Uncompahgre River Walk

The northern section of the trail starts at Montrose's West Main Trailhead, just beyond the W. Main Street (State Route 90) bridge over the Uncompahgre River. The path heads south, crossing the river twice as it runs through Cerise Park, Baldridge Park and Ute Park. At S. Rio Grande Avenue, the trail joins the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad corridor, just behind the Russell Stover chocolate factory. The trail remains on-corridor for the rest of its route into the southern reaches of Montrose. After again crossing the river and paralleling it for about a mile—where an occasional eagle may be seen fishing—the trail leaves the riverbank to traverse the fields and ranchland of the Uncompahgre River valley. Eventually, the trail passes behind the Ute Indian Museum. The trail surface changes from concrete to gravel shortly thereafter, continuing for another 2.8 miles adjacent to US 550's unpaved frontage road before ending abruptly at Trout Road. This part of the route provides spectacular vistas of the San Juan Mountains to the south, the Uncompahgre Plateau to the west, Grand Mesa to the north, and the Cimarron Ridge and rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the east.