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From there, the first six miles are dramatic as you drive deeper into the Uncompaghre Gorge. Your first stop should be Lookout Point just above Ouray to take in a stellar view of the town. There are also many sightseeing stops to make along the way, with pull-outs. Allow at least one or two hours to drive the 25-mile stretch as its filled with steep grades, hairpin curves, and a precariously obvious lack of guard rails. The highlight of the Million Dollar Highway is the highway itself. Before retreating to your room for the night, nosh on a burger or pizza on the expansive patio at Gold Belt Bar and Grill. There are several historic hotels for an overnight in Ouray, but my favorite is the budget-friendly and family-owned Ouray Chalet Inn for its 1960s roadside motel feel. A draw for weary travelers for centuries, the 150-degree mineral water comes from the box canyon you visited earlier and flows into soaking pools ranging in temperature from 75 to 104 degrees. You can’t spend time in Ouray without soaking in the Ouray Hot Springs. Cool off with a huckleberry ice cream cone at Mouse’s Chocolates and Coffee. Signs on Main Street’s historic blocks show what each looked like circa 18, when the town was rich with miners, gold diggers, and others trying to, well, make it rich. It’s a great way to see some of the Victorian era homes and Ouray’s historic buildings. The three-story museum houses more than 40 exhibits in 30 rooms, including several original pioneer cabins, comprising what the Smithsonian Institute calls the “best little museum in the West.” The experience takes up to two hours and includes the history of mining, ranching, railroading, and hospital artifacts from life in Ouray in the late 1800s through the early 1900s.įrom the museum, go on a leisurely stroll on Ouray County Historical Society’s self-guided walking tour. Completed in 1887, the Catholic organization Sisters of Mercy from Denver, Durango and Omaha operated the hospital until 1964.
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I spent the afternoon downtown at the Ouray County Museum, housed in the St. Snap some shots of the falls, enjoy the cool mountain air, and then take the Native Plant Loop trail back to the parking lot for a panoramic view out across the valley. The Black Swift is notoriously a difficult bird to spot, but you’re almost guaranteed to see one in the narrow canyon in summer since the canyon here is home to one of Colorado’s largest Black Swift colonies. You’ll hear the thunderous roar of the falls well before descending the caged metal staircase to the base of the 285-foot waterfall plummeting down the narrow quartzite canyon.
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Head here in the morning to beat the crowds. Housed in a cute Victorian-style home, the coffeehouse has great lattes and breakfast burritos and is the perfect place to relax and scroll your photos of the hike.īox Cañon Falls is a primary draw to Ouray, located just outside of town. With multiple trailheads like Baby Bathtubs or Lower Cascade Falls, you can easily shorten the hike to make it more accessible and faster. Start here with an early morning hike on Perimeter Trail, an ultra-popular six-mile loop filled views and waterfalls. Since the late 1800s, it’s had the nickname “Switzerland of America” because of its resemblance to mountain towns in the Alps. Incorporated in 1976, it was named after Ute Chief Ouray. Ouray marks the north end of the Million Dollar Highway.