A Weekend in Montrose, Colorado (And Why You Should Stop Driving Through It)

Most people treat Montrose like a place between places. You are on your way to Telluride, or Black Canyon, or Ouray, and Montrose is the town you pass through to get gas and a coffee. I get it. I did the same thing for longer than I care to admit. Then I started actually stopping, and a weekend in Montrose Colorado turned into two or three visits a month. I still find something I had not noticed before.

If you want the longer version of why Montrose keeps earning repeat visits, I wrote about that here.

Then I started actually stopping. Now I go two or three times a month and I still find something I had not noticed before.

Here is how to spend a weekend in Montrose in a way that actually does the place justice.

Friday: Arrive and Slow Down

The best thing you can do when you get to Montrose on a Friday is resist the urge to immediately plan everything. Drive downtown first. Park somewhere and walk.

Main Street has the kind of independent retail you used to find everywhere before it started disappearing. There is an antiques store that I have spent more time in than I care to admit. You will find a Colorado gift shop that actually sells things made in Colorado. While downtown check out, Curiouser Books, which is the kind of independent bookstore that makes you want to live in whatever town it exists in. The staff are genuinely nice and helpful, and the shop is a great stop to pick up a good book to read, or three.

End Friday at Jireh Cafe and Bakery. It sits in what looks like an industrial building from the outside, corrugated metal, open gate entrance, an unexpected, charming exterior. Step inside and it is warm and thoughtful. Handwritten menu boards. Pendant lights. Plants growing around you. The iced strawberry rhubarb matcha is my favorite. Get it and sit outside if the weather cooperates.

Montrose sits at about 5,800 feet and is far enough south that summer evenings are warm without being oppressive. Spring is a mixed bag of weather, some days warm, some snowy, and some rainy. Fall is stunning with near perfect weather and beautiful changing leaves. Winter brings views with a mix of snow and desert that makes for a lovely sight. Regardless of the season, there are always beautiful views around you.

Saturday: The Full Day

Start at Backstreet Bagels

Trust me, you will not want to miss this place. Backstreet Bagels has the Monte Krista, which is their version of a Monte Cristo, except on a bagel and not fried. A Monte Cristo sandwich is made with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, dipped in an egg batter, pan-fried until golden, and often dusted with powdered sugar and served with jam for dipping .It sounds like it should not work, but it works. Go early because they sell out of things and you do not want to be the person who showed up too late for the Monte Krista. If that is not your speed, no judgment (well, maybe a tiny bit), their breakfast bagels are delicious too.

Riverbottom Park

After breakfast, head to Riverbottom Park. The Uncompahgre River runs through Montrose and the park sits right along it. There is a trail system that follows the river, cottonwood trees that go full gold in the fall, and enough space that even on a busy Saturday it never feels crowded. It is the kind of park that locals actually use, which is the best thing a park can be. There are two dog parks along the trail, so bring your dogs, it is worth it.

Montrose Water Sports Park

From Riverbottom, drive to the Montrose Water Sports Park. The Uncompahgre River runs through here too and the park was built around a series of river features that attract kayakers and paddleboarders. There is a wooden arched bridge that crosses above the rapids where you can stand and watch people play in the current below you. On clear days, the San Juan Mountains frame the distance. The scene looks like something a travel photographer staged, except it is entirely real.

The Plateau Above Town

For Saturday afternoon, drive up to the plateau above town. There is a viewpoint near the cemetery at the top that most people who live in Montrose recommend because the views are stunning. Be aware there is a lot of private property up there, so be mindful of where you park. From the top you can see the entire Uncompahgre Valley spread below you, the town laid out against green fields, and the San Juans running across the whole southern horizon with snow still on the peaks well into May.

Saturday Dinner at Camp Robber

Saturday dinner is Camp Robber, on Townsend Avenue. It has a great mix of choices that will fit everyone’s tastes, and the staff has always been exceptional. My favorite is the pork green chili or the elk burger, but you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu.

Sunday: Before You Leave

Camelot Gardens

I know a nursery sounds like an unusual travel recommendation for your weekend in Montrose Colorado. However, Camelot Gardens is not a usual nursery. It is a family run operation that has been there long enough to feel like part of the landscape, and the scale and quality of what they grow is amazing. If you are someone who gardens, or someone who appreciates a place that is beautiful and cared for while also being locally owned, it is worth an hour of your Sunday morning before you head home. Several plants I have brought home from there are thriving.

Before you leave town, take one more pass through downtown. There is usually something you missed on Friday. That is the thing about a weekend in Montrose, Colorado. It does not try to impress you all at once. It will keep showing you things at its own pace.

A Few Practical Notes for Your Weekend in Montrose Colorado

Montrose is about 65 miles from Grand Junction on Highway 50. The drive takes over an hour and is beautiful in both directions, especially once you drop into the Uncompahgre Valley and the mountains come into view.

If you want to add Black Canyon of the Gunnison to your weekend, the entrance is about 15 miles east of town via Highway 50 and Highway 347. The south rim drive is one of the most dramatic short drives in Colorado and it makes for an easy side trip from Montrose. That is its own post, but Black Canyon is worth knowing it is right there.

Most of what I have described above is free or costs very little. The most expensive thing about a weekend in Montrose is the gas money, and that is a completely acceptable trade.

Side roads. Local stays. The angle everyone walked past. Don’t forget to read my last blog about Montrose being more than a pit stop, you can find it here:

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