Ouray in 48 Hours: A Weekend Guide
Ouray is a town of about 1,000 people in a box canyon at 7,800 feet. The San Juan Mountains rise on three sides. The only way in is from the north, through a narrow valley on Highway 550.
It is one of the best small towns in Colorado. Two days is enough to understand why.
Getting There
From Denver, Ouray is about 5.5 hours. Take I-70 west to Montrose, then south on 550 through Ridgway. The last 10 miles drop into the canyon and the town appears below you like something you were not supposed to find.
From Durango, it is 2 hours north on the Million Dollar Highway. This stretch of 550 is one of the great drives in America. No guardrails in places. Switchbacks over Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 feet. Do not drive it in a snowstorm unless you mean it.
Fly into Montrose (MTJ) if you are coming from far away. It is 40 minutes to Ouray and the airport has direct flights from Denver, Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix depending on the season.
Where to Stay
Box Canyon Lodge. This is the move. A no-frills lodge at the south end of town with natural hot spring tubs fed by geothermal water. The rooms are simple and clean. The tubs are the reason to stay. Four outdoor soaking pools at different temperatures, open until midnight. Rooms run $150 to $250 depending on the season. Book early for summer and ice festival.
Amphitheater Campground. One mile south of town on 550. Forest Service campground at 8,400 feet with 30 sites. First come, first served. Sites are $26 per night. The campground fills by Friday afternoon in July and August. Get there Thursday evening or early Friday. The views from the upper loop are worth the extra walk.
Wiesbaden Hot Springs. A smaller, quieter alternative to Box Canyon Lodge. The vapor cave is the draw here. A natural underground steam room carved into the rock. Rooms start around $180.
Where to Eat
Buen Tiempo. The best meal in Ouray. Mexican food with a Colorado edge. The green chile is house-made and serious. The carne asada plate is the order. Margaritas are well-built. Most entrees are $16 to $24. Small dining room, so expect a wait on summer weekends. No reservations.
Maggie's Kitchen. Breakfast and lunch. Cash only. The breakfast burritos are enormous and cost less than $10. Maggie's is where the locals eat, which tells you what you need to know. Get there before the line wraps around the building, which happens by 9 AM on Saturdays.
Ouray Brewery. Solid pub food and good beer. Nothing fancy. The kind of place where you sit outside with a pint after a long hike and feel like you earned it. Burgers and sandwiches in the $14 to $18 range.
What to Do
The Perimeter Trail
This is the signature hike. A loop around the entire town along the rim of the canyon. About 6 miles total with roughly 1,500 feet of elevation gain. You will walk through forest, cross a bridge above a waterfall, and look straight down into town from several hundred feet up.
Allow 3 to 4 hours. Start at the trailhead behind the Ouray Visitors Center. Go counterclockwise. The views are better in that direction and the steepest section comes early when your legs are fresh.
Hot Springs
The Ouray Hot Springs Pool is the public option. A large pool complex at the north end of town. Adult admission is $18. Open year-round. The upper pool is hotter. The lower pool is better for kids. It gets crowded on summer afternoons.
For something more private, the Box Canyon Lodge tubs or Wiesbaden vapor cave are better choices.
Box Canyon Falls
A short walk from the south end of town. A 285-foot waterfall in a narrow canyon. The park charges $5 per adult. The suspended walkway takes you to the base of the falls where the mist hits your face and the sound fills the canyon. Allow 30 minutes.
Jeep Trails (Summer)
Ouray calls itself the Jeep Capital of the World. The claim holds up. Imogene Pass to Telluride, Yankee Boy Basin for wildflowers in July, Engineer Pass to Lake City. These are not paved roads. You need high clearance and four-wheel drive. If you do not have the vehicle, rent one from Switzerland of America or book a guided tour.
Yankee Boy Basin in mid-July, when the wildflowers are at peak, is one of the best things you can do in Colorado.
Ice Climbing (Winter)
The Ouray Ice Park is the only facility of its kind in the world. A man-made ice climbing park in the Uncompahgre Gorge. Free to climb if you have your own gear. Guided climbs and gear rental are available for beginners. The ice park is open from late December through March.
Even if you do not climb, walking through the gorge and watching climbers move up the frozen walls is worth the trip.
Seasonal Notes
Summer (June through September) is the prime season. Jeep roads open by late June. Wildflowers peak in July. Trails are clear by early June at lower elevations.
Fall (late September through October) brings color. The drive from Ridgway to Ouray through the aspens is among the best in the state.
Winter (December through March) is quiet. The ice park draws a specific crowd. The hot springs are better when the air is cold.
Spring (April through May) is mud season. Some businesses close. Roads are messy. But the waterfalls are at their most powerful. If you do not mind the quiet, it has its own appeal.
Two days in Ouray is not enough to do everything. It is enough to know you will come back.