ALONG THE DE BEQUE CUTOFF ROAD, COLORADO
The photos on this page were taken April 9, 1996, by Marco and Sheryl as we drove along the De Beque Cutoff, technically 45.50 Road (that would be 45.5 miles from the Utah border, based on the old Mormon naming system) between Highway 65 and Interstate 70. Our photos start just below the town of Mesa and end up near De Beque. Going this direction, we drop in elevation from almost mountainous rugged scenery to the wide valley where I-70 passes through. What's so striking about this short stretch of road is the way the formations change at every turn. The first two pictures show junipers and eroded rock formations along a dry creek bed, while the third shows patterns and driftwood in the bed itself. The bottom may look wet, but it's completely dried out.
Water and wind have sculpted the sandstone into remarkably varied shapes not far from each other. On the right, crustacean-like pockets are weathered into a free-standing rock.
As we travelled northwestward, colored bands dominated the landscape. Center photo: sagebrush and juniper in the foreground.
On the left, one of my favorite of all the formations. Indian paintbrush blooms bright red in the center, and dusty turquoise juniper berries can be seen on the right. Here we're coming down into the valley. You can see the cliff tops on the other side of it.
Breathtaking expanses and the Roan Cliffs, approaching the small town of De Beque, which is on I-70.
Click any picture to enlarge
All photos are © Copyright Sheryl Todd, Marco Herranz, and Richard Moss
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