Four days in Ouray, Colorado
From the Piney Woods of East Texas to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Our five day road trip from Texarkana, TX to Ouray, Colorado.““Now he walks in quiet solitude through the forest and the streams, seeking grace in every step he takes.””
Ouray
When we were planning this trip we knew we wanted to be in a smaller town in the mountains. We wanted someplace that was small enough that we didn’t feel crowded, but big enough that we didn’t have to struggle to find a place to eat. We wanted to be in a place that had plenty to do, but close to other attractions if we wanted to venture out and go for a drive. We knew we wanted to drive the Million Dollar Highway and the Last Dollar Road. We also wanted to rent a Jeep and drive the Alpine Loop. If we had time we wanted to visit Telluride an soak in one of the areas hot springs. After researching the mountain towns we wanted to visit there was one place that checked all the boxes and that was Ouray.
Telluride
The drive from Ouray to Telluride via The Last Dollar Road was amazing. Once we got to Telluride we headed straight to Bridal Veil Falls. This amazing 365 foot waterfall is a must see while you are here. From there we drove back into town to find a place to eat lunch. We had a great lunch at Smugglers Union Restaurant and Brewery. The Elk Sausage tray was great and the drinks were outstanding. After lunch it was a short walk to the free gondola which would take us to Mountain Village. This was Ann’s favorite part of the trip. The views from the gondola were amazing. Mountain Village was a neat little place with shops, restaurants and bars. We stopped at Telluride Brewing Company and had a beer then spent the next couple of hours exploring the shops and taking in the views.
Silverton
Silverton was our jumping off point for the Alpine Loop. We didn’t spend much time there although we would have liked to if we had more time. It is a pretty old mining town with a lot of history. We did stop at Elevated Coffee and filled up our cups and looked around mainstreet before we moved on to the Alpine Loop. I think when we go back we will explore Silverton a little more.
The Alpine Loop
Once Ann and I started researching the activities in the area we found out that Ouray is called the Jeep capital of the world. One of the main activities in this area is driving Jeeps up into remote areas in the surrounding mountains. With a little more research I found the Alpine Loop. This Loop is a collection of mountain roads that connect the cities of Silverton, Lake City and Ouray. It looked like too much fun to pass up. I found Canyon Creek Jeep Rentals and rented a Jeep for a day.
This turned out to be my favorite part of the trip. I love to drive backroads and take pictures and this was an all day drive through the prettiest scenery I have ever seen. If you are scarred of heights, this might not be the trip for you. Ann was a little apprehensive at the beginning of the trip but she relaxed and enjoyed this crazy drive. There are places where you are driving on the edge of the mountain and there is nothing between you and the valley floor. The pictures below do not do it justice!
The Last Dollar Road
The Last Dollar Road is a scenic drive between Ridgeway and Telluride. This backroad goes through some of the prettiest scenery in Colorado. It is a semi maintained dirt road that winds through the valleys, mountains and ranches of southwest Colorado. We drove it in our Toyota Tundra, but I had a friend that drove it in a van. There were only a couple of spots that were difficult during our drive but I am sure it could get worse with bad weather. It took us around three hours to get from Ridgeway to Telluride but it was worth the time. You could have probably make the drive faster but we stopped a lot for pictures and to just enjoy the amazing views. You will see some of the most beautiful ranches in the state, as well as amazing mountain vistas and large Aspen groves. It was one of the prettiest drives I have ever take and I hope to get back next year to do it again!
