Silverton
Ouray
Ridgway
Just 48 miles north of Durango is Silverton, Colorado. Featured as one of a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" and listed in "America's Most Charming Towns and Villages", Silverton offers the rustic allure of an Old West Town amid spectacular mountain scenery. Tall peaks, shimmering lakes, clean air and good people. They all make up part of what the Town of Silverton and San Juan County are all about. The area has some of the cleanest and clearest, highest-quality air in the U.S. When Silverton was a prosperous mining hub, Blair Street had forty fully-functioning saloons. Silverton's riches now lie in the many attractions and outdoor adventures. With a mild, sunny spring and summer, and a color fest of leaves in the fall you can pick from a number of activities. People DO live here in the winter - Silverton has approximately 473 year-round residents.
The enchanting mountains surround the Town of Silverton and provide a breathtaking setting for many outdoor activities. Come explore what this summer vacation area has to offer. The Weminuche Wilderness Area lies in part of San Juan County, giving access to Colorado's largest wilderness and primitive area. The Weminuche lies in the San Juan and Rio Grande National Forests of southwestern Colorado. The wilderness area has three peaks, the Eolus, Sunlight, and Windom Peaks, that tower above 14,000 feet in elevation. Fifty miles of the Continental Divide, the geological backbone of North America, dissect the Weminuche.
Area activities include hiking, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, backpacking, rock climbing, jeeping, ATV and hummer tours. Go whitewater rafting, take a llama trek, explore ghost towns, or solicit one of several experienced adventure guide services. Tour a gold mine and try your luck at panning for gold. There is no better place to hike than the majestic high country surrounding Silverton. With unlimited hiking opportunities and a huge variety of difficulty and length, the high country around Silverton offers something for everyone. Silverton is truly one of Colorado's best kept secrets.
Click on a category or activity to the left to view a list of Free printable coupons. Call individual businesses to receive discounts or print coupons and bring them to the Silverton Colorado area for big Savings!
The Town of Silverton also has much to offer. Gold mine tours, theatre groups, entertainment and nightlife. With 20 restaurants to choose from, every taste, palate and wallet is sure to be pleased. Everything in Silverton is original; there are no chain restaurants or accommodations. The town does have a variety of bed & breakfast inns, camping, vacation rental homes, condominiums, fine hotels and a motel. Be sure to browse through the numerous quaint shops, galleries and restaurants, or take a walking tour and lodge in a genuine turn of the century hotel - bed and breakfast. Also available are numerous car rentals, shuttle service, airports, jeep rentals, transportation options available in the immediate areas.
Just 6 miles from the Town of Silverton, Silverton Mountain offers extreme mountain biking at its finest. Be sure to visit the Silverton Outdoor Learning & Recreation Center. Silverton Mountain’s Summer Bike Park offers challenging downhill mountain biking. Try the extra challenging lift served trails. Silverton Mountain is committed to having the best trails anywhere! The Canadian style bike park (on a smaller scale) is now available for your riding pleasure. You don't need a big hit bike to have fun at Silverton, but it is much more fun if you do. Silverton Mountain also offers the highest summer scenic chairlift ride in North America and the coldest beer!
Situated in a river valley, just 23 miles north of Silverton on the Million Dollar Highway, lies the often-photographed and treasured town of Ouray. Known as the Switzerland of America, Ouray offers hundreds of miles of backcountry roads for jeeping, hiking or mountain biking. The trails that surround the town provide spectacular mountain photography. Ouray is in the heart of the San Juan Skyway; a spectacular road that has been designated as one of the most scenic drives in America. Ouray activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, jeeping, photography, fishing, mine tours, guided tours, mountaineering, backpacking and golf. Explore ghost towns, museums, gift shops, boutiques and galleries.
Finish your day of adventure with a relaxing soak in any of Ouray's natural hot springs. Visit one of the many restaurants, enjoy and ice cream cone or stop in for a brew and brats at the outdoor Biergarten. There are many dining choices from French bakeries and family-style cafes to the ultimate in international cuisine. Enjoy an outdoor cook-out, miniature golf, live entertainment, coffee house, tavern, All American Musical Revue, or take in a movie. Be sure to visit Black Canyon National Park.
Just one hour from Ouray, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the newest National Parks in the lower 48 states. The canyon, one mile deep at its deepest point, and 1,150 feet across at its narrowest, was carved out over millions of years by the Gunnison River. The Black Canyon offers hiking, rafting, biking and hiking adventures. The best way to see the canyon is on foot.
Join over 200,000 annual passengers who travel on the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge railroad amid snow covered towering mountain peaks. Regional activities include, hiking, photography, cross country, back country, downhill skiing and snowboarding (beginner to the most extreme in the lower US) snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice climbing, and four-wheeling all on 700 plus miles of backcountry trails and roads. Become immersed in famed breathtaking natural scenic beauty with remarkable frozen streams, waterfalls, and winter wildlife viewing.
Silverton and Ouray can be reached by automobile or by air service into Montrose, Telluride, Grand Junction, or Durango. Taxi, bus and limo transportation services are available to and from both towns with car rentals available at the airports.
If you are seeking a memorable Colorado Rocky Mountain outdoor experience in the spectacular San Juan Mountains, but demand an affordable yet inexpensive vacation, then click on the activities and categories on your left and come and enjoy one of the most beautiful places on the earth.
