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Unaweep Canyon
Most people on their way from Grand Junction down to Telluride, Ouray, or Durango will take the direct route on US 50 to Ridgway. That’s a mistake. A sidetrip from the little crossroads of Whitewater, heading southwest on Colorado 141, is a bit out of the way but the countryside you’ll pass through is spectacular, a motorcycling dream. If you’ve just arrived via Utah you may think the red rock canyon country stops at the state line. You would be wrong. Officially this route is known as the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway. From Whitewater to Gateway you wind your way up through Unaweep Canyon. Then at Gateway you follow the Dolores River along its canyon. Here’s what you’ll encounter as you head out of Whitewater toward Gateway: Click thumbnail for larger image; arrow through photos; click large image to close. 
As you proceed up Unaweep Canyon you’ll reach a point where CO 141 intersects Divide Road. This road leads up to the canyon rim and on beyond. It is unpaved and you won’t want to take it far but if you don’t mind a little gravel and sharp switchbacks the view from the rim is great. For the most part the road is decent, although the switchback half a mile off 141 has a lot of loose gravel. Take the road about 1.8 miles to get the best vantage point. The following four photos show, in order, the view ahead on 141, the 141/Divide Road intersection, the view back on 141 the way you've just come (providing you are coming from Whitewater), and the switchbacks coming up Divide Road: 
Continuing along the canyon you come to Unaweep Seep Natural Area and then reach Gateway. This is where you start to reach the red rock canyon country, as indicated by the butte towering over the town, known as the Palisade: 
From Gateway CO 141 turns southeast toward Naturita. One point of interest is the Hanging Flume area, the sixth and seventh images in this set. Here, in 1889-1890, crews built a wooden flume on the side of the shear cliff to deliver water to a mining project. Portions of the flume are still there, and you'll look at it and wonder how in the heck they ever did it: 
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