As a 27 year old young man, folk singer John Denver moved to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and was so inspired by the beauty around him that he penned one of America’s most beloved ballads, Rocky Mountain High. In the first stanza of the song he tells of the effect these mountains had on him when he sings,
“Coming home to a place he’d never been before, He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again.”
In the fourth stanza, he describes the interaction he had with the mountains,
“He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below, He saw everything as far as you can see.”
He goes on to describe the self reflection that this rugged landscape caused within himself,
“Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams, Seeking grace in every step he takes, His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand, The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake.”
Towards the end of the song he tells of the spiritual communion he has experienced among the mountains as that familiar chorus swells in such beautiful melody (everybody sing along):
“♫ And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply
Rocky Mountain High (Colorado) ♫”
I have always loved that song, but until you spend a week in these unbelievable mountains, you cannot comprehend all of the various levels of emotion and spirituality you will experience. You don’t really explore these mountains rather you experience them. The exploration of these timeless hills is not an outward exploration, but rather an inward reflection. It is an exploration of one’s own place within this immense wilderness that has existed through eons of time, changing constantly with the forces of nature but never really changing at all.
For millions of years, animal trails criss-crossed these mountains. Then these trails were walked for thousands of years by nomadic native Americans (most recently the Ute Indians.) And then, in the last hundred and fifty years the ancient trails became mining roads, as American settlers streamed to these mountains in search of precious minerals trapped in the rocks.
Today, these trails are traveled mainly by Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs) as people flock to see the beauty of this land and there is no better place to experience it than in the Ouray/Silverton/Grand Junction area on the western slope of the Rockies. Here you can upload yourself to the clouds in mountain passes reaching over 12-13,000 feet high, where, as John Denver sang, you can truly see the “silver clouds below” and “everything as far as you can see.”
To experience these mountain passes with their rocky cathedral peaks, and the mountain valleys teaming with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes and waterfalls, remnants of mining camps and glaciers that remain year round is a wondrous once in a lifetime experience. As one takes in the awe-inspiring view of the steep hillsides whose trees have been ravaged by avalanches which now lie in massive piles atop layers of ice, dozens of feet thick compressed as hard as concrete by the weight of the snow as it slid down the mountain, it really makes one question their own role in nature.
To stand on these hills and breathe in the fresh mountain air while reflecting inward, surrounded by such outward beauty, is truly what John Denver referred to as the Colorado Rocky Mountain High!
Ouray, Colorado
We first experienced Ouray, Colorado when our family found a good deal on a condo over Christmas when our children were young. I will never forget the incredible drive as we drove from Durango over the Million Dollar Highway in the dead of winter to Ouray. The steep mountains were covered in deep winter snow and the roads were icy with sheer drop-offs and no guardrails, but the scenery was unbelievable. Ouray at Christmas seems almost abandoned but with the historic town covered in snow and surrounded by towering cliffs it feels as if you are in a Hallmark Christmas movie. So it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to our recent trip to the high mountain town to escape the summer heat. As luck would have it, the weather forecast deteriorated the closer we got to arriving in Ouray, and by the time we arrived rain was in the forecast for the entire three days we were to spend in this quaint town known as the “Switzerland of America.” But after checking into our B&B we went out exploring this old mining town which is surrouneded by high cliffs on almost every side and there is no words to describe the beauty that we beheld. The storm clouds were moving in over the San Juan Mountains and clung to the high mountain peaks. Waterfalls fed from the now falling rain raged over the cliffs surrounding the town falling hundreds of feet to disappear behind the tree covered hills that serve as the backdrop to the historic hotels, churches, civic buildings and shops.
We meandered down the sidewalks exploring the quaint shops, trying on leather coats, hats and gloves that were both fun and unique. We browsed stores full of outdoor goods as well as shops that carried a plethora of local produce and meats including wild game jerky and bottled preserves. It appeared that the rain would not ruin our vacation, but rather it would enhance the experience and beauty of this awesome town that is the gateway into the San Juan mountains.
Ouray was founded by gold and silver miners in the late 1800s and has now become world famous for its outdoor activities. In the summer, motorcyclists touring the Million Dollar Highway flock through town like migratory birds seeking warmer climes as Jeeps and OHV enthusiasts pack the downtown area preparing for scenic tours of the plethora of trails that host awesome scenery, ghost towns and old mining relics. If you go to Ouray, an OHV or Jeep tour is a must!
Ouray Hot Springs
Western Colorado is known for its many hot springs and Ouray has an amazing hot spring right in town that are open 365 days a year. In the summer this is a perfect place to end your long and dusty day of riding by enjoying a dip in the pool or just sit and relax in one of the hot pools. In the winter, the hot springs make for a perfect place to relax after a day of ice climbing. We were lucky enough to enjoy the hot tubs on Christmas Day after opening presents on our previous trip to Ouray and it was a Christmas we will always remember soaking in the outdoor hot springs surrounded by snow covered mountains and the crisp mountain air.
Alpine Loop
For the summer adventurer, an OHV ride along the Alpine Loop is a must. This 65 mile loop links the historic towns of Ouray, Silverton and Lake City through a high mountain alpine tundra strewn with high mountain lakes, ghost towns, old mines and mine relics. The trail passes through two high mountain passes, Cinnamon Pass (12,,640 ft) and Engineer Pass (12,800 ft) that are more the territory of aircraft than wheeled vehicles, but the views are amazing. Even in July and August snow abounds at these heights and icy remnants of winter avalanches packed with piles of mangled timbers can still be seen. The whole loop takes approximately 7 hours to explore and there are many side trails that make this an off road haven. Before you go, make sure you have a good map and know where you are going and know your limits. One of the most dangerous trails in the nation, Poughkeepsie Gulch, is located near the loop but if you stay on the Alpine Loop the trail is easily accessible by any standard 4 x 4 vehicle.
Climbing/Ice Climbing
In the winter, Ouray becomes the ice climbing capital of the US as they flood the cliffs with water at the Ouray Ice Park forming one of the best man-made ice features with dozens of climbing routes for climbers of all skill levels. Guides and gear are available for rent so this is a fun experience even for the novice climber interested in just giving it a try. Outside of the ice park there are also dozens of waterfalls for experienced climbers to test their skills.
Shopping
The main street of Ouray is teaming with specialty tourist shops and you can walk the whole city from your hotel or B&B so you don’t have to fight the summer crowds for parking. The old main street is teaming with historic buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s and they have plaques on each block that show what each building housed at various periods of the town’s history. Exploring the historic town while shopping at the specialty shops with a truly Colorado flavor is a great way to spend an evening and a lot of money if you are not careful.
Where to Eat
Camp Bell’s Cajun Cuisine
Ouray has lots of fine dining options but our favorite place to eat was Camp Bell’s Cajun Cuisine. I had the Eggs Benedict which was phenomenal and Melinda had an omelett with hash browns and an English muffin. This restaurant came highly recommended but there are many other great options in town so you will not go hungry.
The Goldbelt
The Goldbelt Bar, Grill and Pizzarea had a varied menu and Melinda specifically enjoyed the cauliflower crust pizza. The Goldbelt had a large patio that allowed us to enjoy the beautiful scenery and outdoor setting as we ate.
Where to Stay
Due to the summer crowds in Ouray, we had to stay the night in two different B&Bs in Ouray but this just gave us the chance to experience both locations. Although we enjoyed our lodging there are plenty of great B&B’s and hotels in Ouray so it is hard to go wrong.
Main Street Inn
Our first night in Ouray we spent in one of the two buildings that make up the Main Street Inn. As it’s name implies this B&B is located right on Main Street. These brightly colored old restored homes made for a fun night and as we were assigned the Mustang Room I reminded Melinda that this was an aptly named room since I am still her wild stallion and I couldn’t wait to be her stud.
China Clipper Inn
The second night we spent at the China Clipper Inn. This was a beautiful Victorian B&B with period furniture and was absolutely beautiful with a fantastic breakfast served in the dining room or on the porch. The B&B had a hot tub in a court yard which was surrounded by other rooms where we were inadvertently swooned by a symphony of verbose love-making from one of the nearby rooms as we enjoyed a soak in the hot tub leading Melinda to note that riding a China Clipper sounded more pleasurable than riding a wild Mustang!
Orvis Hot Springs
Located just about 10 miles outside of Ouray in Ridgway, Colorado is one of the most beautiful and unique hot springs resorts we have visited. And what makes Orvis Hot Springs so unique? It is clothing optional! Due to lack of availability of rooms in Ouray, we booked a stay in the quaint town of Ridgway at the Ridgway Lodge and Star Saloon. After a fun day of trail riding in the rain we were ready for a nice soak at a hot spring and our room at Ridgway Lodge came with a free pass to Orvis Hot Springs. We drove over having no idea what to expect. From the outside Orvis Hot Springs does not look like much with a dirt parking lot and corrugated metal fencing so we did not know what to expect. As we walked to the front desk they explained the finer rules of clothing optional bathing (mainly you can’t take in any electronic equipment such as cameras) and issued us our towels (a vital element at clothing optional facilities) and we headed into the unknown.
As we walked down the dark hallway and stashed our bags and electronics in a locker we headed out into the Garden of Eden. As we walked out in the sunlight we saw a beautiful garden like setting with beautiful pools, trees and plants and of course naked people doing yoga! Now we all know there is good naked and bad naked and people doing naked yoga probably falls within the latter but what happens at Orvis stays at Orvis! Now I want to stipulate that this is a clothing optional resort and I would say only about 25% of the patrons were naked while the remaining 75% wished there were more who were naked (we fell in the majority).
When we decided to go to Colorado for vacation I had heard that this part of the Rockies had majestic peaks and I have to say I certainly saw some amazing peaks. Of course, proper protocol requires that you simply avert your eyes and only catch peeks of the peaks and an occasional glimpse of the backside of Mount Toushy but I saw enough to really get a flavor for the nudist lifestyle. Now I may joke about the experience but I do have to admit, that as the clouds moved overhead and a light drizzle began to fall as we soaked in these amazing warm mineral pools in this beautiful setting, it was really a relaxing and enjoyable experience and one I thought I would want to repeat. That is until it was time to head back to the hotel and feeling a little invigorated by the hot springs and the nudity I asked Melinda if she wanted wanted a repeat of the Mustang Room to which she replied, “From what I’ve seen we maybe should call it the My Little Pony Room”! Ouch!!!! Evidently what happens at Orvis can be used against you by your own spouse!
Where to Stay
Ridgway Lodge and Star Saloon
Ridgway Lodge and Star Saloon was a fun clean reasonable hotel that also came with a free pass to Orvis Hot Springs. They have a lot of good parking if you are towing a trailer and an onsite bar and restaurant so you can eat on the grass, at the bar or in your own My Little Pony room if you have been humiliated and no longer desire to be seen in public.
Silverton, Colorado
Our last day in Colorado was spent in the historic mining town of Silverton. Silverton is a delightful town with an historic past and the buildings and streets will take you back to life in the 1890s. Although knownfor it’s skiing in the winter, Silverton is a hive of activity with the old horse and wagon being replaced by ATV’s, Side by sides and Jeeps scurrying about the dirt roads of the old town. This town is a great stopover for lunch or an overnight stop on the Alpine Loop. The old town shops are fun to browse and the hotels are a flashback to a bygone era with small but elegant rooms reminiscent of the late 19th century. There are plenty of activities to experience in Silverton with the surrounding old mining districts and ghost towns as well as being located on the Million Dollar Highway (US 550) and it is the terminus for the Silverton-Durango scenic steam railroad.
Old Hundred Mine
We have explored many old mine sites and mine shafts in our adventures but rarely do you get the opportunity to actually go into the actual mine. Just outside of Silverton is the Old Hundred Mine which provides tours deep inside a hard rock mine. We drove our Maverick side by side (although it is accessible by car or RV) out to the mine where we geared up and loaded into authentic electric mining cars for a ride 1/3 of a mile deep inside the 13,000 foot Galena Mountain. As we entered the mine the cool air (it is 45 degrees year round) of the shafts mixed with the dripping water from the ceilings as the sunshine faded away into the dark tunnels to experience life in an underground world of water, dust and artificial light.
Once deep inside the mountain the tour began providing a realistic view of the difficult life of a miner. This was a fascinating tour and our guide was an actual miner who explained the daily life inside a hard rock mine and performed live demonstration of the actual mining equipment that was used in the mine including a rock drill and a mucker. After watching the demonstrations it was hard to imagine how dirty and loud this environment must be with multiple crews working to remove the rock to get to the precious minerals they contained. We saw the small veins of different ores within the rocks and learned how much rock had to be removed to obtain just a small amount of the precious metals. Once the tour was complete we loaded on the mining train and made our way out of the mine where we put our new mining knowledge to use panning for gold, silver and copper in the mine sluice boxes. We highly recommend this tour!
Animas Forks Ghost Town
One of the most visited sites in Silverton, the ghost town of Animas Forks is located at 11,200 feet where three forks of the Animas river meet. First founded in 1873, Animas Forks was a bustling mining town of roughly 450 people. Mines and processing mills sprung up as well as homes, shops and saloons to meet the needs of the miners. By the early 1900’s the mining boom was a bust and by 1910 Animas Forks was a ghost town. Some of the original homes still exist and can be toured as well as remains of the mines and mills. Animas Forks is accessible via car and is about 12 miles from Silverton on County Road 2.
Where to Stay
Villa Dallavalle Bed and Breakfast
Housed in a 19th century hotel, the Villa Dallavalle was a fantastic overnight accommodation. The rooms are small and tight and the bathrooms are even tighter but this beautiful B&B was period authentic and made our Silverton experience magical. Although built at the turn of the 20th century, the B&B still has some modern amenities like a hot tub and the breakfast was wonderful. Villa Dallavalle was one of many like period B&Bs in town and had a balcony that overlooked historic main street, we absolutely loved our stay!
Where to Eat
Handlebars Restaurant and Saloon
One of the oldest restaurants in Silverton, Handlebars was a fantastic eatery with great food and drinks. Housed in an historic building on main street the restaurant had a fun atmosphere and the food here was incredible. I had the prime rib and Melinda had one of the specialty burgers. The restaurant is right on the main street so it makes a nice lunch stop for those riding the trails or a great dinner spot after a hard day of riding.
San Juan Scenic Skyway
Also known as the Million Dollar Highway this high country byway travels along some of the most gorgeous scenery anywhere in the country. The highway is winding with no guard rails in many areas but provides incredible views of the San Juan Mountains, rushing rivers, beautiful waterfalls, scenic towns such as Silverton and Ouray, mountain lakes, and old mining and railroad structures. This highway is gorgeous any time of the year but it may be impassable during winter snow storms so check the road conditions first. In the summer the highway is very popular with motorcycles which is an incredible way to experience these majestic mountains.
Along the Way
As with any adventure the journey is every bit as important as the destination and the trip to Colorado is filled with many fun and exciting side stops on your way to Ouray. On the weekend we traveled to Ouray our son Jaden traveled to several fun destinations along the way. We stopped to film a few of his more youthful adventures on our way to Ouray as well as experienced a few of our own:
Imondi Wake Zone- Fruita, CO
Our family is huge into watersports and our sons have excelled at wakeboarding. One of the best ways to improve your wakeboarding skills is at a wakeboarding park. For those unfamiliar with a wakeboarding park, a series of towers are built around a body of water and a cable much like a tow rope is strung around the towers. A ski rope is then latched onto the cable which pulls a wakeboarder around the lake without the use of a boat. Although a great way to improve your wakeboarding skills, these cable parks are not very abundant and are usually located in warmer climates (our family has traveled to Miami in order to ride these previously). So you can imagine our surprise when driving through Colorado we found a cable park right off of Interstate 70 just outside of Grand Junction in the most unlikely of places as Fruita, Colorado.
Imondi Wake Zone has everything you need to improve your wakeboarding skills and whether you are a beginner or advanced wakeboarder everyone will enjoy their time in the water. Imondi also has paddleboarding and an inflatable water park for kids. Our son makes the drive from Syracuse, UT to Fruita several weekends a year to enjoy this great location. You can rent all of the gear you need at Imondi so you only need to bring your swimming suit and sense of adventure.
Our son Jaden makes the trip to Imondi Wakeboard park to practice his tricks. He and some of his friends made the video demonstrating the fun they have at Imondi wake park.
Montrose Water Sports Park- Montrose, CO
When people think of Colorado one activity above all others comes to mind……Surfing! Okay maybe surfing isn’t the first thing that comes to your mind but the Montrose Water Sports Park has 1000 feet of riverfront with six drop structures which creates awesome waves for kayaking and yes…even surfing. You can rent all of the equipment on site so if you didn’t pack your surf board for your Colorado vacation you don’t have to worry.
Ute Indian Museum- Montrose, CO
Just outside of Montrose, CO on your way to Ouray is the Ute Indian Museum. Located in the heart of the traditional Ute Indian tribe, this museum recounts the history of the Ute people and their interaction with this land. The museum covers the traditions, dances, and trials of these native people and recounts the harsh treatment they received when their land was overrun by European settlers. The museum takes about an hour to tour and what Utahn visiting this site can’t help but shout….Go Utes!!!
Summary
The San Juan Mountains and the towns of Ouray, Ridgeway, and Silverton are an incredible family or couples get away. If you love the outdoors there is so much to experience and see in western Colorado. This trip was filled with incredible scenery from majestic mountain peaks covered in wildflowers and teaming with lakes, waterfalls, and historic towns, mines, railroads and wildlife. So whether you want to see a wild bear or a bare butt (we saw both) this is the place for you and whether it is rainy or sunshine John Denver had it so right when he concluded his famous ballad with these moving words:
“♫ And the Colorado rocky mountain high
I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky
I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an Eagle fly
Rocky Mountain High (Colorado) ♫”
You will truly be a poorer man if you never experience all of the greatness the Colorado Rocky Mountains have to offer and it is all just a days drive from our great home!