimrocker Trail Access
• Paradox Trail Access
• Nucla Library
• Public Land Access (USFS & BLM)
• International Dark Sky Community
MM 57.5 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - HWY 90
Coming in from the north is the western terminus of the
eastern segment of highway 90. The road goes over a
hump then drops into the San Miguel River Valley. A few
miles up the road it crosses the San Miguel River on its
way up Cottonwood Creek before climbing to the crest
of the Uncompahgre Plateau. This unpaved section of
Highway 90 was used to drive cattle to Montrose for
many years.
The river crossing is the site of the now abandoned
town site of Pinon. In the late 1800’s Pinon was the
second largest town in Montrose County. The Town of
Pinon was the cooperative community of the Colorado
Co-Operative Company (CCC) established in 1894. The
CCC built 17- miles of ditch (High Line Canal) that flows
water from the San MIguel RIver to Tabeguache Park,
the current Town of Nucla. The DItch was completed in
1903. Many of these early pioneers are buried at the
Pinon Cemetery.
Once across the river a road travels up-river (right) to
the Ledges Cottonwood Recreation Site managed by
the BLM. Located in groves of cottonwoods along the
San Miguel River. Cottonwood campground has 14
campsites. The river in this section flows over sandstone
bedrock where rock ledges form large holes creating
rapids during high water.
The drive-up Cottonwood Creek (left) is another
diversion o the Byway worth the time and eort. The
first meadows encountered along the road are on the
historic Hill Ranch, now owned by the Weimer family.
The Hill’s were not the first people to lay claim to the
creekside fields.
UT BYWAY - HWY 145
MM 116.8 UT JUNCTION CO HWY 141 & HWY 145
Highway 145 continues on up the hill and is the western
terminus of the Byway.
DISAPPOINTMENT VALLEY SPUR - HWY 141
Highway 141 continues by heading south. Although Hwy
141 is not the route of the Dominguez and Escalante
Expedition, it allows an opportunity to explore some of
the area they did travel through. Even by our modern
standards this is a very rough barren country. It does not
take much of an imagination to put yourself back in time
to see the county as they experienced it. Roads built for
energy development now provide roads (not paved or
recommended if wet) to explore Disappointment Valley,
Big Gypsum and Dry Creek Basin. Since few travelers can
say they’ve been to Disappointment Valley… Take a photo
in front of the “Disappointment Valley” road sign to send
home!
Local Attractions:
• Spring Creek Basin Wild Horse Herd - Legend says
that in the early 1900s, a Montana rancher came to
Disappointment Valley with a herd of stolen horses
that he raised to sell to the U.S. Cavalry and other
groups. When the law began to close in on him, he
gathered some of his horses and quickly left the
area. www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/whb_co_
springcreek_ map.pdf
• Gypsum Valley Recreation Site (County Road 10Y)
www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/
CO_DoloresRiver_100k_BoatingMap.pdf
MM 110.1 REDVALE
Redlands Townsite Company was incorporated on
August 31, 1907, The Post Oce prohibited the use
of the Redlands as it was already used so in 1909 the
name was changed to Redvale. The town got its start as
the headquarters for a large orchard operation, but the
altitude was too high to produce a predictable annual
crop. The fruit trees were pulled up and the land went
back to ranching and farming use. The ocial plot was
recorded in 1912 dedicating one block to a park. The park
and building have seen many dinners, town meetings
and dances and is maintained by the residents of Redvale
and the surrounding area. In the early years there was a
hotel, general store, church and Post Oce.
Redvale was a frequent stopping place for travelers,
ranchers, and freight wagons hauling copper and uranium
ore from Paradox Valley to the railhead in Placerville.
South of Redvale at Indian Springs was the site of a
Civilian Conservation Corp. camp in the late 1930’s. Like
many of those camps, the Redvale camp housed hundreds
of men who worked on a large variety of private and public
works projects. The men were paid a modest wage with
most of it being sent home to support their families.
Local Attractions:
• Redvale Community Park
• Public lands Access - 35.75 Road takes o to
the south.
MM 102.6 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - ROAD A 42
Access to McKee Draw & Burn Canyon
The area oers beautiful views of deep canyons with
large cottonwoods and junipers, as well as mesa tops
with panoramic views of Lone Cone Mountain, the La Sal
Mountains of Utah, and the majestic San Juan Mountains.
The upper parking lot provides access to the Burn Canyon
MTB trails and the McKee Draw hiking trails. The first loop
from the parking area is Buttermilk Loop. It is an easy
warm-up loop suitable for all ages and abilities. The larger
Pinyon Point Loop is a continuation of Buttermilk Loop and
oers great views of Burn Canyon, Naturita Canyon and
the mouth of McKee Draw. North from Pinyon Point Loop
the Old Nelson Cut-o passes along the edge of Hideout
Canyon and connects to the other two loops in this trail
system. Cedar Post Loop is a fun, fast, smooth loop.
Hideout Canyon is a continuation of Cedar Post Loop that
is the most challenging loop in this trail system. It oers
good views of Burn Canyon and the La Sal Mountains in
Utah. Posey’s Spur Trail connects back to W35 road for an
easy out back to the parking area.
Local Attractions:
• Posey’s Spur Trailhead
• Burn Canyon Trail System
MM 101 NORWOOD
The town is located atop Wright’s Mesa with scenic views
in all directions.The 12,600-foot Lone Cone to the south
is the scenic landmark best associated with the Norwood
Community. In the 1880s the largest ranch in the area was
owned by Harry B. Adsit who ran over 5,000 head of cattle
and 1,000 horses on the 30 square mile range. One of Mr.
Adsit’s cowboys was “Bud” LeRoy Parker, better known as
Butch Cassidy, who robbed the bank in Telluride in 1889.
The town’s first post oce and store were opened in
1885. The Gurley Reservoir was built near Norwood and
provides irrigation water for the farmers and ranchers on
Wrights Mesa.
Local Attractions:
• Norwood Town Park
• Thunder Trails - take Aspen St. /42 Z Rd. to reach
Thunder Road, follow the signs
• Burn Canyon Trail system
• Lone Cone Library
• Wright’s Mesa Historical Society Museum
• Public Land Access (USFS & BLM)
• International Dark Sky Community
MM 99.4 MIRAMONTE RESERVOIR & LONE CONE SPUR -
ROAD 44 Z
The Lone Cone Road comes in from the south and
provides access to a host of backcountry resources
including the Lone Cone area, Beaver Park and Miramonte
Reservoir. Lone Cone is the tall peak to the south that
dominates the horizon. Following the signs to Dan Noble
State Wildlife Area, Miramonte Reservoir is part of the
wildlife area. In 2013 the lake was drained to remove
undesirable warm water species and restocked with trout
to bring the lake back to its previous status as a quality
trout fishery. The Lone Cone area is a favored high-country
four seasons recreation area.
Local Attraction:
Access to Busted Arm Draw. This oers dispersed
camping opportunities and winter access for groomed
crossed country ski trails.
MM 96.1 NORWOOD HILL RECREATION SITE
Interpretive Sign
After two bends in the road the Byway makes a ledgey
descent into the San Miguel River Canyon. Much of the
canyon is under BLM management, and is a Special
Recreation Management Area. Over 22,000 acres of the
area is managed as an Area of Critical Environmental
Concern due to the canyon’s unique, relic riparian
communities. The river, one of the few intact, undammed
waterways in Colorado, has its source in the North San
Juan Mountains near Telluride. The landscape makes a
steady transition from the desert canyons and mesas to
the Colorado high country.
At the bottom of Norwood Hill, the Byway crosses the San
Miguel River with a BLM recreation site at the pullout on
the right just before the bridge, there’s ADA restrooms
and a picnic area (seasonal closures). Access to the river
is possible from this site. www.blm.gov/visit/san-miguel-
river.
COUNTY ROAD 47 Z - After crossing the river, the
Sanborn Park Road intersection is encountered on the left.
The county road travels along the river for several miles
then climbs out of the canyon, crossing Sanborn Park, and
eventually reaching Dave Wood Road on the
Uncompahgre Plateau.
MM 94.6 LOWER BEAVER CREEK RECREATION SITE
Lower Beaver Recreation BLM site has a few developed
campsites, ADA restrooms, tables and grills and good
access to the river.
MM 94.2 UPPER BEAVER CREEK RECREATION SITE
& BOAT LAUNCH
Beaver Creek BLM boat access is on the right – one of
several put-ins along the river. The river is a favorite with
kayakers, and during high water small rafts can negotiate
the rapids.The site has a few developed campsites, ADA
restrooms & tables.
MM 94.1 PUBLIC LAND ACCESS - X48 ROAD
Goodenough Gulch is a 4WD, high clearance trail
that intersects with US Forest Service 539 on the
Uncompahgre Plateau.
MM 90 NATURE CONSERVANCY - SAN MIGUEL CANYON
PRESERVE
The Nature Conservancy manages sections of the canyon
in cooperation with the BLM. This rugged, remote canyon
is home to an extremely diverse assemblage of plant and
animal species. It represents one of the last remaining,
undisturbed, low to mid-elevation riparian areas in
Colorado. The habitat along the San Miguel River is home
to the raccoon, logtail weasel, American dipper, belted
kingfisher, bald eagle and numerous songbirds. Several
informal pull outs along the Byway allow access to the
river. The San Miguel River is a cold-water fishery with
rainbow and cut-bow trout being the most common fish
species.
MM 87.1 SPECIES CREEK RECREATION SITE
County Road M 44 begins as it crosses the river and
follows Species Creek. A BLM day use site located just
after crossing the river bridge provides access to the river.
The road climbs to the high country north of Lone Cone.
The red rock canyon walls are from the Cutler Formation –
it’s the same geologic formation that is exposed along the
Dolores River near Gateway, only it’s at an elevation that’s
over 2,000 feet higher.
MM 86.7 CORRAL SITE RECREATION AREA
The Corral Site is a US Forest Service (USFS) recreation
site that oers river access for fishing. Parking available.
MM 86 CADDIS FLATS RECREATION SITE
The canyon in this area makes the transition from forest to
high desert and is quite scenic.Below the Byway on a river
flat is the BLM Caddis Flats Campground - a nice spot to
camp and good access to the river.
MM 84 (Hwy 145) PLACERVILLE
The town of Placerville, located less than a mile down
Hwy 145, was founded in 1877 as a placer gold mining
town. When gold played out, the town became the
shipping center for the San MIguel Basin. The Placerville
stock yard was a major cattle shipping point for as long as
the Rio Grande Southern Railroad operated. At one time it
was the largest in the entire state.
Local Attractions:
• Placerville Community Park
• Placerville Boat Launch
The End!
JUNCTION CO HWY 62 & HWY 145
The junction of Colorado Highway 145 and Highway 62
near Placerville marks the southern end of the Unaweep –
Tabeguache Scenic & Historic Byway and the beginning
of the San Juan Skyway.
DISCOVER MORE: UTBYWAYCO.COM
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Bureau of Land Management
West End Colorado
West End Trails Alliance
Nucla-Naturita Area Chamber of Commerce
Norwood Chamber of Commerce
CHAMBER & TOURIST CENTER ADDRESSES & CONTACT
• West End Visitors Center & UT Byway Interpretive Center
230 W. Main Street, Naturita, Colorado: 970.865.2350
• USFS Visitors Center, 1150 Forest St, Norwood: 970.327.4261
• Lone Cone Library, 1455 S Pinion St, Norwood: 970.327.4833
• Ball Park Campground, Uravan: Info Kiosk
HELPFUL LINKS
• WestEndColorado.com
• WestEndTrails.org
• Nucla-Naturita.com
• NorwoodColorado.com
• blm.gov/maps/frequently-requested/colorado/gis-datasets
CONTACT
UT Byway Committee | [email protected]
OUR PARTNERS
Facebook.com/DarkSkyPiePizza Rimrocker.org RimrockerTrail.org WildGalsMarket.com
We thank these businesses
for their generous support.
Please visit their websites
for more information.