SKYWAY TRAIL

SKYWAY TRAIL
Preliminary Analysis Town of Ridgway to City of Ouray

Caboose from the Rio Grande Northern

EXISTING CONDITIONS:

This section of the trail travels through the Uncompahgre River Valley from the Town of Ridgway to the City of Ouray for a distance of about 10 miles. There is currently a trail in place through the Town of Ridgway and extending for a short distance to the north of Town. Currently the City of Ouray is engaged in building a trail through their North Ouray Corridor Project.

The Ouray spur of the Denver & Rio Grande Northern railroad was removed some years ago and there are few traces of the old bed. The old railroad grade crosses agricultural fields for the first 3 miles south of Ridgway and then runs along County Road 23 and County Road 17.

Potential interpretive sites could address the area’s mining and agricultural heritage and locate the surrounding peaks. Just south of the City of Ouray, many mining shafts and vents can be seen along with several mill sites, aerial trams lines, and structures. The City is a registered National Historic District.

Ouray Pool Building Town of Ridgway to City of Ouray

Option 1: The existing path of choice for bikers

This route follows County Road 23 south from Ridgway until it joins County Road 17, it then follows 17 to Ouray.

Advantages:

This route is already in use and only needs additional signage
There are no problems with landowners
There is not very much traffic on this road at the current time
Easy to join to both Ridgway and Ouray’s existing trails

County Road 17
the old Railroad grade

Disadvantages:

The right of way is too narrow to provide for separation on the vehicular and non-vehicular traffic, (this is especially true of County Road 17)

Comments:

Town of Ridgway to City of Ouray

Option 2: The Highway 550 right of way

This option would follow U.S. Highway 550 along its entire length

Advantages:

This is the most direct route
Opportunity to share costs of trail with CDOT
Minimal landowner problems

Disadvantages:

There are areas where the Highway crowds the river and it will be difficult and expensive to build a separate trail
Must work with CDOT to share their right of way

Comments:

Town of Ridgway to City of Ouray

Option 3: The railroad grade

This option keeps resurfacing, probably because of the rails to trails program. This could only be considered for the first three miles south of Ridgway because after that the grade turns into the road described in Option 1.

Advantages:

For the three miles it is separate from the roads
Where traces of the grade exist there is a low cost to building trail
Gives an up close look at an agricultural area of the county

Disadvantages:

The grade has been removed by several of the ranchers and replanted into hay fields
Major difficulties negotiating with some of the landowners
The land would probably need to be purchased.
There are the same problems as listed in Option 1

Comments:

Town of Ridgway to City of Ouray

Option 4: The River Corridor

This option would involve working with the private landowners and gravel operations along the entire length of the Uncompahgre from Ridgway to Ouray. It would involve creating a river greenway coalition. The North Ouray Corridor could serve as somewhat of a model combined with a lot of work with various Land Trusts and other groups. Ouray County has started looking at what it would take to restore the river to a more natural state and define the sustainable level of gravel harvest.

Advantages:

Separate from the roads
Could help preserve the riparian area of the valley from development
Gives an up close look at an agricultural area of the county
Easier to get funding if defined correctly

Disadvantages:

Major discussions with the private landowners

The river is a secluded riparian wildlife area that could be negatively impacted with increased human presence.

This would take a long time to plan and put in place

Comments:

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