San Juan Skyway

Home to the town of Ouray—known locally as “The Switzerland of America”—the San Juan Mountains are jaw-dropping even by Colorado’s lofty standards. Though technically challenging, this loop drive is among the state's most popular, and well worth the extra effort.Heading south from Ridgway, the route begins with a relentless climb into the mountains along the Million Dollar Highway. Cresting at 11,000 feet, the road descends gradually through a dramatic landscape of gorges, waterfalls, and abandoned mines before meeting the high desert at Durango.Cutting westward, the route passes Mesa Verde National Park, home to hundreds of Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings built between 600 and 1300 CE. At Cortez, the route turns north and makes the climb back into the mountains. Skirting the world famous ski resort of Telluride, the route finally circles back to Ridgway via State Highway 62.