The Million Dollar Highway stretches for about 25
miles in western Colorado and follows the route of U.S. 550 between Silverton
and Ouray, Colorado.
The Vibe: There’s nothing like slope hopping out
west, but spring/summer is the best time to see the small towns of Southwest
Colorado — they’re culturists’ dream destinations.
Along the Way: The drive from Denver to Ouray on
I-70 West is through some breathtaking landscape in the mountains and national
forests. Ouray is a famous ghost town that’s quirky and well preserved — it
looks like a film set for a Western. If you’re driving during cold weather, the
claim-to-fame in Ouray is the ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park. As the largest
ice park in the world with 200 climbing routes, it’s one of the best places in
the U.S. for this recreation. Take US-550 South to Durango, a charming town
that’s home to cute cafes and old-school saloons. You can also take in the
great views with an old-timey train ride from Durango & Silverton Narrow
Gauge Railroad Museum or at San Jaun National Forest. From here, via CO-145
North, it’s only two hours to Telluride, which is home to Butch Cassidy’s first
bank robbery. Travelers can visit the original safe in what’s now a sunglass
store. Nearby highlights also include Ridgway, where True Grit was filmed;
Sawpit, the smallest town in Colorado with a gas station and one street lamp
(Oprah Winfrey and Tom Cruise own homes here), and the protrusion of Wilson
Peak, the iconic mountain on every Coors Light beer can.
0 comments:
Post a Comment