Overall Route Rating
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4 out of 5 Rider Rating 4
4 Reviews

Piceance Creek by County Road 5

Motorcycle Route Author

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By GJRonK (2629 McR Points) on Sep 13, 2015

Rider Reviews

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RedWing04
63 McR Points
September 24, 2015
Have riden this road several times. Good scenic…
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GJRonK
2629 McR Points
December 2, 2019
-- As mentioned, this is gas drilling country so…
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Written Directions

Take Hwy. 13 north from Rifle, CO for 19 miles until reaching the abandoned Rio Blanco. Turn west on County Road 5. Travel 42 miles west to Hwy. 64, mm 56. You can travel in either direction.

Scenery

This canyon is part of the Piceance Basin (pronounced pee-ance) which has vast deposits of coal, oil, and natural gas. Along this route you will see some gas pumping stations although most of the actual drilling is off the road some distance. There they use high pressure sand and water pumped into fractures in the rock underground (called fracking). Most of the route is pastureland with a couple of ranches. If lucky you may see a wild horse. There are trees from stately Douglas fir, to round pinion and juniper. The roadside is almost entirely lined with yellow flowering rabbitbrush and fragrant sagebrush. Several old cabins are along the way. You'll pass an old stone building that needs a photo taken. The actual Piceance Creek looks too small to carve this quarter mile wide canyon, but it has meandered back and forth for many years. At the end, it runs into the White River (which is another scenic route). The sides are walls of sandstone and shale, some quite colorful.

Drive Enjoyment

Good surface and wide sweeping turns. In summer, 2015, some sections are being re-aligned and paved. Occasional pull-offs.

Tourism Opportunities

None here, nor any cell service. Full services in Rifle and most necessities in Meeker.

Motorcycle Road Additional info

During weekdays there are a lot of large trucks going to the mine sites, mostly on the western half of the route. Not much other traffic, though.
 

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RedWing04
September 24, 2015
63 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
Have riden this road several times. Good scenic road through ranching country. Both grassy meadows and timbered sections. Road is generally in good condition. Worth the ride if you are in the area. As stated this road is in the Piceance Basin which has been called the "dear factory" due to the huge deer migrations that occur twice a year with dear moving between Wyoming and Colorado. So keep a watch for wildlife.
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GJRonK
December 2, 2019
2629 McR Points
Motorcycle Type : Touring
-- As mentioned, this is gas drilling country so big trucks really barrel along--so keep an eye on your mirrors. A lot of the road surface has been repaved, so it's a smooth ride. --
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GJRonK
December 2, 2019
2629 McR Points
Motorcycle Type :
-- December, 2019. I notice that most of the photos are either mislabeled, missing, or don't belong on that route at all. I notice as I'm the poster of this route and all the correct photos. Apparently the switch to this new format has messed up. --
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