San Juan Scenic By- way (Hi -way 145) is often rated in the top ten scenic routes in the nation. It starts in Dolores Colorado following the Dolores river as it winds it's way up through La Plata and San Miguel moutain ranges.
Passing through small mountain villages such as Stoner and Rico,the mountains, adorned by aspen and pine with red stone embedded in the hillside,you rise to encounter Trout Lake which is a living portrait painted on mother natures own canvass. Above you are peaks where nothing but solid rock and splatters of ice snow are allowed to exist.
Mt. Wilson (14,246 ft. elev.) lizard head and telescope mount, all tower above you as you ride through Red Mountian Pass at an elevation of 11018 ft. The pavement all the way through is as good as it gets and the corners and turns are all long and winding and built for motorcycles. You can maintian speeds of 55 to 65 mph through the whole trip excluding the townships you pass through.
The icing on the cake is the town of Telluride, it is a Small little sky resort with rows of brightly colored two story houses with steep pitched roofs and colorful gardens.
Main street is a row of red brick and wood buildings, which house an array of different shops,resturants,galleries, and parks. All this surrounded by towering peaks,ski lifts,trails and water falls.
Total time from Cortez to Telluride is about an hour and a half. If it's your first trip schedual about 3 hours cause your gonna wanna stop and take a few pictures along the way. If your leaving early stop and have breakfast in Rico at the Rico Theater, located about the middle of town.
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