SW Colorado & SE Utah - June 2019; Part 1

June 3rd through 9th

Part 1: Dolores River and Dolores Canyon

Introduction

I had an enjoyable trip to Utah in May and I was looking forward to getting out again. Weather reports were showing the temperatures in those areas of my last trip reaching the 90s - not comfortable for camping with no shade. At the same time friends were telling me higher elevations in New Mexico and Colorado were still closed due to snow. I would try to seek out some middle elevations to hopefully find moderate temperatures and did my planning accordingly.

I very much wanted to return to the gorgeous Dolores Canyon that I'd discovered in May of 2018, as I hoped to capture its beauty to share with you by utilizing my flying camera platform. The temperatures were quite pleasant last year in May. From there I had the idea to explore the middle elevations of the La Sal Mountain in Utah. I'd never been in the La Sals, so started my research.

There was a lake on the east side of the La Sals just within the Colorado border that looked interesting. This is named Buckeye Reservoir, but I'll mostly use the term "lake" in the rest of this report. Online photos showed a lovely area of Ponderosa pines and the elevation looked about right. From there I'd explore farther west in the La Sals. Then I thought I'd head down Bridger Jack Road, climbing up to the Gooseberry Road area of Elk Ridge and see what I could find; expanding upon my journey through there from last year.

Some of these plans worked out great, others not so much or not at all. Read on...

Don't forget you can click on any photo to open a larger version.

Monday, June 3

I took my usual route up toward the Four Corners, but I left earlier in the day than last time, so it was too early to stop for lunch at El Bruno's in Cuba, NM. Instead I ate at Taco Box in Farmington - it was OK, but that's about all. I turned north at Shiprock. I filled the tank in Cortez before heading to the back country.

Dolores Canyon

The turn-off is just before Dove Creek and is well marked by the BLM, as are the directional signs leading to the road that descends into the canyon. A water main is buried under this gravel road leading to a pump station at the river which supplies Dove Creek.

Aerial view of Dolores Canyon looking upstream from the picnic/rafting area near the canyon access road.

I stopped at the first picnic area and river raft access as there is a giant of a Ponderosa pine I wanted to video. (There is also a vault toilet, should you need one.) There was a young woman and her dog enjoying the Dolores River, which was flowing much higher than last year, though still not enough flow for BLM to issue rafting permits (according to a local couple I spoke with at the top of the road).

Aerial view of Dolores Canyon looking downstream from the picnic/rafting area.

I by-passed the no-fee, BLM campground and proceeded down the road along the river. The road is generally in decent shape, but you will want to have high-clearance if you drive beyond the BLM campground. Four wheel drive is not necessary, however. There was more standing water in the road than last year, but their bottoms were firm.

View downstream from my campsite.

View upstream from my campsite.

It was my belief that the second campsite I found last year was the best in the area, so I aimed for there. I found my site, but had to turn around in the narrow road to get down the short spur oriented correctly. A couple of people in an ATV had to stop while I completed my turn; that was the only vehicle I would see past the campground.

Aerial view down canyon from above my campsite.

My site was much as I'd remembered, though the vegetation along the river was taller and thicker (later in the year? more rain this year?) and the little beach was underwater. The canyon was as beautiful as I'd remembered. For a while it looked like a storm might come on stage, but there were only a few dark clouds that moved away leaving a lovely evening.

Spherical Panorama from above my campsite (click the Full-screen icon [ ] for best view:

Tuesday, June 4

Dolores Canyon, continued

View of the canyon walls from along the road on my morning walk.

Perhaps the only thing keeping this area from perfection is the lack of hiking trails - not that there is anywhere to hike other than the canyon bottom. For my morning "hike" I would walk down the canyon road. I had driven this way last year for a number of miles, with the oaks scratching my paint, until the canyon widened out and I turned around. I understand you can go for many more miles, though perhaps it would be better in a narrower vehicle. Reportedly the lower section is closed for mountain sheep lamb rearing for portions of the year.

This section of cliff had fallen from above (long ago) and was sitting by the road.
Notice more than two different patterns of ripples on the exposed sections.

Aerial view back up the canyon. Yes, I brought my Mavic2Pro along for my walk in my daypack.

Along the road.

It's a lovely walk with plenty of views of the canyon and river. There were no vehicles to break the illusion I was on a trail rather than a road.

Yucca blooming along the road.

I considered staying a second night, as I had last year, but the highway was calling and I wanted to explore other lands. I broke camp a little before noon. On the way out I stopped near the pump station and took a few more aerial photographs.

Aerial view looking downstream from the access road.

Aerial view looking upstream from the access road.

View of the access road where one enters/leaves Dolores Canyon.

Spherical Panorama from above the access road (click the Full-screen icon [ ] for best view:

Western Colorado

Leaving the canyon around lunchtime, I had hoped to find a cafe in Dove Creek. Driving though I couldn't find one; looking now, Yelp shows several, but I'm not sure they're still in business. Quite a number of big trucks were parked at a gas station/convenience store that probably served food, but it didn't reach out and pull me in. As I'd been coming into town I'd noticed a food trailer parked along the road advertising Southern BBQ. I'd give that a try. The proprietor and cook is from Louisiana.

Had the pulled pork sandwich and a small potato salad. Yummy! The sandwich was huge and very tender! The potato salad just the right amount of tart and creamy. They provide a couple picnic tables to the side of the trailer that were shaded and pleasant. Great stop between Cortez and Monticello for sure!

Dolores River, Take Two

There is no short route between Dove Creek and Buckeye Lake. It would have been a bit shorter to head to Monticello, then up US-191, then back east on UT-46; but I had never been though the far western areas of Colorado north of Dove Creek so this was a good opportunity to look around. This would also allow crossing the Dolores River again and compare the terrain.

I drove north on CO-141. It was straight as an arrow through agricultural areas until Egnar. Then there was some rolling hills before the highway dropped steeply, with many moderate switchbacks down to the river. This area is very arid and was hot.

Dolores River flowing from the south after passing through Dolores Canyon.

The highway then climbed back out of the wide, dry canyon in an easterly direction. It  crosses the evocatively named Disappointment Valley, through Gypsum Gap, across Big Gypsum Valley and Dry Creek Valley, then up to Naturita, CO, where I topped off my gas tank. Yeah, if you look at the map, this is a round about way to do it, but then my goal was to see new sights not speed directly from one place to another.

River Road

Leaving town I again eschewed the short route of turning onto CO-90 just past Naturita, and instead continued up 141. During my pre-trip perusal of Google Maps I'd seen a dirt road that cut between CO-141 and CO-90, which is on the route to Buckeye Lake - County Road Y11, a.k.a. River Road. That looked interesting and would prove to be so!

Highway 141 follows the San Miguel River which was flowing high and fast. Wow. The San Miguel, you may know, originates in the high mountains south of Telluride, CO. So perhaps it should not have been surprising to see so much water moving so quickly. It flows generally WNW to join the Dolores River which continues in that direction to the Colorado river northeast of Moab.

San Miguel River - if you see this old, abandoned truss bridge from the highway, and are coming from the south, you've missed the turn-off; if you're coming from the north, look for the dirt road soon on your right.

The turn off to River Road is tricky. It is north of the wide spot in the road labelled Uravan on maps, not that I actually saw anything there. The turn-off doesn't even show up in Google Maps map view, but can be seen easily in the satellite view. There is no highway directional sign; there is a "standard" green street sign on a pole at the corner reading "River Road." Once you cross the river you can only go downstream (the other direction is a private, mining company road). The gravel road is almost at river level, at least it was with the San Miguel so high, and although narrow, in very good condition. River Road parallels the highway for the first 4 miles, but after the first couple you can no longer see the highway which is high above the canyon walls.

Looking back upstream.

Looking downstream

This was an amazing and dramatic drive with the San Miguel rushing past only a few feet from the road and steep, sandstone cliffs rising from the water on the other side and above the road. I kept stopping for photos; I wish I'd have had the presence of mind to take some video as the photos don't convey the awe of the rushing current.

Hanging Flume

Small restored section of the Hanging Flume.

If you read my post from 5 years ago you may recall my photo of The Hanging Flume, and its explanatory sign, taken from the official highway overlook on CO-141. I looked up at the cliff face as I was driving the River Road and OMG, there it was. At least there were the support piers driven into the sandstone high above the river. Another "wow" moment. Shortly I came upon a place where someone had recreated a small section of the flume to show how it must have looked originally. There was an informational sign along the road, but its contents were totally obscured by time, the elements, and a bit of vandalism. I'll post the photo I took of the sign on the highway in the 2014 post.

Plaque from the official Hanging Flume Overlook on CO-141

Rushing waters of the San Miguel River

Dolores River, Take Three

Dramatic cliffs as the road turns west as the Dolores River and San Miguel meet.

Just past four miles the Dolores River joins the San Miguel and the road turns to follow the Dolores upstream. This junction marks the "end" of the San Miguel, though this day the amount of water in the Dolores looked to be less than a quarter of that from the "smaller" tributary. There are more tall, sandstone cliffs, but within only a mile or so the canyon widens out and disappears into Paradox Valley. There are many metering stations along this stretch monitoring and allocating water to irrigate the fields in the valley. Soon River Road 'T's into CO-90 where I turned north.

Continues in Part 2: Buckeye Lake & the La Sal Mountains.