Albuquerque to Rifle, CO.

[TXiceman]

Is the better route to pick up Hwy 550 north of Albuquerque to Grand Junction or to go to Santa Fe and pick up 285 to 24 to I 70?

First time through this area and looking for the easier route.

Thanks,
Ken

[2gypsies]

We've done 550 from Durango to Grand Junction but we don't mind steep mountain driving. 550 is excellent to Durango. It's the part from Durango to Ouray that is steep with 6-7% grades. Ouray to Grand Junction is good, too.

An option would be 550 to Durango then 160 west to Cortez and 145/62 to Ridgeway, CO and on to Grand Junction.  145 is much easier than 550.

285 is good until Leadville, CO then you'll have some 6-7% grades... not bad but still steep.

[TXiceman]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Ken

[DuneElliot]

Ditto to the above recommendation. While 550 is possible with an RV between Durango and Ouray, and gorgeous to boot, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Al F]

Another route, which only has one fairly steep pass to go over, is going north out of Santa Fe to US-50 at Poncha Springs, CO then west on US-50 to Montrose and on to Grand Junction.  The pass is Monarch little west of Poncha Springs.

Personally I would opt for the shorter route and take US-550 from Durango to Ouray.  But I would stop and do some sightseeing in the Silverton area on the way. 

[Al F]

If you want to totally bypass mountains, go west in I-40 to Gallup, then north to Cortez and Moab and then SR-128 to I-70 and Grand Junction.

[Al F]

OOPS!  Did you want to go to Grand Junction or Rifle?  The title is going to Rifle, but the text is Grand Junction. 

If going to Rifle, I would take the 285-24 to I-70 and then west to Rifle.  The road from Leadville to I-70 is an easy drive by Colorado standards. Especially compared to the Cortez to Telluride or Durango to Ouray routes. 

[TXiceman]

We are headed to Rifle.  Thanks folks.

Since we are towing heavy and getting near the ratings on the truck, I think the extra 100 miles or so it wil be worth it to go to Gallup and then north to Moab then  Grand Junction and back east to Rifle.

 

Ken

[ms60ocb]

Looking at your truck & FW i would take the longer trip and Not abuse your brakes.. That would be the trip through Moab .

Not having a map in front of me I won't say routes but the drive from Albuquerque to Shiprock NM could be your choice as both major routes are normally good. Then go to Cortez and on to Moab, North out of Moab to I-70 and east Rifle. You have some hills but not long high grades and wider roads with less curves. There are alternates from north of Dove Creek  CO but have choices of narrower winding roads.

My wife don't like heights so for me I can't travel US 550 Durango to Ourray or 145/62 through Telluride because of steep drops on the side of the road or bind corners

I don't know your camping plans at Rifle but the Colorado State Park at Rifle Gap north of Rifle is one my favorite locations,

I had a 2011 F350 the last trip to Colorado but have a small Freightliner. This fall we will be Glenwood Springs and not sure how we will travel but may travel US 50  east over Monarch Pass to Montrose  to Grand Jct to Glenwood Springs . Return may be Rabbit Ears Pass (Steamboat Springs).

Clay

2015 FL Sports Chassis, DRV MS 38PS3/Dallas

[Al F]

12 hours ago, TXiceman said:

We are headed to Rifle.  Thanks folks.

Since we are towing heavy and getting near the ratings on the truck, I think the extra 100 miles or so it wil be worth it to go to Gallup and then north to Moab then  Grand Junction and back east to Rifle.

 

Ken

There are two routes to from ABQ to Shiprock.  If you are on the north side of ABQ I would suggest US-550 to Bloomfield and then west to Shiprock.  This route is about 20 miles shorter than the ABQ to Gallup to Shiprock route.. 

However, I don't like this route because it has lots of small hills and mild curves which force me to downshift out of overdrive to climb and I can't leave the cruise control on and sit back and relax.  That is on the Abq to Bloomfield section.  Then the Bloomfield to Shiprock is through several small towns and Farmington.  There are a number of traffic lights on this section and quite a bit of traffic.

The Gallup to Shiprock route is mostly 4 lane and level. There are a couple of short construction sections, but nothing bad. Kind of a boring drive though.  We have taken this route 6-8 times over the last 6 years.  Half north bound and half southbound. 

There are two good climbs on I-40 just west of Abq.  First the climb from the Rio Grande river and then about 10-15 miles west of there. 

If you have the time spend a couple of days in the Moab area and do some sightseeing.  Be sure to go to Deadhorse Point for the view. 

[TXiceman]

We are west of Albuquerque off of I40.  My wife want to see Four COrners anyway, so we head west and then to Shiprock and up to Moab then to Grand Junction and Rifle.  This is the route the Garmin RV GPS pcks as an alternate.

We are hosting at Rifle Gap for the Summer in the Lakeview unit.  Stop by for a visit and a Howdy.

Ken

[TXiceman]

491 from Gallup to Shiprock has a bit of construction and down to one lane st s few spots,  Biggest problem is some of the sections are really a roller coaster ride,  Down to 40 mph at times and still shook up things a bunch.

Ken

[bruce t]

We drove 550 from Ouray to Durango a few months back. There was a lot of road work going on near the pass. Long delays. 30+ minutes for us. At least the scenery was a bonus while we waited. And waited. And waited. You may want to check current road works.

regards