Day: July 20, 2020

Progress: Montrose, CO to Moab, UT via Colorado N.M. and Dead Horse Pt State Park

Mileage: 220

Headed NW on US-50 to Grand Junction to hike at Colorado NM. Hiked Devil’s Kitchen, a rather steep route to a rock formation from the East entrance. Routed around to West Entrance and up Rim Top Road for a bit to the visitor center and nature trail hike

I-70 into Utah and then South to Dead Horse Point State Park. Hiked 3.2 miles out and back along the canyon’s east rim to Dead Horse Point Lookout, along and over an amazing river canyon. It was hot! 106 degrees for a desert hike

On to Moab for overnight at Bowen Motel

Progress: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (from Montrose)

Mileage: 75 (round-trip and around town)

Spent the morning hiking and driving in the Black Canyon NP, a road and trails arranged along the 2000 foot cliff above the Gunnison River. It was possible to hike or drive to the bottom but I had to pass..

Progress: Durango, CO to Montrose, CO via US-550 (the “Million Dollar Highway”)

Mileage: 108

Drove north. First stop, the Historic Durango and Silverton Railroad, for a 2 hour out and back into San Juan Forest on a steam train

Next the lovely old mountain town of Silverton for lunch

Afternoon over winding mountain roads to the town of Ouray, set into a narrow valley

Finally arrived at the farm town of Montrose for 2 nights