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    US Forest Services Ranger Station

    5.0 (1 review)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    9 years ago

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    Million Dollar Highway - Red Mountain Pass

    Million Dollar Highway

    4.8(23 reviews)
    41.6 mi

    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.

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    Million Dollar Highway
    Million Dollar Highway
    Million Dollar Highway - Scary and yet so beautiful and freeing

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    Scary and yet so beautiful and freeing

    US Forest Services Ranger Station - publicservicesgovt - Updated August 2026

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