Unplugging in Ouray and Silverton
Ouray sits in a narrow canyon in the San Juan Mountains at about 7,800 feet, with peaks going straight up on three sides. It's a small old mining town with a hot springs pool at one end and a waterfall at the other. People call it the Switzerland of America, which is a bit much, but you can see why.
Silverton is about 25 miles south over Red Mountain Pass, higher up and even smaller. Between the two you've got hot water, big hikes and not much else, which is the point.
Where to stay
Most of the places to stay in Ouray are small inns, lodges and old motels, and you can walk everywhere in town. Silverton is quieter and a bit rougher around the edges, in a good way.
A bed and breakfast a few blocks from the Ouray Hot Springs Pool. Full breakfast, a spa tub, a garden and a library with a fireplace in the lobby. No kids 11 and under, so it stays quiet.
What to do
- Ouray Hot Springs Pool
- The town's big public hot springs pool, at the north end of town. Several pools at different temperatures, with mountains all around. Go at night if you can.
- Box Canyon Falls
- A short walk into a narrow slot canyon where the creek pounds through the rock. It's small and close to town, and it's loud in the best way.
- Ouray Perimeter Trail
- A loop trail of roughly six miles that circles the town on the canyon walls. You can do all of it or just a piece, and you get views down on the rooftops the whole way.
- The Million Dollar Highway
- US 550 between Ouray and Silverton, over Red Mountain Pass at a little over 11,000 feet. Steep drops, tight curves and not many guardrails. Drive it in daylight and take your time.
- Yankee Boy Basin
- A high basin above Ouray that fills with wildflowers in midsummer. The road up is rough and you'll want a high-clearance four-wheel drive, or you can book a jeep tour in town.
- Ouray Ice Park
- In winter the gorge on the edge of town gets turned into a wall of ice for climbing. Even if you don't climb, it's worth walking over to watch.
- The Durango and Silverton train
- The old narrow gauge steam train runs between Durango and Silverton. If you're staying in Silverton, it's fun just to watch it pull into town.
The towns
Ouray is small enough to walk end to end in a few minutes. Main Street has old brick buildings, a few restaurants and not much in the way of chains.
Silverton sits at over 9,000 feet and is quiet once the day-trippers leave. Ridgway, about 10 miles north of Ouray, is a small ranch town with a state park and Orvis Hot Springs nearby. Telluride is an hour or so away by road if you want a day in a fancier town.
Before you go
- It's a long way from anywhere. Figure on roughly six hours from Denver, or fly into Montrose, which is about an hour's drive north.
- Ouray is at about 7,800 feet and Silverton over 9,000. Drink water and give yourself a slow first day.
- Don't drive Red Mountain Pass for the first time at night or in a snowstorm. Check conditions before you go in winter.
- Summer is the busy season. Fall, when the aspens turn, is quieter and just as good.
More places to stay nearby
First look
New places we find and the odd guide to somewhere quiet. A few emails a year, that's it.