Location of the Rally:  Where's Paonia, Colorado, you ask?? Click HERE  for maps showing you exactly where the Rally is held. Paonia is located approximately 62 miles west of Carbondale, CO on Highway 133.  For a detailed map of the Rally Site Click Here.

Choosing a Scenic Route to Paonia, Home of the TOP O’ THE ROCKIES RALLY 2006

            The good news is that there is no way to get to Paonia, Colorado, without traveling on some great roads in Colorado , many of which have been officially designated as scenic byways.   The roads leading to Paonia are great for their beauty, historical significance, accessibility, and for the sheer pleasure of experiencing the road from the seat of a motorcycle.  The bad news is that such roads aren’t just limited to Paonia.  They’re all over western Colorado.  In an effort to acquaint out-of-state Rally goers with a few optional scenic routes into Paonia, the following suggestions are provided.  Have a safe and happy ride!

  From the North:     There’s a lot of wide open prairie and rangeland in Wyoming, so unless you’ve just come from Jackson Hole or the Black Hills, chances are you’re ready for some cool twisties. 

            Poudre Canyon Option:   From Cheyenne, ride south on I-25 to Wellington and exit at offramp 278.  Ride southwest on Hwy 1 for about 10 miles, then turn west on Hwy 14 into Poudre Canyon. This route then travels west along the Cache La Poudre (pronounced catcha la pooder) River over Cameron Pass just to the north of the Rocky Mountain National Park boundary.  This canyon is a favorite ride for anyone who owns a motorcycle within a 100 mile radius.  From Walden, there are several routes to work your way generally south and west.  Hwy 14 is a designated scenic byway and skirts the base of the Continental Divide to Kremmling.  An even better route travels along Hwy 125 over Willow Creek Pass through the Arapahoe National Forest, then west on Hwy 40 to Kremmling. 

            Rocky Mountain National Park Option:  Of course, nobody should ride a motorcycle in Colorado without passing over Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park.  However, unless you can do it first thing in the morning, the traffic congestion through the Park may be frustrating and time consuming.  From Cheyenne, ride south on I-25 and exit at offramp 257.  Follow Hwy 34 through Big Thompson Canyon (scene of a devastating flood in 1976) and Estes Park into the National Park. After leaving the Park on the west side, continue southwest on Hwy 34 past Grand Lake and Lake Granby to the town of Granby.  Take Hwy 40 west along the Colorado River to Kremmling. 

            Kremmling to Paonia via the Blue River Route and Independence Pass:  From Kremmling, take Hwy 9 south past Green Mountain Reservoir and the Blue River into Dillon.  Take I-70 west and exit at Copper Mountain (offramp 195). Ride south on Hwy 91 past the Copper Mountain Ski area, over Fremont Pass past the world’s largest molydenum mine, through Leadville (America’s highest incorporated city), then turn west on Hwy 82 past Twin Lakes over Independence Pass (included in many “Most Scenic Drives in America” books), through Aspen to Carbondale, then west on Hwy 133 to the Paonia turnoff.

           Kremmling to Paonia via Gore Pass and Glenwood Canyon:   Take Hwy 134 (6 miles north of Kremmling off Hwy 40) west over Gore Pass to Toponas, then south on Hwy 131 to Wolcott.    From Wolcott (or Dillon), the fastest and easiest route, yet still officially designated as scenic, is to take I-70 west through Glenwood Canyon (this is how interstates should be built) into Glenwood Springs, then south on Hwy 82 to Carbondale, and west on Hwy 133 to the Paonia turnoff.   As you come out of the tunnel into Glenwood Springs, notice the hot springs pool on the right, a popular destination for many visitors to Colorado and the source of the town’s name

From the West:   The dominant features west of Colorado are canyons and plateaus carved by wind, rain, and water courses, all of which translate into fast sweepers, interesting curves, lots of elevation changes, and not too many long and boring straights. 

            I-70 Options:   There are several notable sightseeing options worth a look, and not much out of the way.  Several are in Utah.  Exit at Crescent Junction (offramp 180) and ride south on Hwy 191 towards Moab.  After approximately 20 miles, take Hwy 313 west to visit Dead Horse Point State Park for a breathtaking panoramic overlook at the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers at the bottom of Canyonlands National Park.  After returning to Hwy 191, continue south into Moab.  The entrance to Arches National Park (a very scenic ride if you have a few extra hours) is on your left a few miles north of Moab.  For a quick bite to eat, try Eddie McStiff’s at the north end of town.  As of a few years ago, it was the only microbrewery in eastern Utah.   For those with cast iron stomachs, try the atomic wings.   From Moab, ride east on Hwy 128 back to I-70 for a gorgeous trip through Castle Valley.  Another notable option is the Colorado National Monument.  Exit offramp 19 at Fruita and take Hwy 340 through the Monument with its sheer-walled canyons, monoliths, spires and columns.  After exiting the Monument, ride south on Hwy 50 to Delta, then east on Hwys 92 and 133 to the Paonia turnoff.  Another scenic option is to continue east on I-70 and exit offramp 49 at Hwy 65.  Ride south on Hwy 65 over the Grand Mesa scenic byway for incredible vistas to the north over Mt. Garfield and the Book Cliffs, and south to the San Juans in the distance.  Continue south to Hwy 92, then proceed east on Hwys 92 and 133 to the Paonia turnoff.

            Dolores River Route:   A favorite of locals yet not well known ride to out-of-state visitors is the Dolores River Route on Hwy 141 which loops around the west and north sides of the Uncompahgre Plateau.  This ride was recently described by Clement Salvadori in Rider as one of motorcycling’s best rides in America.  The road can be accessed from the west via Hwy 666 at Monticello or Hwy 46 at La Sal Junction (turns into Hwy 90 in Colorado).  Both Monticello and La Sal Junction are along Hwy 191 in southeast Utah.

From the South:   From the south, the good news is that there is no way to get to Paonia without riding on miles and miles of designated scenic byway with high historic interest.  In northwest New Mexico, Hwy 64 is a designated scenic highway that parallels its east-west border with Colorado.  North from Hwy 64 are a number of optional routes leading into the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado.  From I-25, it is even possible to reach Paonia via 100% designated scenic byway.

    Via the San Juans:   There are five routes that intersect Hwy 50, a primary east-west highway that runs through the southern third of the state.  The most interesting feature off Hwy 50 is the 2,000 foot deep chasm known as the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, previously a national monument, but recently designated as a national park.  The canyon is located approximately 25 miles south of Paonia as the crow flies and is a must-see attraction for all Rally attendees either on the way to the Rally or at some other more convenient time during the Rally.  The five routes are described from west to east as follows:

                        Highways 491: This route runs north out of Gallup through Shiprock. The ride travels north on Hwy 491 and joins 160 to Cortez, then north 491 to Dove Creek, then follows Hwy 141 around the Dolores River Route (see description above).  Of the five routes from Hwy 64 out of New Mexico, this will be longest and least congested (read: great bike ride).

                        Highways 145 and 62:  Hwys 145 and 62 serve as the western and northern legs of the Million Dollar Highway Loop around the San Juan Mountains, another of Colorado’s famous “Most Scenic Drives in America.”  Hwy 145 can be picked up two miles east of Cortez off Hwy 160.  At Placerville, Hwy 62 winds northeast over Lizard Head Pass to Ridgeway.  From Ridgeway, ride north on Hwy 550 to either Hwy 50 at Montrose or Hwy 92 at Delta.  Hwy 50 is the longer route to Paonia but provides an opportunity to tour the Black Canyon on the south side (actual Park entrance), and an overlook to the canyon from the north off Hwy 92.     

                        Hwy 550:  Hwy 550 runs north from Farmington (or Bloomfield via Hwy 544), New Mexico through Durango, then continues along the Animas River up and over three mountain passes, through the historic mining towns of Silverton and Ouray (known as “Little Switzerland” and also for its hot springs pool), and further north through Ridgeway to Montrose.  Hwy 550 serves as the spectacular eastern leg of the Million Dollar Highway with its panoramic views of the numerous 14,000 peaks along the Continental Divide in the Weminuche Wilderness Area.  Because of its popularity with tourists, it can be congested.  Knee draggers may prefer Hwy 141 or 149.

                        Hwy149:  Hwy 149 runs north along the Rio Grande and Lake Fork Rivers over Spring Creek and Slumgullion Passes near the La Garita Mountains and Wilderness Area between South Fork and Gunnison.  To reach Hwy 149, take Hwy 84 north from New Mexico to Pagosa Springs, then Hwy 160 over Wolf Creek Pass to South Fork..  From Gunnison, ride nine miles west on Hwy 50, then north on Hwys 92 and 133 to Paonia.  This route is all designated scenic byway and will also be considerably less congested than the Million Dollar Highway.

                        Hwys 285 and 114:  Hwy 285 is a primary north-south highway than runs from New Mexico to Denver through the central part of Colorado.  A worthwhile side trip from this general direction is the Great Sand Dunes National Monument approximately 35 miles northeast of Alamosa at the western base of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains.  From Hwy 285, there are four routes to travel west to Paonia, all designated as scenic byway.  From the south, the first is Hwy 160 between Alamosa and South Fork.  From South Fork, take Hwy 149 north (see above).  The second is Hwy 114 between Saguache and Gunnison over North Pass.  The third is Hwy 50 over Monarch Pass between Poncha Springs and Gunnison.  The fourth is to continue north on Hwy 285 20 miles past Buena Vista to Hwy 82, then west on Hwy 82 (see the Independence Pass option described on routes from the north).

            Via I-25:    After crossing the border at Raton Pass, another lesser known motorcycle ride gem is Hwy 12 running west and north between Trinidad and La Veta over Cuchara Pass through the San Isabel National Forest.  This route is a designated scenic byway known as Colorado’s monument valley route.  From La Veta, ride west on Hwy 160 to Hwy 285 in Alamosa (see above) or continue on into Walsenburg, then take Hwy 69 north which skirts the eastern base of the rugged Sangre De Cristo Mountains to Hwy 50 at Cotopaxi.  This a another great road for riders with hockey pucks on their knees.  From Cotapaxi, ride west to Hwy 285 at Poncha Springs (see above).    

From the East:    The bad news is that all riders from the east must cross the wide open range land that makes up the eastern half of Colorado (or New Mexico or Wyoming, etc).  The good news is that the great Rocky Mountains increasingly loom large on the horizon.  While I-70 and I-76 are fast and straight, the other highways running east and west over the prairie are generally more enjoyable for motorcycle riders because they are significantly less congested, follow the dips, curves and contours of the many creeks, grasslands and dry water courses, and pass through enough small towns to offer opportunities to stop for fuel, food and local trinket hunting.  Hwy 50 between Lamar La Junta offer a number of sightseeing stops such as Bent’s Old Fort Historic Site and the Kit Carson Museum.  Once in the mountains, at least one of the above-described  optional scenic routes should be within an hour’s ride or so.