This is a cozy, small town library. There are two library cats, Holmes and Watson, and both they…read moreand the library staff are very friendly and welcoming.

I am a local FROM Silverton, CO. And working in town, I feel the Visitor's Center does a good job…read moreon notifying the town on different "goings on" - like the trains being late or road closures... Etc there are also fun books you can pick up for a walking tour!!!

A delightful place to find yourself on a crisp August morning. Shops, restaurants, hotels, and, of…read morecourse, the head of the Gondola that takes you down the mountain into Telluride. Once in your life you should visit this high mountain village. You may never leave.

As we exited the gondola, we felt we had landed in the Swiss Alps. The town plaza is beautiful with…read moreseveral hotels, restaurants and shops. There are outdoor gathering areas with benches, tables, fire pits and heaters. Even free WiFi! Unfortunately many businesses were closed because it's off-season and maybe because of Covid.

I have driven many beautiful scenic drives in my lifetime. This one definitely ranks up there as…read moreone of the best. The Million Dollar Highway is both scenic and adventurous. It is a stretch of highway that spans 25 miles on US Highway 550 between the towns of Ouray and Silverton. The highway takes you through the beautiful San Juan Mountains. What makes it adventurous is that the roads are steep and full of tight curves and have no guardrails. We planned a fun trip through Colorado that started with the Town of Telluride. I typically ski there, so I was excited to spend time there doing other activities. After a hike, we headed to Ouray to relax and enjoy some time exploring the town. After a soaking in a hot spring in Ridgway, we began our drive on the Million Dollar Highway. We made the drive all the way to Silverton and eventually ended up in Durango. I enjoyed my slow relaxing time on this drive while taking photographs along the way. This two-lane mountainous highway was constructed in 1883 to connect Ouray to the mines around Ironton and eventually Silverton. The purpose of the road was to transport silver and gold from the mines. The route was entirely paved with asphalt in the 1950s. There are many legends as to why it is called Million Dollar Highway. One is that it cost over a million dollars per mile to build back in the day. Another one is that the gravel used to pave the road contains millions of dollars in unextracted gold and silver ore from the local mines. The Million Dollar Highway starts (or ends) in Ouray, Colorado. There are several points of interest along the way. We stopped and took photos at the Switzerland of America Lookout Point Sign in Ouray. Then we stopped at the Bear Creek Falls Lookout Point. You get a great view the falls and the San Juan mountains from here. We then began our drive through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass (elevation 11,018 ft). I took my time driving through here as it is the most challenging part of the drive. The high elevation without any guardrails was a little scary. But the scenic views are just stunning and make it worth it. Red Mountain Pass is named for the the series of mountains along the highway that have iron-oxide-laden rock on their slopes. These mountains are really pretty to look at because of its red color. There are a couple of tunnels on the Million Dollar Highway including the Riverside Slide structure that protects cars from avalanches. Crystal Lake is a man-made lake that has pretty wildflowers and hiking trails. The Alpine Loop Byway is a challenging 63-mile dirt loop that connects Silverton, Lake City and Ouray and requires a high-clearance 4WD vehicle or a dirt bike to travel on. The highway does pass through a series of switchback curves that can be a little frightening. Also on the drive are a number of abandoned mining buildings that you can check out. We finished the road trip in Silverton and went on our way to Durango. I enjoyed this trip and my time driving on the Million Dollar Highway. If you take your time and pay attention, the drive can be very relaxing and enjoyable. There are several pullouts along the highway for photographs. Sadly, the highway does have a number of accidents and deaths each year because of the narrow lanes and sheer cliff drops (and also weather). But it is totally worth it to drive on the Million Dollar Highway for its amazing scenery. We did this drive in the Fall and enjoyed the colorful leaves and snow-capped mountains.

Exquisite. This is one of the most scenic drives I've ever taken…read more I've lived in Denver for four years now. From the moment I moved, SW Colorado has been top of mind. Well, time gets away from you. And though I've explored more of this beautiful states than many locals have, I finally crossed off the famed Million Dollar Highway off the ole bucket list. Good golly miss molly, this drive is something else. Something magical, something spectacular, something majestic. Something that can actually leave you speechless. For me, that's the Million Dollar Highway. The winding roads through the San Juans, each passing turn as jaw-dropping as the previous. Whether commuting South from Ouray to Silverton, or North from Silverton to Ouray, this stretch of America is simply surreal. You're missing out if you don't stop at Red Mountain Pass, the highest point of the drive. The lookout point gazing over the Red Mountains was something I didn't expect to blow me away. I love driving. And there's a lot of this country I haven't seen. But this, the Million Dollar Highway, is iconic. It must, I repeat, MUST be experienced not once, but many times. Dare I say, a million times? We need to honor those who built this road. They risked their lives in harsh conditions. And we're left with unadulterated beauty. So much beauty. America, the beautiful. To me, that's the Million Dollar Highway.

I love coming here every time I'm in ouray. Kind staff, good values, loving community center, safe…read morespace for all. Our favorites are the story times they put on, absolutely worth checking out if you're in town

This breathtaking geological feature is a "saddle" bewtween Telluride and Ridgway Colroado. A…read morerelatively gentle grade across the shoulder of some the mightiest mountains in the continental USA. From this vantage point, you'll see Dallas peak, Last Dollar mountain and majestic views of often snow capped briliance. Fall is the best time, with virbrant colors sweeping accross the endless vistas.

Ames Station was the first commercial system to produce and transmit alternating current (AC)…read moreelectricity for industrial use in Colorado and one of the first AC hydro-electric plants ever constructed. Designed in 1890 by Westinghouse, Tesla and Nunn, it was built to provide power for the large number of gold mines in the area. It was worth the drive just to look in the windows at the huge turbines. I think it would appeal to any Electrical Engineer, certainly more than me, but interesting all the same. It is located off Hwy 145, near Ophir, on a gravel road. Here are the geo coordinates: 37°51′52.88″N 107°52′55.18″W / 37.8646889°N 107.8819944°W