Day 16 The Ultimate USA Road Trip San Juan Skyway
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 10-04-2022
Route Summary I have further supplemented the Road Trip with even more special points that you can visit in the USA. Today we drive “The San Juan Scenic Skyway”, a great tour through beautiful Colorado. The total round trip is more than 370 km. There is a lot to see and visit along the route, so splitting this route into 2 days is an option.
The route is on beautiful, good roads with beautiful panoramas. There are many opportunities to stop for a photo of the beautiful scenery and many points of interest along the way. Today the emphasis is on driving and enjoying the panoramas. I therefore rate this route with 5 stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
9h 7m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
370.27 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review Today we drive the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, this round trip driving clockwise from Telluride via Ridgway, Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Mancos, Dolores, Stoner, Rico and back to Telluride. If you want to see everything this byway has to offer, you should allow at least two days to drive this beautiful tour. More information about the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway can be found in this link section of this review.
The San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway (US 550) has a number of scenic sections, one of which starts at Ouray and ends in Silverton, also known as the "Million Dollar Highway". It's one of the most breathtaking journeys you can take by motorcycle or car, nestled among arguably Colorado's steepest mountain range.
US 550 has been known as the "Million Dollar Highway" for nearly a century, but the origin of the name is up for debate. The name can refer to the valuable gold and silver ore in the area, the cost it took to build the road, or the amount of money a frightened driver would need to complete the circuit. There are several beautiful places along the route to stop and enjoy the view.
The Million Dollar Highway has a reputation for being a beautiful, yet challenging ride. The road is fully paved and well maintained, but is still considered treacherous by most drivers. The entire route is filled with switchbacks and sections without guardrails. So pay attention and don't get too distracted by the beautiful landscape while driving. Stop, at one of the many parking lots, if you want to take in the surroundings.
We also pass a number of passes at great heights. Like the Red Mountain Pass, this beautiful 3,358-foot summit of Southwestern Colorado's Million Dollar Highway can be both treacherous and intimidating, but the adventurous riders are rewarded with breathtaking views from the top. Red Mountain Pass is the highest point on the Million Dollar Highway. Two other passes are the Molas Pass at 3,344m and the Coal Bank Pass, slightly lower in elevation (3,234m) than Molas Pass and Red Mountain Pass.
We stop for lunch and sightseeing in the beautiful town of Durango. In the historic center of Durango you can still really taste the atmosphere of the old west. You'll find lots of western-themed art and shops selling all kinds of cowboy props.
The city has historic restaurants, hotels and cafes that also revive the old west.
In the center you can visit the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot Museum. You can visit an old gold or silver mine here or take a ride on a historic steam locomotive through the canyons and forests of the San Juan National Forest.
This is also an ideal city to stay overnight if you want to drive the route in two days.
From Durango we drive via the town of Dolores along the river of the same name back north through the San Juan National Forest back to our hotel in Telluride. Along this part of the route there are no sights to stop at, but there are several beautiful points to stop for a photo or simply to enjoy the view. For this last half, take some extra provisions with you to be able to drink and eat something along the way.
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Disclaimer
Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Colorado
About this region
Colorado is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is the eighth most extensive and 21st most populous U.S. state. The 2020 United States Census enumerated the population of Colorado at 5,773,714, an increase of 14.80% since the 2010 United States Census.
The region has been inhabited by Native Americans for more than 13,000 years, with the Lindenmeier Site containing artifacts dating from approximately 9200 BC to 1000 BC; the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas. "Colorado" is the Spanish adjective meaning "ruddy," the color of red sandstone. The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28, 1861, and on August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it became a state one century after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Colorado is bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, Oklahoma to the southeast, New Mexico to the south, Utah to the west, and touches Arizona to the southwest at the Four Corners. Colorado is noted for its vivid landscape of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands. Colorado is one of the Mountain States and is a part of the western and southwestern United States.
Denver is the capital and most populous city in Colorado. Residents of the state are known as Coloradans, although the antiquated "Coloradoan" is occasionally used. Colorado is a comparatively wealthy state, ranking eighth in household income in 2016, and 11th in per capita income in 2010. It also ranks highly in the nation's standard of living index. Major parts of the economy include government and defense, mining, agriculture, tourism, and increasingly other kinds of manufacturing. With increasing temperatures and decreasing water availability, Colorado's agriculture, forestry and tourism economies are expected to be heavily affected by climate change.
Read more on Wikipedia
The region has been inhabited by Native Americans for more than 13,000 years, with the Lindenmeier Site containing artifacts dating from approximately 9200 BC to 1000 BC; the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas. "Colorado" is the Spanish adjective meaning "ruddy," the color of red sandstone. The Territory of Colorado was organized on February 28, 1861, and on August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it became a state one century after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Colorado is bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, Oklahoma to the southeast, New Mexico to the south, Utah to the west, and touches Arizona to the southwest at the Four Corners. Colorado is noted for its vivid landscape of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands. Colorado is one of the Mountain States and is a part of the western and southwestern United States.
Denver is the capital and most populous city in Colorado. Residents of the state are known as Coloradans, although the antiquated "Coloradoan" is occasionally used. Colorado is a comparatively wealthy state, ranking eighth in household income in 2016, and 11th in per capita income in 2010. It also ranks highly in the nation's standard of living index. Major parts of the economy include government and defense, mining, agriculture, tourism, and increasingly other kinds of manufacturing. With increasing temperatures and decreasing water availability, Colorado's agriculture, forestry and tourism economies are expected to be heavily affected by climate change.
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Statistics 
20Amount of RX reviews (Colorado)
13612Amount of visitors (Colorado)
328Amount of downloads (Colorado)
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Start the trip at Daytona Pier on the Atlantic Coast.
Through 14 days you will visit New Orleans, Memphis, Tulsa, Colorado Springs, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. See the sights of Monument and Death Valley, the Hoover Dam. Ride across 12 US States for 4267 miles of adventure before ending the trip on Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles on the Pacific Coast
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The 10 most downloaded routes in the USA from RouteXpert Hans van de Ven
Hello and welcome to this collection of the Top 10 MyRoute app downloaded routes in USA.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be driven.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelogue of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your mail.
The 10 routes are:
1. D13 Estes Park Denver
2. D03 Chadron Custer
3. D01 Pigeon Forge round trip through the Smokey Mountains
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7. D04 Custer Wall
8. D11 Wenatchee Seattle
9. D08 Cody Yellowstone NP
10.R13 San Francisco Monterey
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be driven.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelogue of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your mail.
The 10 routes are:
1. D13 Estes Park Denver
2. D03 Chadron Custer
3. D01 Pigeon Forge round trip through the Smokey Mountains
4. D08 Kalispell Sandpoint
5. D10 Colville Wenatchee
6. D09 Sandpoint Colville
7. D04 Custer Wall
8. D11 Wenatchee Seattle
9. D08 Cody Yellowstone NP
10.R13 San Francisco Monterey
View Route Collection