Uncompahgre RiverWay Trail:
Colorado
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Description:
The long range goal for the Uncompahgre RiverWay Trail is to connect Montrose to the town of Ouray, 37 miles south at the base of the San Juan Mountains and to Delta, 20 miles to the north near Grand Mesa. Currently, over 16 miles of the trail have been completed, with major sections starting in Montrose and Ridgway.

The southern (Ridgway) section of the trail starts at the south end of Ridgway Town Park, on CO highway 62 about ½ mile west of U.S. highway 550. The park's claim to fame is as the setting for the fictional Fort Smith in the 1969 John Wayne movie, True Grit. Some scenes from the movie are still evident as you wander around the park.

A few blocks east of the park at the Uncompahgre River, the Town of Ridgway is putting the finishing touches on a new whitewater park. The major work on the whitewater rapids was completed in the spring of 2005, and work is continuing on meanders, fishing holes, wetland ponds and picnic areas. Trails from the Whitewater Park will eventually connect to the RiverWay Trail.

From Ridgway, the RiverWay Trail heads north. Six tenths of a mile from the start it reaches the old Denver Rio Grand Western railroad bridge over the Uncompahgre River. At mile marker 1, the trail passes through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Watchable Wildlife Site. The trail snakes through the wetlands on a boardwalk. Be sure to watch for eagles fishing in the river and waterfowl resting in the ponds.

After leaving the wildlife area, the trail climbs steeply on a short (650') gravel section of roadway. It continues north on the bluff about a hundred feet above the river until crossing Ouray County Road 24, the southern boundary of Ridgway State Park, 2.6 miles from the Town of Ridgway.

Within the park, the trail continues 7.5 miles to the camping area at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk. For about six miles, the trail is next to Ridgway Reservoir or on the bluffs overlooking the reservoir. Two miles into the park, at the Dallas Creek boat ramp, the trail surface changes from concrete to gravel. For a half mile, the gravel trail is next to the water, but then it climbs steeply to the top of the bluff overlooking the reservoir. This difficult section of trail is suitable only for mountain biking or hiking. The state park visitor center sits atop this bluff, and provides some spectacular views of the San Juan Mountains. The open meadow next to the visitor center and the nature trail to the south end of the bluff are the best viewing areas.

From the visitor center area, the gravel trail continues to the Dutch Charlie boating and picnic area where it connects to another mile of paved trail around an arm of the reservoir. Another steep but spectacular section of trail continues onto Enchanted Mesa and past the dam. A series of switchbacks drops the trail to the base of the dam and the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk recreation area where it ends near the campground service area.

To continue farther north toward Montrose, you must leave the park at the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk entrance and use the shoulder of U.S. highway 550 for the 3.5 miles to the town of Colona. Extra care should be used on this narrow section of roadway. From there, a frontage road continues next to the highway for five miles to the completed section of trail south of Montrose at Trout Road. The frontage road is useable and safe for running, walking or mountain biking.

See the separate description at the traillink.com web site for details on the Trout Road to Montrose section of the trail.
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Uncompahgre River Trail
By N OEL KELLER in July, 2006
A GREAT SCENIC RIDE UPHILL TO THE SOUTH. PAVED EXCEPT FOR 650 FEET OF SHARED GRAVELED ROAD WHICH WAS TO STEEP FOR MY AMERICAN CRUISER TADPOLE CYCLE. PICTURES ARE FROM DALLES CREEK DAY USE AREA TO RIDGEWAY AND BACK. TWIRLYMAKER@GMAIL.COM
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