Build your own Colorado Scenic Byway

Mountains, mesas and canyons. This 240-mile drive has all three, not to mention pastoral ranch land and quaint towns.

We left Grand Junction and headed south on U.S. Highway 50 to Montrose, then continued east on U.S. 50 toward Blue Mesa Reservoir.

After a long pull up Cerro Summit the hustle and bustle of city life abruptly ends. The scenery here is mostly devoid of civilization. Breath deep.

This also is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park territory. Named a National Park in 1999, this is one of America’s youngest national parks. The park encompasses only 14 miles of Black Canyon, but they are the most spectacular. Black Canyon boasts Colorado’s highest rock face, Painted Wall at 2,250 feet. The deepest point of the canyon is at Warner Point where the canyon is 2,722 feet deep.

It should be obvious that such sights are worth the side trip.

U.S. 50 continues east into Gunnison County and blissful emptiness. When Blue Mesa Reservoir comes in to view look for the turn to Colo. Highway 92 just past Sapinero.

Colo. 92 travels across the dam for Blue Mesa Reservoir. Blue Mesa is Colorado’s largest body of water. It is 20 miles long with 96 miles of shoreline and totals 14 square miles of water. Blue Mesa is the uppermost of three consecutive reservoirs on the Gunnison River. Below are Morrow Point and Crystal. All three are part of the massive Colorado River Storage system managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Blue Mesa is in Curecanti National Recreation Area. Between the canyon and the lakes, this is indeed a recreation paradise. Curecanti is named for the Ute indian Curicata who roamed the area.

There’s enough to do at Blue Mesa to make an extended vacation, but we are pressing on, north up Colo. 92, which is one stretch of the West Elk Loop scenic byway.

Colo. 92 is a relatively lonely road. It first hugs the north rim of Black Canyon for about 25 miles. Three scenic overlook pullouts and picnic areas are in this first 24 miles. Take the time to at least look. The sights of Black Canyon with San Juan Mountain backdrops are breathtaking.

Hikers will want to stretch their legs on the trails  found at each overlook. The hikes are fairly strenuous, but worth it.

As Colo. 92 continues north, Black Canyon is left behind and the West Elk Mountains come in to view. In this stretch are lovely ranches and farms that lend a pastoral feeling to the landscape.

The town of Crawford is the first burg to be encountered as the road makes its way down in to the North Fork Valley.

Watch for a turn to the right if you want to go to Paonia and continue on the West Elk Loop. We took the road straight to Hotchkiss, took a break to enjoy a small arts festival and music, then continued  west on Colo. 92 toward Delta.

As you approach Delta, look for the turn to Cedaredge, north on Colo. 65. This begins a 63-mile journey on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway.

Colo. 65 leaves the hot North Fork Valley and gains steady elevation until it peaks at the top of Grand Mesa at 10,839 feet.

Grand Mesa is another recreation paradise and an important supplier of water to Western Slope towns.

Nestled among the pines and aspen groves on the mesa are more than 300 ponds, lakes or reservoirs. With abundant winter snowfall, the mesa yields an impressive 180,000 acre feet of water, enough for 1.5 million people.

A National Forest Visitor Center near the top of Grand Mesa makes an excellent stop.

Proceed on Colo. 65 down the north side of Grand Mesa. Views here make an interesting contrast. Lush alpine forests now have a backdrop of the hard desert landscape of DeBeque Canyon on the Colorado River.

Powderhorn ski area maintains a gift shop open through the summer months.

Colo. 65 follows Plateau Creek down to I-70 where it is a short journey west back to Grand Junction to complete this build-your-own Colorado  scenic byway.