This girls trip has been one of my absolute favorites yet. We did everything from hiking to jeep tours in the San Juan Mountains! Ouray, known as the Switzerland of America, has quickly become one of my favorite destinations in the U.S. Want to go to a place you’ll never want to leave? Well, here it is. Travel with me to Colorado for an unforgettable experience!
I’m sharing all the details about our trip to Ouray. So, sit back, relax and read this post for everything we did in Ouray and I promise you will want to add this destination to you USA travel bucket list!
The scenery here was incredible! This photo was taken on the Last Dollar Road
Lodging | Where We Stayed
In Ouray, we stayed at Twin Peaks Lodge and Hot Springs. The town is quite small and everything is within walking distance and this hotel was in a perfect location.
The Lodge has a heated pool and natural hot springs (that Ouray is famous for) right on property, a spa and the architecture of this hotel looks like it came straight out of Switzerland.
Experiences | Ouray Hot Springs Pool
There is no shortage of fun here in Colorado, with tons to do. One of those being the Ouray Hot Springs Pool. This pool is full of natural hot springs with many pools that offer different temperature levels.
And you can seriously not beat the backdrop that you can see while sitting and soaking in the hot springs.
Experiences | Scenic Jeep Tour
Have you ever been on scenic jeep tour through amazing mountain passes? If not, you need to add this to your bucket list immediately. Our jeep tour with Alpine Scenic Jeep Tours was incredible, we spent half a day riding in a Gladiator Jeep on a private tour seeing the most incredible views you have ever seen. Our guide, Joe, drove us up the Corkscrew Pass and climbed 13,000 feet to the top and payoff was insane. So beautiful!
This jeep tour is a MUST DO! We chose the Corkscrew Pass, but there are many other passes to choose from as well, like the famous Imogene Pass. We let Joe take the lead since he was the expert and we were not disappointed.
Experience | Box Canyon Falls and Nature Center
When planning your trip to Ouray, you cannot miss Box Canyon. It is a gorgeous park with the most amazing waterfall.
Box Canyon Falls is the culmination of Canyon Creek before it joins the Uncompahgre River near Ouray. The water shoots through a narrow gorge with a ton a power, making for such a unique experience. You can walk through this gorge on metal grates and climbing down the bottom as well.
Experience | Scenic Drives
There are so many incredible sights to see around Ouray and the San Juan Mountains. One of our favorite things we did was take our rental car and take several scenic drives on our own.
We drove from Ouray along the famous Million Dollar Highway all the way to the Red Mountain Pass. This was a gorgeous drive especially with all of the fall foliage. This drive took us around 30 minutes to make.
We also drove down the Last Dollar Road. This is a little “off the grid” dirt road with incredible views and great for leaf peeping. The big bonus is that it takes you by the entrance of Ralph Lauren’s ranch. He owns over 200,000 acres and it is stunningly beautiful.
The San Juan Scenic byway does a loop through all of the beautiful mountain towns along Southwestern Colorado. Some of the towns along this loop are Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Ridgway, and Telluride.
Hiking | Hikes In and Around Ouray
- Ouray Perimeter Trail
- Baby Bathtubs Trail
- Cascade Falls
- River Walk Trail
- Chief Ouray Mine
- Oak Creek
Find more information on all of these hikes plus many more HERE.
Dining | Best Eats in Ouray
Ouray is a small, quaint little mountain town with many locally owned businesses and restaurants. It is not commercialized at all, and I truly hope it stays this way because this is what makes the town so charming.
Here is a list of some of my favorite places to eat right in town.
- Maggie’s Kitchen
- The best burgers I have ever had! Great lunch spot.
- Brickhouse 737
- Upscale Steakhouse. Try the Brussel sprouts…incredible. Call to make reservations
- Timberline Deli
- An easy grab-and-go breakfast with donuts, pastries and amazing breakfast sandwiches
- Bon Ton
- Italian cuisine that was delicious
- The Outlaw
- Casual steakhouse with a lively, fun atmosphere with a live piano player.
Trip Wrap-Up
Ouray is not called the Switzerland of America for nothing. The beauty and history of this historic mining town is incredible. The quaint town sits in a canyon surrounded by the San Juan Mountains and the views driving in will literally take your breath away.
Ouray is an outdoor lover’s paradise with activities and experiences to do during all seasons:
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Jeep Riding
- Ice Climbing
- Hot Springs
- Spas
The list goes on and on. You will never run out of things to do while in Ouray.
Colorado | Outfit Inspiration
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Want more itineraries like this one? Check out my other blogs: Sea Island, Bar Harbor, and Jackson Hole, for more.
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