I'm going up to Colorado in late June to do a group touring ride. I'm planning on getting there a few days before to do some additional riding. I was planning on riding up to Silverton from Durango, spending the night, and then returning the next day. I was wondering about the road conditions. I figure that 550 will probably have traffic on it so I was looking for a way to at least avoid it for a little ways. I see there's a road with number 250 that starts on the north side of Durango and goes for about a dozen miles and reconnects with 550. Has anybody riden on this road? What's it like?

By the way, the group tour I'm going on is the San Juan Skyway route, going from Durango to Mesa Verde Nat. Park, to Dolores, to Telluride, to Ouray, to Silverton, and then back to Durango. I've done it before about 11 years ago and it was a truely great ride!

on Hwy 550 is a classic race course. Every Memorial Day weekend they run the Iron Horse Classic, a race dating back to 1972. It was originally based on the history of a guy who literally raced against the narrow gauge railroad. The race is on Saturday, and they close the highway for the racers. It is 47 miles, one way, with 5,500 feet of climbing including two passes over 11,000 ft. There is a scary fast 1,600 ft descent the last 6 miles. Racers ride the train back to Durango through the Animas River Gorge.

For you in June or July, there is a lot of touron traffic, so you'll have to be super careful.

I live in Durango and I can tell you that C.R. 250 is an excellent place to ride- there are some amazing views and not too much traffic. It mostly runs paralell to 550 and there is a great bakery called 'Bread' at the start of 250. Do it!

This response is super late but in case anyone else is thinking about riding in Durango, 250 is the place to be, especially if you're looking for a relaxed and beautiful place!

undefinedI'm going up to Colorado in late June to do a group touring ride. I'm planning on getting there a few days before to do some additional riding. I was planning on riding up to Silverton from Durango, spending the night, and then returning the next day. I was wondering about the road conditions. I figure that 550 will probably have traffic on it so I was looking for a way to at least avoid it for a little ways. I see there's a road with number 250 that starts on the north side of Durango and goes for about a dozen miles and reconnects with 550. Has anybody riden on this road? What's it like?

By the way, the group tour I'm going on is the San Juan Skyway route, going from Durango to Mesa Verde Nat. Park, to Dolores, to Telluride, to Ouray, to Silverton, and then back to Durango. I've done it before about 11 years ago and it was a truely great ride!

You're right, I did the trip and CR 250 ended up being a really nice road, plenty of scenery and very little traffic. Here's a photo-journal I posted on the trip I did around the San Juan Skyway - a truely great ride!

http://SanJuanSkywayTour2004.crazyguyonabike.com

I live in Durango and I can tell you that C.R. 250 is an excellent place to ride- there are some amazing views and not too much traffic. It mostly runs paralell to 550 and there is a great bakery called 'Bread' at the start of 250. Do it!

This response is super late but in case anyone else is thinking about riding in Durango, 250 is the place to be, especially if you're looking for a relaxed and beautiful place!

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Any estimates on a round trip ride? Do the local pros do this? I am visiting Durango later this month. Thanks!

I did the ride from Durango to Silverton in about 9 hours, but I'm a rather slow rider and I was stopping along the way for photo's. The ride back involves 2 mountain pass climbs(about 10 miles of climbing) but the last 30 miles is downhill! I talked to a local racer here who did the Iron Horse Classic and he did the ride up to Silverton in about 4.5 hours and I suppose if he had done the return trip it would have been a good bit faster. It's a 100 miles total with 4 mountain passes to climb.

I don't know if the local pros do the ride or not. I couldn't hang with them on the approach to the first climb so it really doesn't matter. I have done the ride a few times. It's a beautiful ride. The traffic isn't bad at all. It's a pretty good chug up the hills, but it's well worth the effort.

Take a jacket or at least a vest. Colorado weather can change in a heartbeat. Even a 90 degree day can have cold rain in the afternoon. Heck, I've been on Vail pass on the 4th of July and had it snow on me. Drink lots of H20 and hydrate well, it's easy to dehydrate at altitude.

Have fun. Durango is a fun town.

Any estimates on a round trip ride? Do the local pros do this? I am visiting Durango later this month. Thanks!

I'd say budget a MINIMUM of 8 hours time for round trip including lunch & stops. Pro times are ~2:20 for a one-way trip up. Coming back is quicker, but the last 15 miles of flats into Durango are pretty draining.