Things To Do
More Nearby Attractions
- Ridgway/Ouray - Hot Springs, Ice Climbing Park, Box Canyon Falls, Railroad Museum
- Telluride - Skiing and Festivals
- Gateway - Car Museum, Gateway Canyons Resort
- Moab - Arches National Park, Water Park, Off-Road Rock Climbing Events
- Cortez - Mesa Verde State Park, Anasasi Heritage House
- Montrose - Ute Indian Museum, Black Canyon of the Gunnison State Park
Day Trips & Area Attractions
|
| Along scenic byway |
Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic Byway
Unaweep Canyon knifes through soft red sandstone of the Uncompahgre Plateau all the way to Precambrian times. See the "Hanging Flume" dangling precariously off the canyon walls - used by miners during the copper boom of the late 1800s. Drive on to the "atomic" town of Uravan, where the U.S. Army produced uranium for the first atomic bomb. Above all, this ageless desert region offers sheer scenic wonder - striated cliffs towering a 1000 feet overhead, raging streams, and boundless skies.
|
| Lone Cone Peak |
This 138-mile route follows Colorado Highways 141 and 145 on the western slope of Colorado, from just outside of Grand Junction to Placerville. Follows the course of Unaweep Canyon, continues through the vivid desert "redbeds" of the Dolores River canyon, and opens onto the high plains, framed by the magnificent San Juan Range.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
"No other canyon in North America combines the depth, narrowness, sheerness, and somber countenance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison," Wallace Hansen wrote after studying the geology of the region for several years.
Mesa Verde National Park
This route is laden with cliff dwellings, rock art and other clues about the civilization of the Anasazi - the "Ancient Ones" to the later Navajo. Mesa Verde National Park is just under a 3-hour drive from Ridgway. Plan on visiting the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores for background and interpretive information, and take a short drive over the Utah border to Hovenweep National Monument. Visit the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores.
Last Dollar Road & Telluride
This scenic 4-wheel drive back road takes you to Telluride. Near the top of Dallas Divide-one of the most photographed places in Colorado. You'll see why! Last Dollar Road winds through aspen groves, alpine meadows full of wild flowers, and towering peaks then drops you down into the red walls of the San Miguel River basin and to Highway 145 into Telluride known for its world-class skiing and summer festivals.