Ouray
Elevation 7760'
Population 700
Founded 1876
Named for a well-respected indian chief, Ouray is a small town nestled in the San Juan Mountains sitting at an elevation of over 7,760 feet, just west of the nearby Continental Divide in the far Southwest corner of Colorado, USA. The old mining town, incorporated in 1876, is approximately a six hour drive from Denver, two hours out of Grand Junction or Durango, and three hours from Moab, Utah. Population is 700, and the town itself, a National Historic District, is 9 blocks long and 6 blocks wide.
This particular area of Colorado is rich with history, ghost towns, abandoned mines, fortunes made and lost, and the famous towns of Silverton and Durango. There's plenty to see and do here, and lots of places to go wheelin'.
Silverton
Elevation 9318'
Population 500
Founded 1874
Silverton is one of the small mining towns in the San Juan Mountains that has long since converted to tourism. Founded in 1874, it's oldest standing structure dates only two years younger. Along with neat shops, restaurants and pubs, the town is within minutes of the biggest hub of four-wheel drive trails in the area, near the ghost town of Animas Forks. Silverton is most famous, however, for the antique Durango-Silverton narrow gauge steam trains that make daily runs between Silverton and, you guessed it, Durango.
With its plentiful selection of hotels and close proximity to trails, you might consider this town as your base camp during the 2002 Invasion. We hope to arrange daily trail runs in the area probably departing out of Ouray, but which you can meet up with in Silverton.
Durango
Elevation 6512'
Population 16138
Founded 1880
Durango was established by Denver & Rio Grande railroad company because the citizens of Animas City refused the company's terms. Instead of negotiating, they build Durango a couple miles to the south in September, 1880. Animas City was eventually swallowed up by Durango. Industry was initially coal mining and smelting. The tiny town was quite a wild and dangerous old west town and the local law did everything they could to keep the unruly citizens under control. This eventually lead to incorporation and the formation of local government. A fire raged in 1889 and many buildings were rebuilt using stone of which many stand today.
Now home to the Durango Mountain Resort (formerly Purgatory), and sporting a number of hotels, restaurants, shops, and museums, Durango is quite a nice place to visit. There are numerous activities to participate in once you're there. We are hoping to host daily highway runs from Ouray (or Silverton) to Durango and back along the Million Dollar Highway.
Ouray, Colorado
Photo by Lynn Reed
Durango & Silverton
Narrow Gauge
Photo by Michael Shimniok
Silverton Store Fronts
from www.silverton.org
General Palmer Hotel
from www.durango.com