I was on a road trip about 4 weeks after you, intending to drive from Durango CO to Salida. My usual route is by way of HWY 50 along the Gunnison River which is currently not accessible due to the middle bridge closure, so I took the lower route along the Silver Thread Byway. I had forgotten what a beautiful route that is! I loved it so much I went back with my wife a few weeks later so she could enjoy it. The mountains were still snowcapped which really enhances the view. Your aerial view of the Slumgullion earthflow really shows it in a way that can’t be fully appreciated from the road. You have a knack for finding the “off the beaten path” gems, and on this trip, it was North Clear Creek Falls. Looking forward to that stop on my next ride through.
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).
This video epitomizes your channel. I've watched dozens of travel videos about Colorado from other TH-camrs 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!
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.
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!
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
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.
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. ☺️
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 ... :-)
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 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'.
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.
My wife and I stayed in Creede last winter when not much was going on. We loved it. The people in town were friendly and we had the cross country ski trails to ourselves. Lake City is nice too, great roads into the mountains from there. Lots of ohv’s and more Texans than Coloradoans
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.
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 👏🏻 🙋🏼♀️👍🏻❤️
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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?
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!
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.
I hauled my 11k lb fifth wheel up Wolf Creek Pass in early April 2021. My jaw about hit the floor when you said that Slumgullion Pass was higher and steeper. Wolf Creek was our first trip coming back from AZ. For the second trip, I considered going up that "middle" scenic highway you mentioned but ended up avoiding Colorado all together and swung south to Albuquerque before heading north towards central NE then on to home in central IA. Our third trip back from AZ took us thru almost all of the reservations in Northern NM. I loved driving thru there.
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.” 🤓
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
This was so enjoyable. Loved the old towns head over heels better than the tourist areas where dressing to impress seems to be the normal. It is so pleasant to listen to you as you share as you don't dress it up in fancy ways to try to impress. So relaxing. The waterfall was spectacular and that ice mountain was amazing. Just a very wonderful video.
Your craft has evolved to where you don't need a great drone shot of yourself on a craggy peak, to have a pretty superb video. As an aside, a frame grab around 23:46 could be donated to EV charger finding websites currently lacking any photos of that charging location at the town hall. You could annotate "Photo courtesy of SUV RVing TH-cam channel" into a parking space next to the EV spaces, and get some free promotion. Or just give the word/permission, and I'll do it for you.
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.
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.
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.
You are correct, summer traffic is heavier but this is not an overly used road as it connects, as you said, mountain towns. Most traffic is there to drive the Alpine Loop and back roads over to Ouray. Also to access the 14teeners. Also, as l'm sure you're aware, to fish. We have a family place outside Del Norte, so know it well. Sharing this with family, thanks.
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.
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 🤣😱.
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.
I visit Lake City every few years and have driven that highway many times in the summer. There is little traffic, even in the summer. It’s not difficult to find a place to camp. Lake City is like you guessed, overrun with ATV’s and UTV’s in the summer. That said, it’s still easy to park in town and visit the attractions. Hopefully you can come back sometime to drive the Alpine loop and the loop road in Creede as well. The Lake City area is great for fly fishing also. If you had visited several years ago, you would have seen the gorgeous spruce forests which are now completely gone due to the devastating spruce beetle. You drove thru where they had to clear cut the area near Slumgullion pass. Glad you made it over the bridge before it cracked forcing it’s closure.
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.
Great video again. I noticed the attention to detail you put into making these. While you were hiking to the falls and the camera was showing you approaching; I didn’t see any footprints for when you placed it there. You’re an awesome videographer and storyteller. Proving again why you are one of my original favorites in this TH-cam space. -Chris⛰️🚙
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Being a runner, it’s really strange to talk about Lake City without mentioning the world-class mountain races around there. When I think of Lake City that’s the first thing I think of.
You should of mentioned that you were near the headwaters of the Rio Grande River when you were at Creede. I spent a night camping along that stretch of highway between Creede and South Fork in 1990. I was on my way to Iowa to see my sister and her family.
I've been to this area in summer and honestly its not too crowded. By Colorado standard anyway. There's more people than you encountered in spring, but it doesn't see anywhere near the traffic of Ouray/Silverton/Durango/Telluride/Gunnison/Crested Butte. Those more popular towns tend to siphon off the traffic that would otherwise occupy Lake City/Creede. If you do come back to the area in summer, you should try to check out the Wheeler Geologic Area. Its not easy to get to, requiring either a long hike or a slow 4x4 crawl, but the reward is worth the effort and would be right up your alley. If it were more accessible it would probably be a national monument
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. 🤫
I've been to Lake City in summer. I don't remember it or the surrounding area being very crowded, but that was in 1989. Alferd Packer did his winter dining thing near there.
While vacationing Ouray Colorado last fall, my wife pointed to the sky, a much deeper blue than back in Kansas. Almost like being at the edge of space. It comes through in some of your shots.
Lake City is my favorite vacation spot in all the US. I have been there each year from 1976 thru 2010 in early Spring to Late fall. I have tent camped 10 miles from nearest city, stayed in RV and rented cabin as well as large homes in town. I have found many places to explore on foot as well as on atv while being isolated from crowds in all seasons. Lots of trails both long and short to enjoy.
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
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...
Lake City is known for the entire town being Texans. Creede is my favorite non-famous Colorado town. The Creede Repertory Theater is a great place to see a play or concert. One day you should also check out the South San Juan’s which you can access from near South Fork. Summit Peak is a good hike and is the highest peak. Scenery is great but can get crowded in the summer because of fishers, campers, and ATVs. But the mountain itself is not crowded. I spent the night on the summit (carried my tent and everything else with me) over Memorial Day 2000. First to climb the peak in the 2000’s. Colorado was much less crowded in the 80s 90’s and 2000’s. Even Ouray wasn’t bad.
Colorado is so beautiful. I wish I had the energy and youth to climb some of those mountains. I love old history from this country. The gold Rush days fascinate me. Cheers Tristan.
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.
Love the area around the Sangri de Cristo mountains.
I was on a road trip about 4 weeks after you, intending to drive from Durango CO to Salida. My usual route is by way of HWY 50 along the Gunnison River which is currently not accessible due to the middle bridge closure, so I took the lower route along the Silver Thread Byway.
I had forgotten what a beautiful route that is! I loved it so much I went back with my wife a few weeks later so she could enjoy it. The mountains were still snowcapped which really enhances the view.
Your aerial view of the Slumgullion earthflow really shows it in a way that can’t be fully appreciated from the road.
You have a knack for finding the “off the beaten path” gems, and on this trip, it was North Clear Creek Falls. Looking forward to that stop on my next ride through.
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).
This video epitomizes your channel. I've watched dozens of travel videos about Colorado from other TH-camrs 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!
Well said and have been watching too for several years ! Great channel great views as well .
A beautiful mountain town.yes.
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.
Fall or Spring, best times for sure
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!
I absolutely LOVE Creede!
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
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.
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. ☺️
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 ... :-)
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.
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 🤷♂
@@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'.
Oops, that's what I get for not watching the entire video before I comment!
Totally true on the UTV front........they are a complete scourge, and have (unfortunately) made the town a kind of awful place.
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.
My wife and I stayed in Creede last winter when not much was going on. We loved it. The people in town were friendly and we had the cross country ski trails to ourselves. Lake City is nice too, great roads into the mountains from there. Lots of ohv’s and more Texans than Coloradoans
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.
A very good museum going into the mountain.
The Quiller Gallery in Creed...a favorite place of mine there.
I love that place abs his work and his daughters!
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 👏🏻 🙋🏼♀️👍🏻❤️
Creede is a neat little town, for sure! Thanks for watching, Sharon.
Look at year round temps in Creede, …..very cold in winter.
Looove Creede and that Sasquache truck!
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.
Thank you, Tristan. That was great. Love your footage.
I'm glad you liked it!
Loved that drive. mountain towns and Mountain View's are my favorite thing.
How come there's never a Last Baptist Church?
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.
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.
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
That waterfall was amazing and not in a likely location. And an honorable mention of Sasquatch chilling out in the back of a truck!
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.
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.
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?
Loved the Slumgullion earthflow!
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!
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.
Thank you for a beautiful, uplifting start to my weekend. Keep up the great work!
Will do! 😁
I hauled my 11k lb fifth wheel up Wolf Creek Pass in early April 2021. My jaw about hit the floor when you said that Slumgullion Pass was higher and steeper. Wolf Creek was our first trip coming back from AZ. For the second trip, I considered going up that "middle" scenic highway you mentioned but ended up avoiding Colorado all together and swung south to Albuquerque before heading north towards central NE then on to home in central IA. Our third trip back from AZ took us thru almost all of the reservations in Northern NM. I loved driving thru there.
Lake City is a gem, and their claim to fame is they're the most remote county in the lower 48, which isn't true, God bless your travels.
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.” 🤓
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.
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!
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.
Love to learn about scenic byways, thanks! What a beautiful drive. 💜☮
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.
Next time in Creede check out the Fire station.
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.
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.
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
This was so enjoyable. Loved the old towns head over heels better than the tourist areas where dressing to impress seems to be the normal. It is so pleasant to listen to you as you share as you don't dress it up in fancy ways to try to impress. So relaxing. The waterfall was spectacular and that ice mountain was amazing. Just a very wonderful video.
Went through that area in July of 2020 - wasn't insane busy with people, but definitely wasn't sleepy or lonely
Your craft has evolved to where you don't need a great drone shot of yourself on a craggy peak, to have a pretty superb video.
As an aside, a frame grab around 23:46 could be donated to EV charger finding websites currently lacking any photos of that charging location at the town hall. You could annotate "Photo courtesy of SUV RVing TH-cam channel" into a parking space next to the EV spaces, and get some free promotion. Or just give the word/permission, and I'll do it for you.
I drove the silver thread last May. Very beautiful.
May would be a great time to do it, too. Thanks for watching!
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.
Your videos are so incredible and very well done! Feel like I'm there when I'm just watching. Thank you for the inspiration!
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.
Great video! Wow, what a waterfall! Safe travels.
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 .
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.
You are correct, summer traffic is heavier but this is not an overly used road as it connects, as you said, mountain towns. Most traffic is there to drive the Alpine Loop and back roads over to Ouray. Also to access the 14teeners. Also, as l'm sure you're aware, to fish. We have a family place outside Del Norte, so know it well. Sharing this with family, thanks.
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.
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 🤣😱.
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.
Ice climbing park.thats so 😎.i got to try ice climbing a little.👍
Tristen thank you for your beautiful video in places I could never be
I like the explanations of the history and geology etc. I am getting too old to see in person..
Hello Tristan love your adventures, thanks for sharing your time and posting your videos😊
I visit Lake City every few years and have driven that highway many times in the summer. There is little traffic, even in the summer. It’s not difficult to find a place to camp. Lake City is like you guessed, overrun with ATV’s and UTV’s in the summer. That said, it’s still easy to park in town and visit the attractions. Hopefully you can come back sometime to drive the Alpine loop and the loop road in Creede as well. The Lake City area is great for fly fishing also. If you had visited several years ago, you would have seen the gorgeous spruce forests which are now completely gone due to the devastating spruce beetle. You drove thru where they had to clear cut the area near Slumgullion pass. Glad you made it over the bridge before it cracked forcing it’s closure.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing, Tristan. 👍
Yep the Lake City area is very busy in the summer months. Very popular with folks from Texas.
September is the best time to visit there. Not too crowded. Driving up into the mining area of Creede area is worth doing.
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.
Great video again. I noticed the attention to detail you put into making these. While you were hiking to the falls and the camera was showing you approaching; I didn’t see any footprints for when you placed it there. You’re an awesome videographer and storyteller. Proving again why you are one of my original favorites in this TH-cam space. -Chris⛰️🚙
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.
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.
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.
North Clear Creek Falls was really beautiful ! Seems quite a large volume of water flowing under that icy snow covering. Thanks for sharing !
what a beautiful little town. ❤❤
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.
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.
Driven Several times usually in the fall, lots of aspens & beautiful. Good fihing at both reservoirs. Sometimes crowded but not like ski resorts.
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.
Heading to Colorado in May. I’ll be sure to drive this road. Love your videos!!
Being a runner, it’s really strange to talk about Lake City without mentioning the world-class mountain races around there. When I think of Lake City that’s the first thing I think of.
You should of mentioned that you were near the headwaters of the Rio Grande River when you were at Creede. I spent a night camping along that stretch of highway between Creede and South Fork in 1990. I was on my way to Iowa to see my sister and her family.
I've been to this area in summer and honestly its not too crowded. By Colorado standard anyway. There's more people than you encountered in spring, but it doesn't see anywhere near the traffic of Ouray/Silverton/Durango/Telluride/Gunnison/Crested Butte. Those more popular towns tend to siphon off the traffic that would otherwise occupy Lake City/Creede. If you do come back to the area in summer, you should try to check out the Wheeler Geologic Area. Its not easy to get to, requiring either a long hike or a slow 4x4 crawl, but the reward is worth the effort and would be right up your alley. If it were more accessible it would probably be a national monument
Lovely
Waterfall!! Thanks for showing us!!
This guy deserves more subs!
Very charming little mountain towns. Love the water fall.
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. 🤫
Beautiful area, I ve spent some time in the area. You should see it in the fall when all the aspen are turning.
I've been to Lake City in summer. I don't remember it or the surrounding area being very crowded, but that was in 1989. Alferd Packer did his winter dining thing near there.
While vacationing Ouray Colorado last fall, my wife pointed to the sky, a much deeper blue than back in Kansas. Almost like being at the edge of space. It comes through in some of your shots.
Lake City is my favorite vacation spot in all the US. I have been there each year from 1976 thru 2010 in early Spring to Late fall. I have tent camped 10 miles from nearest city, stayed in RV and rented cabin as well as large homes in town. I have found many places to explore on foot as well as on atv while being isolated from crowds in all seasons. Lots of trails both long and short to enjoy.
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
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...
One of our favorite motorcycles rides. Really beautiful in the summer and not really too much traffic.
I just love your channel! Thank you for all the hard work you do and for sharing it! :-)
Great description of how mountain towns differ from ski towns. Colorado would be more fun with fewer ski towns. :)
Another nice video, Tristan. As always thanks for sharing 😂
Lake City is known for the entire town being Texans. Creede is my favorite non-famous Colorado town. The Creede Repertory Theater is a great place to see a play or concert. One day you should also check out the South San Juan’s which you can access from near South Fork. Summit Peak is a good hike and is the highest peak. Scenery is great but can get crowded in the summer because of fishers, campers, and ATVs. But the mountain itself is not crowded. I spent the night on the summit (carried my tent and everything else with me) over Memorial Day 2000. First to climb the peak in the 2000’s. Colorado was much less crowded in the 80s 90’s and 2000’s. Even Ouray wasn’t bad.
Recently purchased a home in Ouray. Love wandering around exploring SW Colorado.
I plan to drive that area someday. I have driven the 550 north to south. It on my list .
I liked the look of that mountain town and of course the rest of the video.
Colorado is so beautiful. I wish I had the energy and youth to climb some of those mountains. I love old history from this country. The gold Rush days fascinate me. Cheers Tristan.
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.
This was a cool adventure. That waterfall was a great surprise!