Route Recommendations SF to Telluride

Hey All,

Anyone have any route recommendations San Francisco, CA to Ouray / Telluride, CO in late July? Right now 50 through the middle of NV seems to be the best option considering the heat further south through Vegas, Zion etc. And 80 in northern NV sounds pretty boring.

 

Any of those routes are going to be hot. We see up to 110 degrees in July in Boise. I would stick to 50, to avoid SLC and hit a few more national forest areas vs monotonous BLM. That said the Vegas route allows for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon side trip and Navjo country mmm Navjo fry bread...

 

Yea, the Great Basin Desert is boring. It's fast though.

I would do something like this:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6HhTdLvjVkVNxc5M8

Depending on the weather and timing, I would check out Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, or Lake Powell.

Unfortunately, most of the route goes through some of the hottest parts of the world in July. Bring extra water.

Edit: that didn't work right, trying a new link

 

Zion, lake Powell, horseshoe bend, antelope canyon, and monument valley are things you should see if you go that route.

I’ve been thinking of going there as well some time towards the end of summer but I’m leaving from Phoenix. I plan on doing one of the trails in Moab then Imogene Pass the following day

 

Would really like to visit those areas mentioned by the others but I’m traveling w/ my dog, an old mastiff that doesn’t fare well in the heat. This is kinda a bucket list trip for her so it’s looking more and more like a straight shot across NV on the “loneliest road in America”, US50. Either split the trip and spend the night just north of Ely at an interesting tent furnished Airbnb or in Great Basin National Park at the Wheeler campground (higher elev. for cooler temps.). If anyone’s traveled 50 or has camped in GBNP or has first hand experience with weather I can expect sharing would be much appreciated.