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Ouray County EMS Annual Imogene Run Spaghetti DinnerFree
Ouray Community Center · OurayJoin us for a delicious pasta dinner cooked and served by the Ouray County EMS team and their helpers.
TodayThu, Sep 3
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About Ouray
About Ouray
Ouray goes by the "Switzerland of America," and the nickname holds up better than most. Mountain peaks close in on nearly every side of a Victorian town of about 1,000 people that has not changed much in a century. It was a mining community, it still looks like one, and that combination of setting and character is why it stays near the top of most Colorado lists.
The Ouray Hot Springs Pool is the best-known stop in town, mineral-rich water with the San Juan Mountains in every direction. Box Canyon Falls nearby drops through a slot in the rock into a natural amphitheater. Several other hot springs and spas around town draw on the same source and offer a quieter soak in the same mountain setting.
Being in the heart of the San Juan Mountains means Colorado's alpine terrain starts immediately. The town works as a base for the San Juan National Forest, with hiking trails, mountain biking routes, and four-wheel-drive roads running out in most directions. The Alpine Loop is the well-known one, a hard drive through some of the best high-country scenery in the state.
The historic downtown district has kept its Victorian architecture, and the buildings hold shops, restaurants, and galleries that lean on the area's mining heritage. The Ouray County Historical Museum and the Bachelor-Syracuse Mine fill in the details behind what you are looking at, and the town's commitment to preserving its historic character is why the street still looks this way.
Ouray keeps drawing more visitors for the outdoor access and the soaking both, and the mountain character it held onto is a large part of why they come back.
- Population
- 1,000
- Elevation
- 7,792 ft
- Best time
- Summer & Winter
- Known for
- Ice Climbing
Why is Ouray called the Switzerland of America?
The nickname comes from the setting. Ouray sits in a tight bowl with steep peaks rising on nearly every side, and the Victorian buildings downtown fill in the floor of it. It's an old mining town that kept its frontier look, and the mountains do most of the talking.
What about the hot springs in Ouray?
The Ouray Hot Springs Pool is the main draw, fed by mineral water and open to the public. A few smaller spas around town use the same geothermal source if you want something quieter.
What can I do outdoors around Ouray?
This is good country for hiking, climbing, and getting up into the high backcountry, with the San Juan National Forest right at the door. Box Canyon Falls is a short walk and worth it, with the creek roaring through a slot in the rock. The Alpine Loop also runs out of here for anyone with the right vehicle.
Can I see the mining history in Ouray?
The whole downtown is a reminder of it, with Victorian storefronts from the boom years still standing and in use. The county museum fills in the rest of the story if you want the details behind what you're looking at.
How do I get to Ouray?
Highway 550 brings you in, and it's about an hour south of Montrose, where the nearest airport is. From Denver figure on roughly five hours of driving across the Western Slope. The stretch of 550 south of town is a serious mountain road, so take it slow if it's your first time.
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