Known as the “Switzerland of America,” this small old mining town tucked away in the San Juan Mountains is the perfect destination for outdoor lovers; and with quick access to hiking, jeeping, canyoneering, backpacking, fishing, ghost towns, river rafting trips, horseback riding, rock climbing and mountain biking it’s easy to see why! And that doesn’t even begin to cover the winter activities: downhill, backcountry & cross country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, snowcat skiing, ice climbing and, of course, the hot springs (which are luckily open year round!)!
Although our main office is located in Durango, here at Mild to Wild, we consider Ouray to be a must-see stop during your Southwest vacation! The only way to drive into Ouray is on the Spectacular Million Dollar Skyway (one of the Top 10 Drives to do in the US in your lifetime!) and once you’re there, we have some great day trips to help fill out your adventure!
Only 45 minutes from Ouray (and my personal favorite part of the Million Dollar Skyway) is the small town of Silverton and also, the departure point for our Mini Ghost Town Tour. This 3 hour guided jeep tour gets you off the, albeit beautiful, highway and onto some rough mountain roads you wouldn’t want to take your own vehicle (or that rent…) as you venture up to Animas Forks, one of the most preserved ghost towns in Colorado!
Another great day (or multi-day) trip out of Ouray is a whitewater rafting trip down the San Miguel River. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the meeting point, mainly because you have to go all the way around those mountains! From here, though, you get to throw your cares away and splash through fun filled Class II “splashes” and Class III “wet and fun” rapids.
Don’t get me wrong, though, Ouray is also a great place to kick back and relax. Shops and restaurants galore line either side of the registered National Historic District that is Main Street. Grab a milkshake at Mouse’s Chocolates and then venture down the street to check out some of the
local artists and unique shops. On a warm day, the upstairs patio at Ouray Brewing is a great place to relax and enjoy your time with friends and family. And back to those hot springs…Ouray boasts a fantastic local to relax and soak year round!
Oh, and did I mention that the infamous W.C. McCall was mayor of Ouray for 6 years? I imagine that’s where he got the inspiration for “Black Bear Road”, aptly named after the “shortcut” between Ouray and Telluride, Black Bear Pass, where the sign reads “12 Miles – 2 Hours. You don’t have to be crazy to drive this road – but it helps”!