Stephen Dow
Google
I lived in Colorado many years ago and never had a chance to visit the San Juan's. But, on a recent vacation, that all changed! We decided, to drive the Durango-Silverton-Ouray section of the San Juan Skyway (south to north).
It starts out as a simple but beautiful Colorado mountain drive, and it ends with a real BANG after Silverton - especially when you leave Red Mountain Pass and head down into Ouray!
The scenery you experience in and near the 3 passes you cross (Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain Pass) is outstanding. I recommend taking your time to walk around and shoot photos at the passes - especially Coal Bank and Molas Pass. We also decided to stop in Silverton for lunch (below Red Mountain Pass).
From Silverton the road remains very scenic. When you arrive at Red Mountain Pass (the highest pass at over 11k feet) you may not realize it. But once you do, keep in mind that there is a nice dirt road you can park in just beyond the official pass. We found some beautiful mountain plants there to take photos of.
Below Red Mountain Pass get ready for a challenging drive. The road has literally been blasted out of the 1.7 billion year old basement rock and you'll find few guardrails on this steep and tricky descent. Eventually, you'll reach Ouray. Stop there for a well-earned local beer. And don't worry, you'll love the trip!