Is This the Best (Non-Famous) Colorado Mountain Town?

In this video I drive a fantastic high mountain road through the still-snowy mountains of Colorado and stumble across a couple of perfect little mountain towns.
DATE FILMED: Early April 2024
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GPS COORDINATES, etc.
** Start of the Silver Thread Scenic Byway: 38.489341, -107.058915
** Downtown Lake City: 38.028693, -107.317358
** Ice climbing park: 38.026336, -107.320422
** Lake San Cristobal overlook: 37.980548, -107.279692
** Slumgullion Earthflow viewpoint: 37.986573, -107.263369
** Windy Point Observation Site (view of the San Juans): 37.98620507011048, -107.24214852819902
** North Clear Creek Falls: 37.849467, -107.150428
** Downtown Creede: 37.853349, -106.927055
** End of the byway: 37.669220, -106.640832
** Campsite: 39.03766, -105.97677
OTHER LINKS
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** The blog: suvrving.com
** Instagram: / suvrving
** My other KZbin channel: / tenkaraaddict
#adventure #travel #camping

[@glennanderson3725]

I have ridden the Lake City route numerous times over the last 35 years by motorcycle and car. The big changes has been the boring beetle infestation the resulted in the clear cutting of the trees. Lake City is an important ORV area and access to the various mountain passes to Ouray and Silverton. I never experienced traffic on 149. US 550 and US50 have heavy traffic and slowdowns for road construction. You didn't stop to see the headwaters of the Rio Grande. Creede is famous for the killing of Bob Ford, the man who shot Jesse James. South Fork was a filming site for "Vacation" (the tent camp scene).

[@EZSteve]

I was a member of the Hinsdale County Sheriff's Department, which is headquartered in Lake City, in the 1980s. I moved to Lake City in 1983 from Los Angeles, where I was a cop. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had over 5,000 sworn personnel, whereas the Hinsdale County Sheriff's Department had only three full-time sworn officers. It was quite a difference, and I loved it, the solitude, and being paid for patrolling the wilds of the county, 96% of which is wilderness area. One paved road bisects the county, Highway 149, which heads south over Slumgullion and Spring Creek passes, on through Creede. steve

[@carlbrown8830]

This video epitomizes your channel. I've watched dozens of travel videos about Colorado from other KZbinrs and they all seem to cover the same landmarks. You tend to find the out-of-the-way places that get passed over, but are as interesting as the others. Plus, you do your homework on the backgrounds of these places enhanced by spectacular videography. I've watched you for over 5 years, and you never get boring!

[@craigroosa9321]

Well said and have been watching too for several years ! Great channel great views as well .

[@friendlyfff2155]

As usual, a fantastic journey to places I've not been to yet. The drone footage of the Slumgullion Earthflow was spectacular, and gave a completely different perspective to what you should show from the road. Thank you for all you do for us armchair travelers ... :-)

[@mistere7637]

My family has been going to the Creede/Lake city area since the early 70's, back when Slumgullion Pass was a dirt road. I have been up that way all times of the year (except the dead of winter). The summers are crowded but not crazy crowded. There is considerably more traffic than what you encountered (of course), but it really isn't enough to ruin a trip up there. I think the best time to go up there is around the third week of September. All the kids are back in school, so there are very few vacationers. The aspen trees are at their peak fall colors, and the mountain trails are still open. It is absolutely spectacular.

[@adventuresofchris1]

Creede resident here! Thanks for sharing! Silver Thread is a beautiful drive all year. Fall is probably the prettiest with the Aspen. Much less busy than the Million Dollar highway. Hopefully see a Tenkara fishing video also!

[@kjsgarden]

A couple pronunciation thoughts... Locals say yur-AY for Ouray. And CRIS-toe-ball for the lake. 🙂 Thanks for highlighting some of our backcountry beauty. ☺️

[@sharondavis8003]

Think I would love to live in Creede along with the Big Foot tailgate person😊 Would much prefer small mountain town to ritzy ski village with its designer people😮 Thanks, Tristan , for the long drive I enjoyed without car sickness 😊 Great job 👏🏻 🙋🏼‍♀️👍🏻❤️

[@SUVRVing]

Creede is a neat little town, for sure! Thanks for watching, Sharon.

[@rds99]

Look at year round temps in Creede, …..very cold in winter.

[@gregkrauth5624]

Love it. Words fail me. Kathy and I spent a night at a beautiful chalet in Lake City on our honeymoon in 1973. Mrs Ford owned the chalet and I believe she was kindest person we ever encountered. We had been in Creede the day before. While we were having lunch in a cozy little diner in Creede, JOHN WAYNE strolled past by himself. They were filming Rooster Cogburn in the area. Love your video. Been backpacking, hunting, fishing, in that magnificent area since 1965. Thnx

[@sheronlee152]

Loved that drive. mountain towns and Mountain View's are my favorite thing.

[@joanc7422]

This waterfall is spectacular! I love the way it drops and bounces over the rocky column. I have never seen anything like it. Thanks for sharing.

[@genekied]

I lived in the Gunnison area (actually in Almont) from 2004 - 2010 and drove the Silver Thread many many times chasing trout and mountain biking. At least back then it wasn't quite as busy as the Million Dollar Hwy but as with all of Colorado there is just so much beauty that people are drawn to it. If you go mid-week you will have many of the spots nearly all to yourself.

[@kathleenstabler6591]

There's a fabulous 50 mile trail race out of Lake City every June just at the Summer Solstice. It takes you up the Alpine Highway a short distance then up and into the mountains you see all around the town. A good portion of the course is on the Continental Divide and it eventually winds back down, crosses near Slumgullion, continues through some beautiful mountain meadows and circles you back down into town where the race ends in the park. It''s fairly small, as trail races go and it maintains the small mountain town feeling.

[@georgemiller2665]

Lake City is a very cool mountain town that still retains quite a bit of the 'old' feel. We used to love going there, and the brewery was a great addition to the town. Sadly we avoid it now. During the warm(er) months it is completely overrun with ATV/UTVs that have taken over the Alpine Loop as their playground and have at best a tenuous relationship with rules, regulations, laws, and good manners.

[@SUVRVing]

I know that side-by-sides can be great for helping people get outside when they otherwise wouldn't be able to, buuuut... I sort of hate them 🤷‍♂

[@georgemiller2665]

@@SUVRVing I agree. We've done quite a bit of back country jeeping in that area on the old mining and forest roads and the level of destruction caused by them is sad. It's going to cause the closure of many areas to everyone to protect them if nothing is done. If you haven't been to Creede yet I suggest checking it out, it's another cool little town in that general area that's remained fairly 'old west'.

[@georgemiller2665]

Oops, that's what I get for not watching the entire video before I comment!

[@user-ri2ee4qg7k]

Totally true on the UTV front........they are a complete scourge, and have (unfortunately) made the town a kind of awful place.

[@rustyshackle917]

Silverton banned OHVs for all the reasons you describe. Go to Ouray/Silverton if you want to avoid loud, lawless Texans ripping down the road in a side-by-side.

[@TimWillinghamRatz]

We drove it in the opposite direction late summer of 2020. There was not a lot of traffic and the drive was beautiful. Our favorite spot was an overlook on the Bachelor Loop in Crede. You could clearly see the San Juan river winding through the valley below. The sun was reflecting off the river and you saw where the name Silver Thread Scenic Byway came from. We saw a moose heading up to the pass just after the falls.

[@alchristensen8121]

I drove that route in summer about six years ago and there weren't many other people. One other car at the Slumgullion Pass overlook, maybe a dozen at the waterfall. Lake City looked deserted, and Creede was only slightly busy. That "flat" area around the falls is part of the drainage basin that creates the Rio Grande, which you followed from a little south of the falls to South Fork (and beyond if you went east on 160). Also, when the snow and ice are gone, there are ways to climb down at least part way to the base of the falls. Thanks for the memories. I need to go back that way again.

[@butchpemberton6143]

The more I watch of your videos the more i am captivated with your presentations seeing soooooo many pristine locations..Sorry for the loss of your father..He taught you well. Did he make any video?

[@Mark-cg2bg]

Someone earlier mentioned how close you were to the Rio Grande headwaters. As a Texan who drove that route, it was great seeing the river from the highway as a fresh, young stream full of snow melt. Big difference from the way at looks down in the Rio Grande Valley!

[@debrabalawajder2617]

Hi Tristan! We stayed in Lake City last mid-Sept on a 2 week CO trip. I “found” Lake City when we did the Alpine Loop in 2018. It became our base for 3 nights. Stayed in a nice AirBnb. We did a day trip to Creede and did the Batchelor Loop - an old mining area. You missed the best part of Creede, their Fire Department is in the mountain. It was just about 1/4 - 1/2 mile further from where you parked! We also saw that water fall. San Christabel Island in Lake City was beautiful in September - very blue water and surrounding by the mountains. I didn’t think it was too “crowded”; it wasn’t peak leaf season yet. But probably more cars/people than you would like.

[@paulas_lens]

Thank you, Tristan. That was great. Love your footage.

[@SUVRVing]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@jasonralph4286]

The off season is very important for people who live and work in the mountain towns across the Rockies. Ski areas are closing for the season, people are relieved to see the snow beginning to melt and the local schools set aside a couple weeks in April so families can travel south to find warmer temperatures and avoid some of the mud season in the mountains. We rarely could afford to fly to a tropical destination but we would pack up the SUV and head to southern Co., southern Utah or Arizona for a change of climate and scenery. Now I am retired in Sugar City, Idaho and riding along with you in my mind. Thanks

[@Gail8280]

Thank you for a beautiful, uplifting start to my weekend. Keep up the great work!

[@SUVRVing]

Will do! 😁

[@georgematosian484]

Thanks again Tristan for another highly enjoyable video. I’ve driven all three of these routes in the summer and they are truly delightful. My wife and I drove the Silver Thread most recently in a Corvette, somewhat different than your car, top down on a sunny warm day, smooth highway, nice sweeping curves with a river on one side of the road and mountains on the other, absolute driving delight. Creed was busy but not distressingly so and has a mining tour - museum that is quite interesting. We found a great deli / bakery and picnicked at the waterfall. I’d advise anyone in the area to take the route you’ve shown, it’s lovely in the summer and if they just happen to be driving a sports car or motorcycle, they’ll remember it as one of their best trips ever.

[@georgem7965]

About a half mile up the canyon mouth in Creede is one of the best mining museums I have encounterd (I am an old gelogist and hard rock miner). One of the best aspects of the museum is that it is underground.

[@gareysorensen1009]

A very good museum going into the mountain.

[@LoriBH]

This is one of my favorites you’ve done in Colorado, thanks Tristan! We visited Creede last summer on a hiking trip and drove Deep Creek Road, which is spectacular. The town was not that busy; I wonder if a lot of people on 160 drive right by the 149 turnoff without really noticing it. BTW, author Pam Houston wrote a book that serves as a beautiful ode to her life in Creede - “Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country.” 🤓

[@jmpattillo]

I drove the silver thread last May. Very beautiful.

[@SUVRVing]

May would be a great time to do it, too. Thanks for watching!

[@tja3495]

Love to learn about scenic byways, thanks! What a beautiful drive. 💜☮

[@ericmalatesta]

I've ridden that road on my motorcycle twice. Although traffic is definitely more during the summer, that stretch is still less than many of the road in Colorado. So many beautiful stops on that route. At the top of Slumgullion pass, there is a small dirt road that descends off the mt north and east. Heads down to Cathedral. That is a wonderfully maintained dirt road that leads to the most amazing green valleys (at 9000 Elevation). I have ridden that road in September, and the fall colors were coming out. Truly need to return and make that route.

[@APhoenixWithin]

Went through that area in July of 2020 - wasn't insane busy with people, but definitely wasn't sleepy or lonely

[@jasonralph4286]

This is a fine episode of SUV Rving. The San Juan's are such a beautiful part of Colorado. The mountain scenery and history going back to the native peoples makes this area special. I hope it's far enough from some of the more visited parts of the state that it may be able to stay less traveled. The proximity to Mesa Verde and southern Utah make it feel more connected to the ancient native people. Ouray made me feel a bit like I was visiting the Alps. I always wanted to Fly fish the Delores River and some of the other cold waters in the area when my daughter was off from elementary school in Jackson Wyoming's version of spring break but it never happened for me. Keep on exploring Tristan. We're living vicariously through you! istory and

[@johnchedsey1306]

I love that drive! I'm a Colorado native so I drove it quite a few times. In fact, I did this drive last summer (first time since 2005, since I moved away from Colorado the following year) on labor day weekend. Absolutely had a wonderful time again. Lake City has definitely rebounded a little since 2005 for being a neat little destination. I had a great lunch at their little microbrewery. Believe it or not, despite it being Labor Day weekend, the traffic was still fairly light, all things considered. I was driving my Nissan Juke Nismo RS, which has great sports handling, and I got to take advantage of the curves without being stuck behind 10 RVs. The Windy Point view is possibly one of the most stunning vistas in all of Colorado. It really feels like the mountains got tipped over or something.

[@larrydraper4451]

I love that waterfall! I've wanted to visit Creede as it looks like such a beautiful location. I have driven the first 2 routes you talked about and enjoyed them both. You've now given me a reason to go back to that area, as if I needed a reason. Another great breakfast video.

[@harlandeke]

Do it...and if you camp, you can stay in one of several campgrounds just below the falls, there are actually 2 falls on that creek, The campgrounds have full sites and there are also boondocking sites too. I would not take take a large camper over Slumgullion pass...but a small one would be ok as long as you gave good breaks and good nerves..lol.

[@stevenscarborough9376]

Several years ago in late September we spent two nights in Lake City. This was part of our Alpine Loop offroading adventure in our 4Runner. Loved it. While Lake City seemed to be fairly full then, the drive to Creede had very few cars. While in Creede we drove about half of the Bachelor Loop to see some of the old mine sites. I would love to go back and spend more time.

[@gt2745]

Recently purchased a home in Ouray. Love wandering around exploring SW Colorado.

[@RovelynLorenzo]

what a beautiful little town. ❤❤

[@nevgeth40]

Spent 3 summers there at a place up the canyon past Lake San Cristobal. Made it up Mt Red Cloud twice. Many fond memories there. There is a ghost town with several intact (at least those many years ago) buildings near the continental divide, with the source of the Rio Grande a few miles past that.

[@dianespears6057]

Loved this drive. Thank you.

[@jeraldheinrich3589]

Stayed in South Fork a couple summers ago. Met a guy who had come to South Fork for years since he was a kid and did fly fishing .

[@jessiehead6525]

Loved the Slumgullion earthflow!

[@michaelh2797]

This is one of my favorite areas of Colorado. The windy point overlook is really nice in the fall, the whole area is. But yea, lots of people in summer. Your drone footage of Slumgullion slide really showed how it slid down the mountain. Good work as usual.

[@cherylmiller-day5932]

Great time of year. Beautiful! Thank you!

[@martinforrester8249]

That was a fascinating and beautiful journey. I loved the unspoilt nature of Lake City, but particularly Creede, I could live there ! It reminds me of Moab, Alpine and Bisbee in the early 1990's.

[@RPiltingsrud]

Great job man! Thanks for visiting!

[@thinker2328]

Love your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@charleshicks3492]

That was great; thanks for the drive 🤩⭐️😎

[@Kralphrn]

Your videos are so entertaining! Nice job!

[@1zcott]

love your channel

[@alistairtrumbo3587]

30 years ago I did a couple of week long supported bike tours in the San Juans. The routes included all 3 of your referenced roads plus about all of the other paved roads in the area. South Fork to Lake City was spectacular on a bicycle. Currently, the significantly increased traffic loads would make replicating those rides much more dangerous.

[@wimotten8353]

Very nice surprise to see this again. I spend a summerholiday in Colorado in september 2015 and also did that drive. Remember Lake City, the lake, the waterfall and Creede. It was beautiful then. I don’t remember it being very crowded. Also don’t remember that Silver Thread road being very busy. But maybe that’s because I am used to the much more busy roads here in the Netherlands 🤣😱.

[@mattl6948]

This guy deserves more subs!

[@Harry-Giles]

Another well done trip. Enjoyed it Tristan. Thanks. Love the channel.

[@mommafayeakafayecarmichael8427]

Awesomeness! Thank you for all you share. MommaFaye

[@Beautiful_world32192]

I just love your channel! Thank you for all the hard work you do and for sharing it! :-)

[@freedomdove]

Very cool. Thanks for sharing, Tristan. 👍

[@kimprocarione5473]

I've been to visit Rifle, CO, where I have family. They took me to some incredible places! The ones I remember most are Colorado Monument, Grand Mesa, Rifle Falls, and Colorado Springs because that's where Doc Holliday lived until he passed. I'm a fan of his character in the movie Tombstone 😅 what can I say? My nephew remembers little cool things! 😊

[@mykirbs2002]

Loved the water fall

[@carolsmith7380]

Lovely Waterfall!! Thanks for showing us!!

[@joecutro7318]

Great ride through a breathtaking part of Colorado. Its been years since I've been out that way (while living in one of those glitzy ski towns.) 😅 Thanks for letting us hitchhike. Glad you made it over before they closed the bridge.

[@carolsmith7380]

Another nice video, Tristan. As always thanks for sharing 😂

[@robertross2596]

What a neat drive with two nice towns; the stops you made were quite interesting as well. I did a fascinating walk along the elevated walkway below the Steel Stacks in Bethlehem Pa. There are about 5 miles of old buildings by the Lehigh River in the defunct Bethlehem Steel site. Some have been converted to apartments, condos & shops; the star attraction, however, were the old blast furnaces at the Steel Stacks. This was quite the different kind of walk for me. Thanks for for yet another great video Sir!

[@LMGSvideos]

Heading to Colorado in May. I’ll be sure to drive this road. Love your videos!!

[@JeffinBville]

I drove the Alpine Loop back in the early 90s up, and over, Cinnamon Pass. It was cool - and very scary.

[@RamblinRalph]

Great video! Wow, what a waterfall! Safe travels.

[@heden1460]

That was an awesome waterfall to see.

[@stevesjeep3383]

Awesome!

[@gaywalker4387]

This was a cool adventure. That waterfall was a great surprise!

[@suejackson3664]

You’re in my area, great video, as usual. Yes, the shoulder seasons, and during the off seasons are great for us in terms of the tourist population being reduced.

[@mariawalsh335]

Hello Tristan love your adventures, thanks for sharing your time and posting your videos😊

[@jacobmalkin2612]

Great video as always! I've driven the million dollar highway in late spring and late fall and in both cases it was relatively uncrowded. The nice thing about fall is that the mountains and roads are dry (early winter storms permitting) and so you get all the great access without the crowds. I live in NW Montana and fall after labor day is my favorite time of year for that reason.

[@deport53]

I have driven through Colorado once in my long life, and I went that way from New Mexico to home in Santa Cruz. It was 10 years ago in July and I just randomly chose to go that way. It actually was surprisingly not crowded though certainly more than in your video. Lake City was definitely the highlight and the river through there was beautiful. We waded in the river, then we ate in a little restaurant and went to an ice cream place. I just couldn't believe how uncrowded it was but figured it's pretty far from any big population center. The overlook wasn't as pretty without snow but we met a couple who said that was the most beautiful view they've ever seen. They were from Lubbock, TX. It is pretty but not spectacular.

[@lindarainey5759]

I absolutely LOVE Creede!

[@virginiajorgensen8614]

I liked the look of that mountain town and of course the rest of the video.

[@glenndahlgren2572]

Yep the Lake City area is very busy in the summer months. Very popular with folks from Texas.

[@chucksmith31]

We spent last August in South Fork and it was wonderful. The drive back and forth to Creede was beautiful. Believe it or not, while certainly more people it still felt uncrowded. 🤫

[@isabelmendi3973]

Lovely town, but your right, must see off season. Thanks for the history lesson, it’s nice to learn a little about the area your visiting. Thanks.

[@dougoverhoff7568]

Love your videos, both for the videography, and for your detailed descriptive and informative narratives. This area is now on my bucket list to visit, and hopefully that will be soon. I'm just curious as to what the circumstances are like there in the fall, (as far as the crowds, weather, etc.)? Blessings!

[@jburnett8152]

Very charming little mountain towns. Love the water fall.

[@annhysell6064]

Wow, Tristan. Great choice of route & as always really like your choice of sites & overlooks. On this one, particularly the slide & waterfall. Sure wish I could travel west on my own. So appreciate your vids. (I'm still working through your "questions" video, its so long but interesting in it's own right). Be well.

[@marywarner6555]

Beautiful scenery! Great waterfall! Really enjoying the sort of winter footage. I have been to Lake City twice. Both times it was a midway stop via the Alpine Loop from Silverton in the fall. Talk about gorgeous scenery, with all the golden aspens. I have also done the loop out of Creede up into the mountains passing the remnants of old mines. Both trips highly recommended for some of your future adventures. As always, thanks for taking us along!

[@johnmcdonald1306]

Tristen thank you for your beautiful video in places I could never be

[@jimmyjones4095]

I used to take the family on vacation up the silver thread highway where we always stopped in Creede on our way to spend a couple of weeks in Lake City. The kids were 10 and 7 then up to 13 and 10. We loved Lake City and exploring the are and fishing San Cristobal. My kids are 40 and 37 now and we have the fondest memories of it. I still go through the area myself camping.

[@ibgoho]

When you couple the SW Colorado area along to the SE Utah area, it's my dream trekking / adventure paradise. The vast desert canyons, cliffs & formations along side the towering snowy mountains is an unparalleled playground. I just returned to the Colorado Front range (home) from an amazing week in that area's canyon country hiking to remote prehistoric Native ruins. Absolutely epic time, can't wait to return. Keep up the excellent vids Tristan, I so very much enjoy them!

[@jamesharris8541]

Driven Several times usually in the fall, lots of aspens & beautiful. Good fihing at both reservoirs. Sometimes crowded but not like ski resorts.

[@harlandeke]

AWESOME!...you finally did one of my favorite adventures...we drove the Silver Thread from Creede to Blue Mesa on the way from Great Sand Dunes to Black Canyon...but our trip was in mid July 2020 so everything was green and accessible. We stayed in the North Clear Creek NFS campground

[@m532198]

Thanks for the video. My favorite overlook is Stop 11: Rio Grande River (Browns Lake Overlook). It gives the impression of being able to look all the way to the Rio Grande headwaters. Summer traffic: Not too bad because Crede and Lake City are "mountain towns." Summer traffic is mainly for the 4wd trails out of Lake City towards Ouray and Silverton.

[@Rexodus014]

North Clear Creek Falls was really beautiful ! Seems quite a large volume of water flowing under that icy snow covering. Thanks for sharing !

[@jasonmears4393]

Really beautiful drive. I loved that waterfall. It was beautiful. I've got a trip planned in a few weeks to some great waterfalls in north Georgia. I just got back a couple of weeks on a waterfall trip in the chattanooga Tennessee area. I love just getting in my gx470 and taking road trips to places I've never been. I guess that's what got me interested in your channel. One day, I'm gonna have to head out west to see some of the places you have been. I lived in Rexburg, ID, many years ago for school. I really liked Idaho. Always look forward to watching your next adventures.

[@campingalan]

Hello Tristan, from Ouray, CO. It is great to know you are visiting just over the ridge from us! Your videos are always awesome! We just returned from 2 weeks of camping down in the Sonoran desert to explore the Tucson area. We are actually considering moving there. Ouray is insanely beautiful, but we can tell that when our mobility decreases, it will be difficult to operate there. I think we will be doing the move, but not till next year. My wife wants one more summer in CO.

[@SUVRVing]

Ouray is a shockingly beautiful place. You're lucky to live there! But I can definitely see the appeal of the Tucson area if I were in your shoes. It's hard to argue with not having to deal with snow!

[@gregkrauth5624]

In August of 1973, the drive from South Fork to Lake City was wonderful with only light to moderate traffic. Nice to see that Lake City is just as sleepy now as then. Kathy and I want to retrace the route of our '73 honeymoon. We camped at Blue Mesa, spent a night at the Piedras River Resort, and in Rifle on our way to our beloved San Juan's. I don't remember how many times we've been over Wolf Creek Pass. Swimming in the hot springs in Ouray in February is something our boys still talk about. Montrose to Ouray in early October is another experience you'll never forget. The flaming colors of the Aspens amongst the pines has to be experienced in person.

[@illuminati1618]

Beautiful scenery! My uncle has a cabin in South Fork and I have been up to Creed several times. There is a ton of great roads in the area to explore once the snow melts and things dry out a bit. South Fork is mostly know for its fishing I believe. Not much of a fisherman myself but I know there are a ton of fly fishers out in the river every time I have gone there.

[@lvtiguy226]

I have climbed Redcloud, Sunshine, and Uncompaghre peaks that you talked about. They are all wonderful mountains and not too technical 14ers. The San Juans are indeed a stunning area. I believe they are referred to as “the Swiss Alps of America.” I absolutely love the mountain towns in CO and could care less about the ski towns (except for access through to other mountain towns). Thank you for sharing your experiences. Most of the towns in and around the San Juans do get pretty crowded in the summer, but take any trail more than a mile or so away from “civilization” and you will find relative quiet.

[@kimmccormick314]

One of our favorite motorcycles rides. Really beautiful in the summer and not really too much traffic.

[@evanemerson]

Wow, I’m 49 and wanted to go on Outward Bound trips when I was 14-16ish. That’s cool your dad did it. Being a camp counselor later was awesome and worth every effort.

[@mickieknapp5364]

We go this exact route in the summer usually the second week in June through July. The two weeks in June are perfect very little traffic very little people in Lake City or creed or South Fork. But July 4 becomes a madhouse. But most people are going on the Alpine loop so they are gone in the daytime, and are not on the main roads as you cannot take off wheel on the main highways. There will be snow on the mountains when we get there in June. We also stay over at Salida and have stayed for many years at Pagosa Springs. A lovely place to go in the summer get away from the Texas heat , we don’t go skiing but have gone in the fall and it is magnificent. We love love love Lake City. If you just have to go shopping somewhere, you can always take a day trip to Aspen, but that is crazy in the summer. It is difficult to go right now to Lake City because the blue Mesa Reservoir has a bridge that is being worked on , and it is not the high 149. But most people who are coming into Lake city Will be coming from the south. For a little while anyway. Just be patient when you’re at the ice cream shop because you’re gonna be waiting a little bit. All the surrounding towns have fun Fourth of July activities. Be prepared because there are not a lot of places to eat so they do become crowded in the afternoon.

[@therookeryvanlife5612]

That waterfall was amazing and not in a likely location. And an honorable mention of Sasquatch chilling out in the back of a truck!

[@rubin_farr9799]

Lake City was my favorite part. I like when you visit CO.

[@lexpatterson5098]

You were up where the Rio Grande river starts. And you did pick the right time of the year. About mid June those places will become people infested.

[@timteague9702]

I did this exact scenic byway in the summer and it was not packed at all but this was in summer of 2020... It is just as you stated "117 miles of prime mountain driving"... I still remember how amazing the drive was today...we went from Alamosa to Gunnison...

[@rugged9769]

I visited Lake City last summer a couple of times on some hiking trips, and drove over Cinnamon Pass in my stock Lexus GX SUV. It was busy with lots of ATVs but everyone was polite with good road manner. The views along the Alpine Loop are incredible and the driving is quite fun too

[@lynnef3297]

Beautiful drive, Lake City and Creede were very cool. The waterfall was unexpected and beautiful ❣️ I'm with you though, I would much prefer to see it "off season" with fewer people. 😀👍 Thanks, Tristan!