Road Index     or use your browser "back" arrow or function              10 second cycle: please choose another   user-controlled   2 seconds   5 seconds   30 seconds   1 minute


1 / 79
US Highway 50
79 Slides
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre Plateau, Gunnison River, Sawatch Range, Arkansas River, Royal Gorge, Wet Mountains, Dinosaur Tracks
2 / 79
US 50
West end of US 50
from Grand Junction west US 50 parallels I-70 from the west Colorado border to Denver and beyond
3 / 79
Lonliest Road
US 50 is the loneliest road in America through Nevada; here it is the main thoroughfare between Montrose and Grand Junction
Nov 24 2020 - 7:18 am
4 / 79
Grand Valley
Grand Mesa to the left featureless Uncompahgre Plateau on the right for 100 miles
May 29 2020 - 11:46 am
5 / 79
US 50
Finally a curve in the road
May 29 2020 - 11:51 am
6 / 79
San Juan Mountains
San Juan Mountains 100 miles dead ahead (this is an exceptionally clear day)
Dec 07 2020 - 12:54 pm
7 / 79
West Elk Mountains
West Elk Mountains 25 to 50 miles to the north
Dec 07 2020 - 1:03 pm
8 / 79
Thunderheads
Thunderheads building over the West Elk Mountains, midground Black Canyon Uplift (turn left at Montrose)
Jul 21 2018 - 11:09 am
9 / 79
Uncompahgre Peak
Uncompahgre Peak (14,309') behind Cimarron Ridge
Dec 07 2020 - 1:48 pm
10 / 79
San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains from Uncompahgre Peak (14,309', left), past Mt. Sneffles (14,150' right), to Mt. Wilson (14,246' far right)
Dec 07 2020 - 1:49 pm
11 / 79
CO 349
North on CO 349 to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (south rim)

12 / 79
San Juan Mountians
San Juan Mountains from CO 349
Nov 14 2021 - 4:08 pm
13 / 79
Mt. Sneffels
Telephoto of San Juan Mountains centered around Mt. Sneffels (14,150')
Nov 14 2021 - 4:08 pm
14 / 79
Dakota Dip Slope
CO 349 follows dip slope of Dakota Sandstone (shown in road cut) to the Black Canyon National Park
Nov 14 2021 - 5:35 pm
15 / 79
Black Canyon National Park
Nov 14 2021 - 4:17 pm
16 / 79
History Of The Canyon
History of Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:31 pm
17 / 79
Black Canyon
Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:38 pm
18 / 79
Gunnison Point
Gunnison Point Overlook
Nov 14 2021 - 4:30 pm
19 / 79
Well Marked Overlooks
Well marked overlooks (yards to the overlook posted)
Nov 14 2021 - 4:40 pm
20 / 79
Painted Wall
First view of the Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 4:31 pm
21 / 79
Painted Wall
Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 4:48 pm
22 / 79
Cliff Clingers
Plants live on the Painted Wall
Nov 14 2021 - 5:10 pm
23 / 79
Gneiss
Gneiss rock type (close up and on the far side of the canyon)
Nov 14 2021 - 4:48 pm
24 / 79
Landsend Peak
Landsend Peak (10,806', center) and Coal Mountain (11,705', right) of the West Elk Mountains
Nov 14 2021 - 4:46 pm
25 / 79
Gibbous Moonrise
Gibbous moonrise over Black Canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 4:50 pm
26 / 79
Gunnison River
Gunnison River deep in the canyon
Nov 14 2021 - 5:11pm
27 / 79
Road To The North Rim
Road to north rim of the Black Canyon through Grizzly Gulch (Landsend Peak Coal Mountain, and Mt. Gunnison (12,719') in background)
Nov 14 2021 - 5:20 pm
28 / 79
Back To The Highway
Back to US 50 (Horsefly Peak high point on Uncompahgre Plateau over irrigated Uncompahgre Valley)
Nov 14 2021 - 5:42 pm
29 / 79
US 50
US 50 east to Gunnison

30 / 79
Cedar Creek
Up Cedar Creek to Cerro Summit
Dec 07 2020
31 / 79
Uncomahgre Plateau
Looking west at the Uncompahgre Plateau
Dec 07 2020 - 1:03 pm
32 / 79
Cerro Summit
Cerro Summit
Dec 07 2020 - 2:01 pm
33 / 79
Black Canyon Uplift
Down east side of Cerro Summit (Black Canyon Uplift)
Dec 07 2020 - 2:05 pm
34 / 79
Cimarron River Valley
Cimarron River Valley
Dec 07 2020 - 2:13 pm
35 / 79
Cimarron River Valley
Wide angle
Nov 14 2021 - 3:22 pm
36 / 79
Terraces
Telephoto of terraces along the Cimarron River
Nov 14 2021 - 3:29 pm
37 / 79
Black Canyon Uplift
Black Canyon Uplift
Nov 14 2021 - 3:23 pm
38 / 79
Cimarron Ridge
Cimarron Ridge from the east
Dec 07 2020 - 2:15 pm
39 / 79
Blue Mesa Summit
Blue Mesa Summit
Nov 24 2020 - 8:05 am
40 / 79
Big Blue Creek Canyon
Entering Big Blue Creek Canyon through Black Canyon Uplift
Nov 24 2020 - 8:43 am
41 / 79
Big Blue Creek Canyon
Two weeks later
US 50 was closed during the week, open weekends for six month in the winter of 2021 due to road construction through the canyon
Dec 07 2020 - 2:23 pm
42 / 79
West Elk Mountains
Volcanics rocks from West Elk Mountains
Nov 14 2021 - 3:23pm
43 / 79
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Dec 07 2020 - 2:31 pm
44 / 79
Sapinero, CO
Sapinero, CO (all five fourteeners of the Elk Range in background)
Dec 07 2020 - 2:31 pm
45 / 79
Black Canyon Start
Downstream of Blue Mesa Dam the Black Canyon begins
Dec 07 2020 - 2:35 pm
46 / 79
Reservoir Ready
Low Reservoir waiting for the spring snow melt to fill
Dec 07 2020 - 2:43 pm
47 / 79
Reservoir Full
As in June
Jun 27 2017 - 6:39 pm
48 / 79
Gunnison, CO
Reflection of flat ash flows from 30 million-year old volcanoes to the north and south
Dec 07 2020 - 2:48 pm
49 / 79
Weathering
Weathered Mesozoic rocks baked from overlying lava flows
Dec 07 2020 - 2:50 pm
50 / 79
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Upstream end of Blue Mesa Reservoir in early November
Nov 05 2020 - 12:35 pm
51 / 79
Blue Mesa Reservoir
Two weeks later
Nov 24 2020 - 9:17 am
52 / 79
Gunnison River
US 50 follows Gunnison River from Grand Junction to Gunnison
Dec 07 2020 - 3:04 pm
53 / 79
Tomichi Creek
US 50 follows Tomichi Creek from Gunnison deep into the Sawatch Range
Dec 07 2020 - 3:28 pm
54 / 79
Sawatch Range
Pahlone Peak (12,667') at south end of the Sawatch Range
Dec 07 2020 - 4:04 pm
55 / 79
Monarch Pass
Monarch Pass
Jul 21 2018 - 1:50 pm
56 / 79
Mt. Shavano
Mt. Shavano (14,229') and Tabequache Peak (14,155') from Monarch Pass)
Dec 07 2020 - 4:10 pm
57 / 79
Mt. Antero
Mt. Antero (14,269') from Monarch Pass
Dec 07 2020 - 4:10 pm
58 / 79
Inactive Mine
Inactive 'Madonna' Lead, Zinc and Silver Mine just east of Monarch Pass)
Jul 21 2018 - 2:07 pm
59 / 79
Mosquito Range
Twilight on the southern Mosquito Range
Dec 07 2020 - 4:43 pm
60 / 79
Sawatch Range
Sawatch Range in the morning from the Salida East Recreation Site)
Nov 27 2020 - 1:32 pm
61 / 79
Tabeguache Peak
Tabequache Peak (14,155') and Mt. Shavano (14,229') from the east
Nov 27 2020 - 1:32 pm
62 / 79
Mt. Sherman
Mt. Sherman (14,036') anchoring the south end of the Mosquito Range
Nov 27 2020 - 1:57 pm
63 / 79
Mt. Princeton
Mt. Princeton (14,197') of the Sawatch Range
Nov 27 2020 - 1:57 pm
64 / 79
Granite Canyon
Entering canyon cut by the Arkansas River - hard granite all the way to Cañon City
Nov 06 2020 - 9:34 am
65 / 79
Arkansas River
Arkansas River
Nov 27 2020 - 1:07 pm
66 / 79
US 50
Strange geology
Nov 06 2020 - 9:34 am
57 / 79
Yellow Cactus
Yellow cracks and matching cactus
May 13 2013 - 6:46 pm
68 / 79
South Park
South Park volcanic rocks beyond granites of the canyon
Nov 06 2020 - 10:08 am
69 / 79
Coal Car Storage
Three mile long coal-car storage
Nov 06 2020 - 10:10 am
70 / 79
Sangre de Cristo Range
Twin Sisters (13,012') in the Sangre de Cristo Range over the Arkansas River
Nov 27 2020 - 12:49 pm
71 / 79
Colorful Colorado
Faulted Paleozoic rocks
Nov 27 2020 - 1:19 pm
72 / 79
Royal Gorge
Royal Gorge
May 13 2013 - 6:36 pm
73 / 79
Skyline Drive
Wet Mountains beyond Cañon City
May 13 2013 - 7:05 pm
74 / 79
Canon City, CO
Your truly
May 13 2013 - 7:10 pm
75 / 79
Dinosaur Tracks
Road Sign
May 13 2013 - 7:15 pm
76 / 79
Dinosaur Tracks
Dinosaur tracks (depressions in eroded mud)
May 13 2013 - 7:18 pm
77 / 79
Dinosaur Tracks
Close up
May 13 2013 - 7:19 pm
78 / 79
End Of The World
You're wrong, Mr. Columbus! There IS an end of the world
May 13 2013 - 7:24 pm
79 / 79
Ocean City, MD
East End of US 50 at Ocean City, MD - no thanks, I'll take the loneliest highway
image from Google Images: Ocean City, MD