The Unaweep-Tabeguache byway runs remote canyon country in Montrose County's West End

The Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway is a long drive through remote red-rock country along highways 141 and 145. The route runs about 130 miles across three counties. In Montrose County, it threads through the West End around Naturita and Nucla, where the canyons open into ranch and old mining land. The byway’s namesake Unaweep Canyon sits at the far northern end, near Whitewater and Gateway in Mesa County, well to the northwest.

The scenery is the reward, but this route asks for preparation. There are sections of the byway with no fuel and no cell service, sometimes for long stretches. A breakdown or a wrong turn out here is a bigger deal than it would be on a busy highway, so a full tank, water, and a paper map or downloaded route are worth having before you start.

The drive is also a history lesson. The West End once boomed on uranium and vanadium mining, and the byway passes ranching country and old mill sites along the way. It is a drive to take slowly and on purpose, not a shortcut to rush.

Plan fuel stops around the gaps, watch the weather, and tell someone your route. For the official description, highlights, and any current notes, see the Colorado Department of Transportation byway page.