"If the wife does not like off roading black bear is not a good choice particularly in a longer vehicle."
agreed - but Immogene pass between Ouray and Telluride would be a neat way to go between the two, well worth visiting, towns. There are a lot of roads in Utah that are relatively easy dirt roads that go off to almost nowhere and with spectacular scenery and overlooks etc - we love exploring random dirt roads all through Utah in my stock Tacoma.
Closer to home (but not that close), is the Crystal mill - classic photograph and relatively easy 4wd road to get to it.