San Juan Skyway
San Juan Skyway Must See Tour
| Departure: | Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado |
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| Destination: | Ouray, Colorado |
| Time to allow: | 3 days |
This tour begins in the desert mesa region surrounding Mesa Verde and quickly climbs through high mountain forests to visit the Victorian mining towns of Durango and Silverton. The final leg of the tour twists through some of the most rugged mountains in the country on the famous Million Dollar Highway before arriving in the town of Ouray.
Day 1
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Start: Mesa Verde National Park
Your first stop, Mesa Verde, is the only National Park dedicated solely to the works of man. These cliff dwellings were mysteriously abandoned by the Anasazi Indians 200 years before Columbus discovered America.
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Stop 1: Durango
Directions from previous place: Leaving Mesa Verde, follow the road for 0.2 miles, then turn left onto Moccasin Mesa Rd. Drive for 1.7 miles, then turn right onto US-10 (Ruins Rd) and drive for 0.2 miles. Turn right to stay on US-10 (Ruins Rd), and drive for 8.8 miles. Turn right onto Ramp (US-160), and after 0.3 miles, turn right onto US-160 (SR-789). Follow for 34.5 miles, then turn left onto US-550. Turn right onto 6th St (W College Dr), then after 0.2 miles, turn left onto E 2nd Ave and go for 0.3 miles until you arrive in Durango.
Distance from Previous Site: 46.3 miles / 74.1 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 hour 5 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours This 'Old West' town, founded in 1880, retains its Victorian charm. Restored historic landmarks line downtown streets and nearby ski resorts beckon to adventurous winter travelers.
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Overnight Point: Durango
Lodging is available in Durango.
Total Distance Traveled in Day 1: 46.3 miles / 74.1 km
Day 2
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Stop 1: Silverton
Directions from previous place: Leaving Durango on E 2nd Ave, turn left onto E 10th St, then immediately turn right onto Main Ave. Keep straight onto US-550 (Main Ave) for 47.4 miles until you come to Silverton.
Distance from Previous Site: 47.9 miles / 76.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 hour Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours This living mining town is tucked away in a high mountain valley and can be reached either by taking the historic Durango/Silverton narrow-gauge railroad or by driving over the 10,910 foot Molas Divide pass. Many of the beautiful Victorian buildings in Silverton are registered as National Historical Sites.
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Stop 2: Ghost Towns
Directions from previous place: Leaving Silverton on on US-550 (SR-789), turn right onto SR-110 (Greene St) and follow for approximately 5 miles until you come to Howardsville. (Eureka is about 3.7 miles further along SR-110, which becomes CR-2. Animas Forks is on CR-2, about 4 miles past Eureka.)
Distance from Previous Site: 5 miles / 8.0 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 9 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours The Ghost towns of Howardsville, Eureka, and Animas Forks are all located within 14 miles of Silverton. At Animas Forks, you can wander through the remnants of a 19th century mining town or wander through beautiful meadows of wildflowers.
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Overnight Point: Silverton
Lodging is available in Silverton.
Total Distance Traveled in Day 2: 52.9 miles / 84.6 km
Day 3
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Navigation Point: Million Dollar Highway and Million Dollar Overlook
Directions from previous place: Leaving Howardsville on SR-110 (CR-2), drive for 4.0 miles, then bear right on SR-110 for 0.1 miles. Turn left onto SR-110 (Greene St) and drive for 0.9 miles, then keep straight onto US-550 (SR-789). Follow for 22.6 miles until you arrive in Ouray.
Distance from Previous Site: 27.6 miles / 44.2 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 36 minutes The section of highway from Silverton to Ouray is called the Million Dollar Highway because of the immense amounts of silver and gold which were carted through these passes. From the Million Dollar Overlook along the way, view many different waterfalls and look out upon some of the most rugged mountains in the country.
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End: Ouray
Your last stop, Ouray, known as the "Switzerland" of America, features grand mountain vistas and a variety of wildlife, the highlights in this mountain community.
