The San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are my happy place. There’s something so peaceful about being surrounded by such jagged peaks and rugged terrain. I’ve been visiting Ouray since I was a kid; my family couldn’t get enough of this place and it quickly became our favorite spot in all of Colorado. Usually Ouray is our home base, and it’s easy to explore the nearby towns of Silverton, Ridgeway and Telluride.
4 wheeling in Ouray is a fun adventure and gives you the best views of the San Juans. Two easier drives are Yankee Boy Basin and Last Dollar Road. Yankee Boy Basin has some beautiful waterfalls and wildflowers in the summer. I’ve spent hours here taking pictures of the columbines. Usually June/July is the best time to visit to be able to see the wildflowers in full bloom! If you are going to go in between Ouray/Ridgeway and Telluride at any point the best way to drive is on last dollar road. You’ll pass lots of aspen trees and ranches and go by the telluride airport.
If you want some more challenging drives, some of my favorites are Corkscrew, Engineer, and Cinnamon Passes. These passes south of Ouray give you great views of the red soil surrounded by jagged peaks and a gorgeous view of Lake Como.
Another easy drive is Owl Creek Pass out of Ridgeway. This is one of my absolute favorite drives in the fall. I love watching the sun set from this road and seeing the light hit chimney rock and courthouse mountain. You can’t go wrong in the fall with driving anywhere in the San Juans. Everywhere you look you can find aspen groves.
If you aren’t up for any dirt roads, the million dollar highway is a great option as it is filled with aspens. The road is very windy and has no guardrails which can be nerve-racking for some, but the views are incredible. Keep your eyes peeled for some moose along the way! The red mountain mining district is a great place along the way to take in the views along with Crystal Lake.
If you can’t tell by now, I really like driving. It is how I spend a lot of my time while in Ouray, but for me it’s the best way to get some of the best views and soak up as much of the San Juans! Once I’m tired from all that driving I enjoy visiting the hot springs in Ouray. Ouray has one large hot spring center on the north side of town but there are also a couple others at some spas around town. My favorite is the Wiesbaden Hotel which has a hot springs pool as well as vapor caves. I really enjoy the vapor caves here and think it’s a more unique experience compared to your typical hot spring.
