Road Trip Around USA’s Million Dollar Highway and San Juan Skyway.

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Built in the late 1880s, the Million Dollar Highway and Highway 550 is one of the most beautiful drives in Colorado, USA. Don’t let its beauty fool you though, it’s also one of the most dangerous. Many roads cut into the cliff have no guardrails protecting you and your vehicle from a devastating drop.

Originally constructed to assist with mining activities, the road connects Durango to Ridgway, through Silverton and Ouray. Dotted along the way you’ll see remnants of gold and silver mines that were once the livelihood of the local towns. Although the Million Dollar Highway route is around 25 miles long, you’ll find plenty of views that will take your breath away as it climbs through three mountain passes (Coal Bank Pass, Molas Pass, and Red Mountain Pass). Let the hairpin curves and narrow lanes through stunning scenery thrill and excite you.

If this short drive isn’t enough for you, consider looping round from Ouray and passing through Telluride and Cortez before heading back to Durango. The complete loop will take just over 5 hours, but consider spending a full day in larger towns such as Ouray and Cortez to make the most of what’s on offer. You should also consider checking out our top tips for an epic road trip.

Photo from Google Maps/Adobe Stock

When should I go?

The road is open year-round. Wintery conditions and rockslides may temporarily close the road but it’s maintained and cleared as a priority by the Colorado Department of Transportation. Try to be as flexible as possible when your trip is planned, as although road closures are temporary, these can delay your trip for a couple of hours. You should also consider postponing tackling the route in strong winds, storms, or rain. The route is one of North America’s highest avalanche hotspots per mile. We recommend that for the best views and a safer drive, take this road trip during spring or summer. Don’t be surprised to find yourself taking bends at 10mph.

What type of car is best?

All types of vehicle can travel the main parts of this road. For extra confidence and any windy offshoots you want to explore, consider hiring a four-wheeled drive.

Remember! Car hire insurance won’t cover any type of off-road driving regardless of vehicle so stick to marked roads. For any off-road routes you wish to explore, consider booking one of the off-road jeep or ATV (all-terrain vehicle) experiences available along the route.

If you’re travelling when the road is liable to be icy or covered in snow, consider hiring snow chains with your hire vehicle. Snow season starts in October.

The route- Million Dollar Highway

Durango

Durango Steam Train. Photo by: Roger Vorheis/Adobe Stock

This quaint town echoes its mining history in a way to delight tourists. There are opportunities to take advantage of western-themed photoshoots and dine in themed restaurants. Immerse yourself fully in the history of this route right from the outset. Visit the steam train museum or take a trip aboard its vintage wagons. Shop to purchase locally created produce and Native American crafts. You can also go rafting or take an astronomy tour if stopping overnight.

Fun fact- some of the scenes from ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ were filmed in Durango.

Head north out of Durango on Highway 550 to cross Coal Bank Pass and Molas Pass. Make the most of the incredible views here, especially at Molas Lake. You’ll then descend into Silverton.

Silverton

Rest a while and experience the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour which operates mid-May to early October. Watch live mining demonstrations and ride in a vintage electric-powered mine train. Get a true feel of what life was like for original mining settlers. From Silverton, take a detour to the north to visit the ghost town of Animas Forks. Settlers first began building here in 1873, but with the decline of mining opportunities, the town was deserted by the 1920s. Many buildings still stand as eerie reminders. Not all the roads around Animas Forks will be suitable for all vehicle types but you will be able to visit.

If Animas Forks is a little out of the way for you, continuing on Highway 550 will bring you to Ironton, another deserted mining town, located just off the main road between Corkscrew Gulch and Monument Gulch.

Animas Forks ghost town. Photo by: robertbohrer1/Adobe Stock

Ouray

Just before you enter the final stretch approaching Ouray, there’s a lookout point from the roadside which gives you an incredible view of the town laid out in front of you. It’s worthwhile stopping to take this in. At the end of your drive, there are three public natural hot springs in Ouray for you to relax in. They’re sulphur-free too! Base yourself at Ouray to explore the mountains fully either by foot, bike or Jeep.

Ridgway

Continue the final part of the Million Dollar Highway to this town, another backdrop to films such as ‘True Grit’ and ‘How the West Was Won’. Consider booking a once-in-a-lifetime balloon ride over the San Juan National Park to get all the best views from above. There are plenty of water sports here to enjoy such as paddle boarding, rafting, and swimming.

Looping around

From Ridgway, head out on the Highway 62 and then 145 into Telluride to begin the loop.

Photo by: SNEHIT/Adobe Stock

Telluride

This old mining town is a tourist hotspot all year. Extremely popular in the winter for its skiing options, and in summer for the many activities on offer, such as river rafting, hiking, and mountain biking. Take a hike to explore the waterfalls of the town; Bridal Veil Falls and Ingram Falls.

Fun fact! The town was the location of Butch Cassidy’s first ever recorded crime, when he robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank here in 1889.

Continue back south along Highway 145 through more stunning mountain passes. Pass near Ames, home of the first ever generator to transmit alternating current electricity for industrial purposes.

Cortez

Cortez is worth basing yourself to make the most of its richness in archaeological sites. Explore nearby attractions such as the Four Corners, Monument Valley and Mesa Verde National Park. This National Park is the largest archaeological preserve in the U.S. with over 4700 sites currently identified. There is a mass of cliff dwellings to see, especially the Cliff Palace, which is thought to be the largest in North America.

Uncover all there is here before continuing to Durango, on Highway 160, completing your loop.

Mesa Verde National Park. Photo by: Zack Frank/Adobe Stock

Discover the Million Dollar Highway

Are you planning a trip to explore the Million Dollar Highway and San Juan Skyway? What parts are you most looking forward to? If you’ve travelled the route before, we’d love to know what your highlights were. Let us know in the comments.

Written by Jessica Juby.

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