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Telluride, Colorado
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Tomboy Road starts in downtown Telluride. As you're headed into town, take a left on N. Aspen St., then a right on W. Columbia Ave., then a left on N. Oak St. Drive uphill to the end of the street, then turn right on Tomboy Road. It's about 5 miles to the remnants of Tomboy, 7 miles to Imogene Pass (13,114 feet), and 18 miles to Ouray. The road is very rough--only try driving it in a 2wd car, if you're planning to buy a new car. |
As you ascend Tomboy Road, you'll quickly gain elevation, driving past thick vegetation and an occasional waterfall. In the lower corner of the picture above, you can see the wood planks that formed a very basic bridge, over this creek.
I took this shot through the windshield, as the commercial 4wd jeep tried to slowly pass a road crew. Yes, they do repair these roads, and with all the rain that had fallen on the day of my visit, they had plenty of work.
Here's one reason these roads need so much repair. There are very few drainage ditches, so when water pours down the mountainside, it runs across the dirt road, creating washouts. This part of the road was still passable, but a bit frightening, since water was rushing past my tires as I splashed through.
About halfway between the start of Tomboy Road and the ghost town, the road narrows, and suddenly there's nothing between you and the valley below. It's probably the last place you should ever take your eyes off of the road, but you will, as you check out the view of Bridal Veil Falls. Here, you're at roughly the same altitude as the falls and the old hydropower plant.
Traveling further, you reach this short tunnel, blasted out of the rock. Reach this point, and you're near timberline.
Finally, after an intense uphill drive, you reach a few old buildings, and a wide parking area. Hop out and explore a bit, keeping in mind that everything you step on may be unstable.
At this stop, you're slightly above the tree line, so views of the surrounding peaks are unobstructed (except for those clouds, which were finally starting to break a bit!)
I'm not sure if this cascading stream is visible year-round, or just during rainy days.
This mine shaft is next to the main road. It has been locked, to keep curious idiots from becoming trapped inside.
The ruins of old mining buildings provide a great foreground for some creative pictures.
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Once you've explored here, keep going. There's much more to see about 2 miles uphill, at the Tomboy town site. |
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Keywords: Colorado Telluride Tomboy Road 4wd 4x4 Imogene Pass
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