Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mountain Pass at 11,018ft, passing abandoned mine headframes and slag piles from the
former Idarado Mine.
The alpine scenery is truly awesome and driving south towards Silverton positions
drivers on the outside edge of the skinny, winding road, a heartbeat away from free-fall.
Vehicles traveling north sit more snugly on the inside edge. Much of the road is cut into
the mountainsides and gains elevation in tight hairpin turns and S-bends. The brooding
mountains loom large and close, their bulk and flanks intimidating, with snow clinging to
their lofty misty peaks even in high summer. In good weather the road is formidable. In
drizzle or rain, fog or snow, the Million Dollar Hwy south of Ouray is downright scary, so
take care.
Ouray is named after the legendary Ute chief who maintained peace between the white
settlers and the crush of miners who descended on the San Juan Mountains in the early
1870s. Ouray relinquished the Ute tribal lands, preventing the slaughter of his people.
Sights
Little Ouray, 'the Switzerland of America,' is very picturesque and littered with old
houses and buildings. The visitor center and
museum
( 970-325-4576;
www.ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org
;
420 6th Ave; adult/child $6/1; hours vary, closed Dec-mid-Apr; )
issue
a free leaflet with details of an excellent walking tour that takes in two dozen buildings
and houses constructed between 1880 and 1904.
Birdwatchers come to Ouray to spot rare birds. The Box Canyon Falls have the USA's
most accessible colony of protected black swifts. There are surprising numbers of unusual
birds in town, including warblers, sparrows and grosbeaks. The visitor center has re-
sources for bird-watchers, and the excellent
Buckskin Booksellers
(
970-325-4071;
)
has books and guides.
www.buckskinbooksellers.com
; 505 Main St;
9am-5pm Mon-Sat;
Activities
There are stacks of things to do in and around Ouray. Remember that Ouray falls within
the purview of tour and activities providers in nearby Ridgway, Montrose and Silverton,
and even Durango and Gunnison so check the Activities sections in those towns too.
ICE CLIMBING
Ouray Ice Park
