The Uncompahgre Plateau of western Colorado pushed its way up through shale some 8 million years ago creating a massive area of pristine pine, fir, aspen, meadows, pinon, juniper and sage brush stretching some 90 miles from near the Colorado River west of Grand Junction to Dallas Divide nestled at the north base of the San Juan mountains. The slowly rising plateau initially forced the Colorado River to cut a canyon across its northwest end before the river eventually surrendered, seeking a lower route farther north. Unaweep Canyon, now higher in the middle than at either end, is unique in the world and often described as a canyon with two ends an no beginning.

The Uncompahgre Plateau carries a graded gravel road down much of its length with no towns or houses along the way for about 100 miles. This road, named Divide Road, runs from Unaweep Canyon to Dallas Divide crossing Columbine Pass at 9,120 feet elevation, a gentle pass a visitor might not notice on a road most of which is at a similar elevation. The plateau itself averages 9,500 feet elevation with a high point of 10,300 feet. Divide road serves as a spine for several graded gravel lateral roads connecting communities on east and west sides of the plateau: Dave Woods road from Montrose to Norwood Hill, CO90 from Montrose to Naturita, a road from Olathe to Divide road and on to Naturita and two routes from Delta to Divide Road and on to Nucla. The only paved roads traversing the Plateau are CO141 in Unaweep Canyon and Dallas Divide towards the southeast end.

The Uncompahgre Plateau is a big, beautiful place that understandably has become a hugely popular area for recreation and hunting. The hunting is seasonal and a good time for motorcyclists to stay away as the roads are heavily traveled with pickups, horse trailers, RV's and ATV's and the dust can be extreme not to mention the danger of riding through a small army. The rest of the year, though, belongs to recreationists. The plateau is laced with numerous single-track trails popular with dirt-bike riders seeking technical terrain. Camping areas and ATV trails are abundant. In the winter, snowmobilers find the plateau a winter paradise. Numerous long hiking trails are off-limits to all motor vehicles. There is something for everyone, even motorcyclists on big bikes who are willing to ride long, graded gravel roads.

Divide road is a ride any adventuresome rider should like. Do it on a week day, after the snow has melted and before the first big fall storm, and you will be rewarded with many miles of beautiful high country with no houses, no towns, few people at all. From the southern end, one can go a mile or two east on pavement to Last Dollar Road, then continue the off-pavement adventure all the way to Telluride. The later portion of Last Dollar Road, beginning where it turns left after a few miles leaving a good gravel road, requires adequate ground clearance or ideally a dual-sport motorcycle. Riders of heavy machines with limited ground clearance can continue on the good gravel road all the way to Sawpit.