McElmo Canyon - Cortez CO to Bluff Utah - By Plattman

The name of this ride should be changed to "Highway to Hell". If you are traveling from Cortez when you get to the airport turn around and go back. The road quality past the airport is a minus one. In June of 2018 when we took this road their were many road patches which looked like they had been done by a one armed blind man. Some sections that looked smooth had bumps that would pop you out of your seat at speeds less than the speed limit. While the scenery in the Colorado section of this road not unpleasant it is not worth enduring the agony of the road condition. The closer you get to Aneth the more it turns into a stark treeless moonscape. The only reason to keep this road on MotorcycleRoads web site is to warn people away. If you are riding an off road bike this road may be fun for you but not on a touring or cruising bike.