Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway
2 días / 130 millas / 3 horas 16 minutos
This route goes through the raw pages of Colorado's geologic diary. It travels from the vivid desert "redbeds" of the high Dolores River Canyon, through the high plains at the foot of the San Juan Range, then back down into mountain canyons.
Día 1
Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway
MM 154
This spot marks the northern end of the Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway. Highway 141 south first enters the canyon of East Creek, a small stream that drains the eastern part of Unaweep Canyon. As you proceed on to Gateway through the Canyon, you will be traveling across the northern end of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The Plateau is 25 to 30 miles wide and stretches nearly 100 miles south to the San Juan Mountains. Highway 141 into Unaweep Canyon was once known as "Uranium Road" as it was the only access between the mines in the Gateway area and the processing mill in Grand Junction.9:00 - 0.3 millas / - 9:00
MM 153.7
From its headwaters high in the San Juan Mountains, The Gunnison River greets you as you begin your UTBW adventure. Some argue that the ancient path of the Gunnison River left behind the large deposits of gravel that still provide a livelihood for Canyon residents today.9:05 - 1.0 millas / un minuto - 9:07
MM 152.7
There are 3 main panels of petroglyphs on the face of the cliffs above the highway.9:37 - 0.5 millas / - 9:37
MM 152.2
The site has several small panels of very faint petroglyphs.10:07 - 1.2 millas / un minuto - 10:09
MM 151
Large blocks and boulders of the Burro Canyon Formation litter the slopes. The area is a popular rock climbing and bouldering venue. Several pullouts provide access to the climbing areas.10:14 - 5.0 millas / 8 minutos - 10:22
MM 146.1
A view of the Grand Valley far below and the Bookcliffs and Mt. Garfield that rises above the valley.10:27 - 3.0 millas / 4 minutos - 10:32
MM 143
The deep rusty red Chinle Formation gives way to Precambrian rock.10:37 - 2.8 millas / 4 minutos - 10:42
MM 140
The full extent of Unaweep Canyon comes into view. The Precambrian metamorphic rocks and granite form impressive cliffs over 1,200 feet high.10:47 - 2.9 millas / 4 minutos - 10:51
MM 137.3
Parking area for those who want to climb the sheer cliffs of Unaweep. The Access Fund manages three parcels that contain some of the best rock-climbing walls in Unaweep Canyon.10:56 - 3.1 millas / 4 minutos - 11:01
Unaweep Divide (elevation 7,048 ft)
MM 134
From this point the topography drops to the east to form East Creek, or west to form West Creek. The Ute Indians name for this place, Un-a-weep, means “canyon with two mouths”. It is unique because the two creeks flow out of opposite ends of the same canyon.11:06 - 2.7 millas / 4 minutos - 11:11
MM 131.5
The waterfall up the cliff is visible from the road but there is no public access as it is on private land.11:16 - 2.0 millas / 3 minutos - 11:19
MM 129.5
The stone building was built between 1914 and 1918 by Lawrence Driggs, a wealthy author and socialite from New York. Driggs hired local stonemasons, Nunzio Grasso and his son, to build the structure. Sandstone from a nearby canyon was used to construct the home.
The prominent rock outcropping that towers over the mansion is Thimble Rock – note the intrusive pegmatite dikes and sills that give the granite cliffs their unique coloration.11:24 - 9.7 millas / 15 minutos - 11:40
MM 119.7
Locally known as “Swamp Hill”, the 79-acre Unaweep Seep is home to a variety of water-loving plants including the rare Giant Helleborine and Canyon Bog orchid. One of a few known populations of the Nokomis Fritillary butterfly makes the seep its home. The diminutive butterfly’s caterpillar feeds on the Northern Bog violet.11:45 - 2.8 millas / 4 minutos - 11:49
MM 117
A nice place to take a break and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty. West Creek has cut a narrow drainage through ancient rock. The clear waters of the stream hold trout and are open to fishing.11:54 - 5.4 millas / 8 minutos - 12:03
MM 111.7
So named as the "Gateway" to the spectacular slickrock country of the Dolores River Canyon. The river valley around Gateway was settled in the late 1880s. The remains of the abandoned Nisley and Wilson Vanadium Mill rest in testimony to the mining boom of the 1930s and 1940s.12:08 - 0.8 millas / un minuto - 12:09
Día 2
MM 110.7
The resort was built by John Hendricks, Discovery Channel founder and former Discovery Communications chairman.9:00 - 4.9 millas / 7 minutos - 9:07
MM 106
Pull off the Byway onto any number of wide spots in the road, be aware of traffic. Look to the southwest and closely inspect the slopes of the brick red Moenkopi Formation. Careful viewing will reveal scattered exposures of white alabaster. This is a good place to observe the geologic strata that make up the scenic North Dolores River Valley.9:12 - 6.9 millas / 11 minutos - 9:24
MM 99
Access a lightly used path on the cliff side of the roadway. Just a short walk from the roadway is a large boulder with examples of petroglyphs.9:54 - 7.4 millas / 11 minutos - 10:06
MM 91.5
This is a natural spring with delicious, cool water.
The water is untreated.10:11 - 3.1 millas / 4 minutos - 10:15
MM 88.5
This was the headquarters of Roc Creek Ranches established in the early 1900s. The town of Uranium was once located here as well as the Rajah, the first big uranium mine of the region.10:20 - 0.5 millas / - 10:21
MM 88
Walk from the mile marker on the north of the roadway, stay left of the large boulder, and on to the rock face. Several rock art etchings can be seen on this section of the overhang, although they have worn down with time.11:06 - 3.0 millas / 4 minutos - 11:11
MM 85
There is a pullout to the left just past the site. Skull Rock was photographed in the early 1900s, and appears in historical records.11:16 - 1.1 millas / un minuto - 11:18
83.8
All that is left of the 3 years of placer mining are rows and rows of large rocks and gravel. As the workers used the sluice box, the large rocks, having no value to the miners, were picked out and piled in rows out of the way.11:23 - 0.4 millas / - 11:24
MM 83.4
On the west side of the road is a dome shaped coke oven built in the 1880’s. It is believed that coke from the oven was used by blacksmiths during the construction of the Hanging Flume.11:29 - 1.3 millas / 2 minutos - 11:31
Horse Collar & John Christian's Grave, Mailman's Ladder
MM 82.1
On the slickrock face to the left you can see the remnants of a ladder etched in stone. The steps have worn down over the years, and the handrail has fallen away. The ladder was used in earlier days to go down to pick up mail at a box along the road. Each evening a man would walk down and back, bringing the mail for all the men working in the mines in the area. The road on the right points you toward a unique rock formation on the opposite side of the river. Water runoff from above has washed a hole through the rocky cliff and falls a great distance to the bank of the river where it has washed a small pond before entering the river. Old time locals called this the Horse Collar. Slightly to the left of the path is a grave marker for John Christian, a member of the Royal Family of Denmark.11:36 - 0.5 millas / - 11:37
MM 81.5
A great overlook providing a bird’s eye view of the Hanging Flume that clings to the canyon wall below.11:42 - 0.6 millas / un minuto - 11:43
MM 80.9
After sorting ore from the rock, miners shipped the ore to the mill and the rock spoils were dumped over the hills. Look for similar mine dumps along the route.11:48 - 0.6 millas / un minuto - 11:49
Windy Point - Confluence of the San Miguel & Dolores Rivers
MM 80.3
A dirt road that will take you to the canyon’s edge for a long view of the confluence and the river canyons. The road is an ox-cart trail constructed to haul materials and supplies down to the Hanging Flume workers.12:04 - 1.5 millas / 2 minutos - 12:06
MM 78.7
The donkey was painted on the red cliff rock in 1955 by a miner who lived in a cave house. It has been painted many different colors over the years.12:11 - 0.5 millas / - 12:12
MM 78.2
Transition from earthen canal to hanging flume.12:17 - 0.3 millas / - 12:18
MM 77.8
The corrals are one of the few remaining remnants of the Club Ranch. Lumber for the corrals reportedly came from the Hanging Flume.12:23 - 0.9 millas / un minuto - 12:24
MM 76.9
In the 1880s, Dr. Dearborn, a retired army doctor, got an option on placer claims and range land along the San Miguel River. The ranch was named after the clubs card suit.12:29 - 0.8 millas / un minuto - 12:30
MM 76
In 1914 Standard Chemical built the Joe Jr. Mill here, to process carnotite ore that was being mined locally.
At this time radium was recovered from the ore and used for radiology research and painting luminous dials. In 1928 U S Vanadium (USV) bought this property, including the ore processing mill, and developed the town, giving it a new name: Uravan—for URAnium + VANadium. In 1984 the Uranium industry in this area finally shut down and in December of 1986, the last resident left. The town was dismantled, shredded, and buried as part of a Superfund cleanup project.12:35 - 0.4 millas / - 12:36
MM 75.7
Look carefully on the cliff side of the roadway to spot this opening, mining blasting supplies were stored here during Uravan’s mining days.12:41 - 0.3 millas / - 12:42
MM 75.3
Several other areas of the former town were reported by Umetco to be below contaminant
background levels and were therefore not a part of the RAP cleanup efforts: the E Block, F Block, Corrals, Gym Area, Ball Park, and Homer Woods.12:47 - 0.1 millas / - 12:47
MM 75
Look over the side of the road toward the river and you will see a large hole. This was the beginning of an earthen ditch, a tunnel, more ditch, until it reached the sheer rock walls where the Hanging Flume was built.12:52 - 1.0 millas / un minuto - 12:53
The Ball Park at Historic Uravan
MM 74.2
This park was dedicated on July 4, 1957 as the Carbide Recreation Park. The Rimrocker Historical Society maintains this historic site as a picnic and campground.12:58 - 0.3 millas / - 12:59
San Miguel River Tabeguche Preserve
MM 74
The 250-acre property runs along the river for 2 ½ miles preserving vital riparian habitat. It’s a nice place to stop for lunch or a break. No public access when the gate is closed.13:04 - 1.8 millas / 2 minutos - 13:07
MM 72
This was another tent town location, used by the early Uranium miners.13:12 - 3.1 millas / 4 minutos - 13:17
MM 69
Gold was discovered on the San Miguel River in the late 1800s. A group of miners from Ouray, Colorado formed a
placer company and built a tent town here calling it Chipeta.13:22 - 5.4 millas / 8 minutos - 13:30
MM 63.7
Not even a rusted sign remains of this once popular attraction. Stock car races were held here every weekend in the 1960s.13:35 - 0.7 millas / un minuto - 13:37
MM 63
The Naturita processing site is a former uranium- and vanadium-ore-processing facility. Before 1942, the mill processed only vanadium ore; in 1942, operations shifted to recovery of uranium for the Manhattan Project.13:42 - 0.7 millas / un minuto - 13:43
Dominguez & Escalante Expedition
MM 62.3
The Expedition left Santa Fe on July 29, 1776 and would return on January 2, 1777, after traveling over 1,700 miles. On August 21, 1776, they camped in a meadow nearby. This is one of the markers that was erected along the route celebrating Colorado’s Bicentennial in 1976.13:48 - 0.0 millas / - 13:48
MM 62.3
Vancorum was built in the 1930s to house the executives of the VCA Mill near Naturita and was known as “Snob Hill”. A dozen plus log cabins are situated on the upper bench overlooking the San Miguel River. Today the cabins have been completely restored to a new glamping park, Camp V.13:53 - 2.0 millas / 2 minutos - 13:55
MM 60.2
Naturita was established in1882 and developed primarily as a business district for local ranching and mining interests. Stop by the Visitor Center to find out more about the area and its attractions.14:00 - 10.7 millas / 13 minutos - 14:14
MM 110.1 REDVALE
The town got its start as the headquarters for a large orchard operation, but the altitude was too high to produce a predictable annual crop. The fruit trees were pulled up and the land went back to ranching and farming use.14:19 - 8.9 millas / 11 minutos - 14:31
MM 101
Located atop Wright's Mesa with scenic views in all directions is the agricultural community of Norwood. In the 1880s the largest ranch in the area was owned by Harry B. Adsit who ran over 5,000 head of cattle and 1,000 horses on his 30 square mile range. One of Mr. Adsit's cowboys was "Bud" LeRoy Parker, better known as Butch Cassidy, who robbed the bank in Telluride in 1889. The road south out of Norwood provides access to National Forest lands and Miramonte State Recreation Area, known for its excellent fishing.14:36 - 5.0 millas / 6 minutos - 14:42
MM 96.1
At the bottom of Norwood Hill, the Byway crosses the San Miguel River with a BLM recreation site at the pullout on the right just before the bridge, there’s ADA restrooms and a picnic area. Access to the river is possible from this site.14:47 - 1.5 millas / un minuto - 14:49
Lower Beaver Creek Recreation Site
MM 94.6
The site has a few developed campsites, ADA restrooms, tables and grills and good access to the river.14:54 - 0.4 millas / - 14:54
Upper Beaver Creek Recreation Site & Boat Launch
MM 94.2
The river is a favorite with kayakers, and during high water small rafts can negotiate the rapids.The site has a few developed campsites, ADA restrooms & tables.14:59 - 4.3 millas / 5 minutos - 15:05
Nature Conservancy San Miguel Canyon Preserve
MM 90
Established in 1989, this two mile (279 acre) preserve in San Miguel Canyon protects a rare riparian plant community, including narrow leaf cottonwood trees, blue spruce and thin leaf alder. This area is open to day use activities such as catch and release fishing with artificial flies and lures. There are no well established trails, but foot traffic is allowed.15:10 - 2.9 millas / 3 minutos - 15:14
County Road M44 - Specie Creek Recreation Site
MM 87.1
A BLM day use site located just after crossing the river bridge provides access to the river. The road climbs to the high country north of Lone Cone.15:19 - 0.4 millas / - 15:19
MM 86.7
The recreation site offers river access for fishing.15:24 - 0.7 millas / - 15:25
Caddis Flats Recreational Site
MM 86
A nice spot to camp and good access to the river.15:30 - 1.7 millas / 2 minutos - 15:32