Ouray, Colorado - At the heart of the San Juan Mountains

Visitor's Perspective | Where? | Area History
When To Go? | Activities | Jeeping
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ired of ordinary vacations? Take yourself to Ouray and the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado ...
and leave the ordinary behind.

Ouray and the surrounding area is so exceptional that the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the Red Mountain mining district one of the nation's most endangered historic places.

The Switzerland of America

onderfully colorful mountains, abundant wildlife, the foundations of America's Western history, clear streams and lakes, miles of hiking and hundreds of miles of century-old mine trails and wagon roads. Add in excellent accommodations, fine food, 4x4s, friendly merchants and citizens ... and you've found your way to Ouray, Colorado (Pronounced you-RAY.)

W.H. Holmes, US Geological and Geographical Survey, wrote of the San Juans in 1876:

"If you should, in your imagination, put together in one small group, perhaps 12 miles square, all the heights and depths, the rugged precipices and polished faces of rock, and all the sharp pinnacles and deeply-indented crests, and twenty times the inaccessible summits that both of us have ever seen, you would not have a picture equal to this ..."

The precipices and pinnacles remain; today's 4x4s provide accessibility ... even if marmots won't give directions.

A Visitor's Perspective

d, a pessimist at worst, cynic at best, dreaded the drive into Ouray. Surely disappointment awaited. (So many other areas dubbed a "Switzerland" of one sort or another fall short of expectation.) Despite the drizzle and clouds our faces brightened as we drove the last 10 miles toward Ouray.

he mountains are ruggedly majestic, more colorful than we're used to. They're shaded from blacks and grays through a range of greens to Red Mountain's intense crimson. In the fall the yellow and gold aspens add spice.

The mountain height is deceiving. Peaks run to 13- and 14,000 feet (around 4,000 meters), tall for North America. But they seem, perhaps, lower, since the viewpoint is so elevated. Ouray is at 7,710 feet (2,350 meters,) Telluride at 8,744 feet (2,665 meters,) and Silverton at 9,032 feet (2,753 meters.)

he cities in the area are small but unique, with Ouray's population of 690, Silverton at 700 and the Telluride area at about 3,500. Despite small size, good quality visitor facilities are plentiful. But don't expect rows of cookie-cutter Holiday Inns, Marriotts and Motel 6s in Ouray. While admitting to some 20th-century commercialization, Ouray, Silverton and, to a lesser degree, Telluride, still have the look of Old West mining towns.

etter, you'll be comfortable. As a San Juanian friend told Julie, "Leave your pantyhose at home." Unlike many resort areas, informality is the rule. Jeans and hiking boots take you from breakfast through dinner at even the best restaurants. No need to change between outing and gourmet meal.

What's to Do There?

eeping is our favorite pastime in Ouray and the San Juans. The driving is usually fun, but we get even greater pleasure from viewing the spectacular scenery and exploring the remains of ghost towns, mines, mining camps, mills and railroads. Hiking, soaking in hot springs, shopping, swimming, fishing, horseback riding ... these and many more.

Where Is It?

rand Junction, CO is 250 miles west of Denver on I-70. Ouray is 99 road miles south of Grand Junction via US 50/US 550. Heading west on I-70, turn south onto CO 141 approximately 6-8 miles east of Grand Junction, connecting with US 50 going south.

Brought to you by MapBlast! (Click on map to navigate)
Ouray is at the central red cross.

From farther south in the Colorado Springs/Pueblo areas, US 50 through Gunnison is a more direct, and scenic, route. It's shorter from Limon (via Colorado Springs) than on I-70. Your patience may be tried at times as the route is mainly (good) two-lane. You should try this route at least once for the scenery.

Ouray is 69 miles north of Durango, CO, via the Million Dollar Highway (US 550.) Allow at least two hours for this spectacular drive, and have your camera handy. You'll cross over the Coal Bank and Molas passes.

If you fly into the area Montrose has more service than Telluride and is closer, by road, to Ouray.

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