Air Up / Down
The forest road is gentle. Nevertheless, this is a good spot to air up or down to manage your ride quality.

Blue Alpine Pond
Hidden blue pond at a very high elevation in Columbus Basin.

Colorado Trail Junction
Forest road along the ridge runs parallel to the Colorado Trail.

Columbus Basin Parking
At the end of a rugged forest road spur, a high-elevation shelf where you can park and explore the nearby mines and features of Columbus Basin.

Columbus Mine
An historic mine with a grated cover and some old machinery. Some construction was going on here during our visit in August 2024. Be respectful of private property.

Dispersed Camping Area
Very popular boondocking area along forest road near Purgatory Resort.

El Bandito - Mexican Food
Great vibe, good drinks, okay food. Mexican kitchen and cantina. Not bad for a tourist area. Fun spot!

Gas
Decent place to top off the tanks in Dolores.

Gas
Near Purgatory Resort, another place to top off when coming out of the mountains.

Hiking Trailhead
A hiking trailhead with a spacious parking area just off the highway.

James Ranch Grill
One of our favorite farm-to-table restaurants north of Durango, Colorado. Stop here for a burger, a beer, and a lovely rural vibe!

La Plata Waterfall
Picturesque waterfall hidden in the canyon along the La Plata River. Difficult to access river here.

Molas Lake Hike Parking
This is a very busy area for camping, fishing, and outdoor activity, but offers some lovely high-elevation, scenic, hiking opportunities around Molas Lake, and near the Colorado Trail.

Purgatory Resort
Gravel parking area in Purgatory Resort. Great spot for staging, air up, or air down.

Roadside Boondocking
A decent spot along the river with some good, accessible boondocking, just off the highway. Poor privacy.

Switchback Overlook
Spectacular overlook to the west at the corner of a switchback.

Vault Toilet
Located in a campground next to Molas Lake. Easy access to hikers, even if you’re not camping there.

Vault Toilet
Located in the parking lot for a hiking trailhead just off the highway. If you need a pit-stop, this is a good spot!

Weather Instruments
This unmapped spur on the mountain ridge had a small weather station.