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Aztec Divide
The Aztec Divide has no qualities whatsoever that one
associates with an alpine pass. It is a short road, so
straight that it could be drawn with a ruler, over a
slightly rolling, shallow hill in the very south west
corner of the state. But it does meet all the criteria set
forth for inclusion in these pages, by virtue of being
marked on a map, even a large variety of maps, including
the Colorado Gazeteer and USGS topo maps. It is identified
in "passes of Colorado" as the divide between
Mud Creek to the north and the dessert slashing Navajo
Wash to the south. The wash is shown in the last picture
with Sleeping Ute Mountain behind it. The divide is on the
lower flank of the right side of Sleeping Ute Mountain.
This pass has been described as a minor crossing in
uninspired, open, sagebrush-covered dessert land.
However, in my opinion, given a cool crisp spring
day with crystal clear light conditions, this too can be a
very interesting, yet flat ride, passing between the
contrasting landforms of Mesa Verde to the east and the
rounded, Sleeping Ute Mountain to the west, not to mention
the bizarre Indian gambling institutions, encountered
along the way.
click on profile for more detail
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1.(6190ft,mile00) START-END NORTH:
Cortez
2.(5950ft,mile04) turn right
3.(5800ft,mile06) START-END NORTH ALTERNATE: turn
left
4.(6014ft,mile09) TOP: Aztec Divide
5.(5950ft,mile12) junction with US164; profile
continues angling towards right
6.(5700ft,mile14) Ute Casiono and Towaoc are on
right
7.(5250ft,mile23) START-END SOUTH: Chimney Rock (not
a town, but a named rock); junction between US666
and US164. |
Approaches
From North. The pass located on 21rd, can be reached
by leaving Durango on US160, turning right onto G road 2 miles
south of Durango, then turning left onto 21rd. The short ride
over the divide is a quiet alternative parallel to US160, and
lends itself to appreciating early morning views of Sleeping
Ute Mountain, Mesa Verde and the San Juans, seen in the far
distance during clear viewing conditions. The highest altitude
is just short of rejoining US160. The surface is a rough chip
seal on a very low traffic secondary road (July/05). Higher
crossings of the divide, further up on the slopes of Sleeping
Ute Mountain, which are shown on some maps, are behind fenced
Southern Ute tribal lands. The first and second picture are
taken very close to the "summit", first looking
north and then east towards the San Juan Mountains in the
distance. The word "summit" really needs the
quotation marks in this case.
From South. The approach is so flat that it is hard
to determine a starting point. Still, looking at the profile,
it is clear that this side has a more pronounced slope than
the north side. A shallow fan of alluvial debris spills out
between Mesa Verde and Sleeping Ute Mountain onto the dessert
south west corner of Colorado. US160 leads up that fan. It has
a good shoulder and leads past the bizarre Southern Ute
Mountain (Indian) Casino and its gas station complex,
resembling one huge tiled bathroom it its totality. Free water
is available.
Tours
Dayrides. The Aztec Divide is a small part of the
following unusual bike ride. It starts in Cortez and
crosses the Aztec Divide as described. It continues through
Towaoc and then uses a gravel road on the southern side of
Sleeping Ute Mountain through a large industrial farming area
in the reservation, to cross into Utah. The ride returns from
via Co41 and US160 back to Durango. It measured 90 miles with
3690ft of climbing in 6.3 hours. Crossing this divide is a
only a minor aspect of this ride.
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Colorado Pass Tables Page
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