Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: May 2024
The Million Dollar Highway spans 40 kilometres (or 25 miles) between Silverton and Ouray in southwestern Colorado. It is also known as U.S. Route 550 and runs through the heart of the San Juan Mountains. It boasts of offering spectacular views of the mountains, but has narrow lanes, hairpin turns, steep drop offs and no guardrails.
From Durango we planned to drive along the Million Dollar Highway to get to Montrose. After eating breakfast, we packed up, checked out of our hotel, and hit the road. It wasn’t long until we made our first stop at Pinkerton Hot Springs. They are marked with a man-made pile of rocks which also help the hot water discharge from the ground. The rocks have become colourful over time because of the water’s minerals.
As we made our way further into the mountains, the temperature dropped and there was quite a bit of snow on either side of the highway. We stopped at Molar Pass to check out the views.
The Million Dollar Highway was built in the 1880s and was initially used as a toll road until the early 1920s. Ownership transferred to the state government and it was rebuilt as part of U.S. Route 550. It’s not clear how it got its name as the Million Dollar Highway. Perhaps it’s because it cost a million dollars to build (or rebuild) the road. Another theory suggests it’s because someone said they would never travel this road again, even if paid a million dollars. Or maybe it’s because the views themselves are worth a million bucks.
The highway is open year-round and is maintained in the winter. The reason there aren’t any guardrails is because it’s much easier for the snowplows to clear the road this way. And this area gets a lot of snow. We visited in the beginning of May on a beautiful sunny day and the roads were clear. However many of the overlooks and parking areas for the trails were still snowbound.
We stopped in Silverton which marks the official start (or end depending on direction of travel) of the Million Dollar Highway. It is located at an elevation of 2,840m (or 9,318ft) and is surrounded by steep peaks. Once a booming mining town, it now has a population of just over 600 people.
We drove through the downtown district to see some of the historic buildings. There are a few museums in and around town that highlight the mining history of the area, however they weren’t open yet for the season. Instead we stopped at a cafe to pick up some coffee for the road.
The Million Dollar Highway is reputed to be one of the most beautiful drives in the United States. The mountain scenery did not disappoint.
Gold and mining began in the area in the 1870s. The Million Dollar Highway was initially constructed as a wagon trail to help transport miners and equipment to the gold and silver mines in the area. It cost $5 per wagon team to take the road.
There are a few mining sites and other mining remnants located along the drive. Given the snow, many of them were inaccessible this time of the year. We were able to pull over at the Idarado Mine though. It was once one of the larger mines in the area and contained nearly 160km (or 100 miles) of underground tunnels. Miners would enter here at the treasury tunnel on the eastern end of the mine and ride the underground trams to get where they needed to go. The mine was operational until the 1980s. Today it’s the site of a major mining environmental restoration project.
We were also able to stop at Bear Creek Falls where there’s a small parking area and viewing platform that’s located right off the highway.
We somehow missed the overlook for Ouray, which marks the end of the Million Dollar Highway. It sits at an elevation of 2,375m (or nearly 7,800ft) and is referred to as the Little Switzerland of America. It has a population of around 900 people, has many historic buildings, is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and boasts of having an abundance of waterfalls.
At this point in the drive we were getting hungry and the baby was getting fussy. We did a quick drive through the town and unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures (probably because I was busy with the baby). We motored on to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to take a break and eat some lunch.
L
Fantastic, thanks for sharing!
The mountain scenery was pretty spectacular. Even though there was still quite a bit of snow, I’m glad the skies were clear so we could appreciate the views. Thanks for reading. Linda
I’m loving your posts on the American Southwest, and your photos have captured it perfectly. There is a stretch of road in Utah called the Hogback that is equally terrifying to drive across, and has no guardrails either. But now I understand why. Great post!
Thanks so much for your lovely capture. I’ll have to keep the Hogback in mind. We visited the “Mighty Five” national parks last year and fell in love with the red rock landscape in Utah. I’d love to return.
Such beauty! I’m so glad I saw your post this morning. 🙂
Thanks for your kind words. The mountain scenery was pretty spectacular. Even though there was still a lot of snow that prevented us from hiking or seeing some of the overlooks, I’m glad the weather was nice and we got to enjoy the views.
Yes, that is nice indeed. 🙂
Little ones do change how adults travel for sure, but the memories you captured of this area were worth it. Nice to go in off season and cooler weather. I can’t imagine living in a town at 2,840 m. I guess you would have pretty good stamina once you got used to it. Thanks for taking us there Linda. Allan
Oh absolutely! It’s something we’re still figuring out. And I’m sure it all changes as they get older. There’s always a trade off when visiting in the off season. The snow prevented us from doing any hiking, but at least it wasn’t busy. And this way we got to visit New Mexico when it was cooler outside too. I wonder what it would be like to live in one of those smaller communities nestled in the mountains. It seems like it would be very scenic, but also very isolating. And I imagine you’d have to stockpile food in the winter for when the weather is bad. Thanks for reading. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. We’re currently in Nova Scotia.
A beautiful drive! It reminds me of Lake Tahoe. I was enjoying the views while Jon was white knuckle driving the hairpin turns. I was wondering why there were no guardrails but that does make sense for the snow plows.
The drive was very scenic. I’m glad the weather was pleasant and the roads were clear otherwise it could have been a very different experience!
This drive definitely has million-dollar views! It’s interesting, I didn’t know about the story of that road. Thanks for sharing!
The views of the snow-capped mountains were beautiful. Even though there was still quite a bit of snow, I’m glad the skies were clear so we could better appreciate the views. Thanks for reading.
Looks like a beautiful drive, and even better with a little snow on the ground. Maggie
The snow definitely made the mountains look very majestic. It also prevented us from doing any hiking. But realistically it’s not like we would have done a whole lot on the trails anyway because of our little one.
Interesting. I wonder how often cars go off the side of the road. Such pretty views. I’ll go with the “road has million dollar views” theory. 😉
Good question! The road is plowed during the winter, but I imagine the conditions can be quite treacherous when it’s snowy and windy. I’m glad we had lovely weather which made the drive pretty straightforward and also incredibly scenic. I’ll go with the million dollar views too 🙂
The areas are very beautiful! I remember seeing the name Silverton on the screen on the back of the aircraft seat ahead of me when flying to Michigan, such a tiny town. Thanks for sharing!
It is a small town with a lot of charm and character. I wonder what it would be like to live there. The scenery is beautiful, but I imagine it can be quite isolating. Thanks for reading. Hope you had a nice weekend.
Thanks, you too. 😊
Colorado is such a beautiful state, but I’m biased because I’ve lived there since 2011. I’m happy you have been able to experience it!
Colorado has been on our travel bucket list for a while. We love the Canadian Rockies and have visited a few times. It was so nice to finally see it from the other side in the US. The views of the mountains never get old.
That’s such a beautiful drive and your photos showcase it so well. We used to have friends in Durango (they live in Canada now) and during a visit we saw a lot of the stunning scenery. Yes, the guardrails are left out because of snow clearing. We’ve seen that in other areas, too, including some of the back roads here. Travelling with little ones is a different experience – they tend to rule!
You are too kind. I didn’t realize that not having guardrails made snowplowing much easier but it makes sense. It made for some interesting (and a bit terrifying) driving though! I’m so glad the weather was nice and the roads were clear. I would not want to attempt the drive in the snow or even the rain, and especially not at night. And I’m not surprised you’ve seen this in other areas. You’re no stranger to the snow!
Wow…how beautiful! Driving on the Million Dollar Highway must be an incredible experience.”
For sure. It was an incredibly scenic drive. The mountain views were lovely, especially with all that snow. Thanks so much for reading.
I love great driving roads like this! You got some great pictures of the area. I was driving through Colorado and took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in Silverton. Now whenever I see it, I want to go back and actually see it 🙂
It was quite the adventurous and scenic drive. I’m glad the roads were in great shape and the weather was fabulous otherwise we may not have enjoyed it as much. And hey, in terms of wrong turns, that’s not a bad one to take. Silverton is so charming.
I would say that is hands down the best wrong turn I’ve ever taken! 🙂
It’s kind of funny how it’s sometimes the spontaneous and random things that end up being the most memorable
It’s hard for mining towns to reinvent themselves when the mine is no longer there; fortunately there’s the curiosity of visitors.
Ha, that’s very true! And at the very least, the mountain scenery is also pretty spectacular!
So many wonderful photos, Linda 🙂 I just love how the beautiful highway takes you past beautiful and rugged sections of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, through small town after small town and along creeks and rivers. Maybe the unusual name came from the plethora of gold and silver mining that was once in the area? However, I rather prefer the “road has million-dollar views” theory! Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thanks for your kind words Avia. We had high expectations for Colorado given how beautiful the Canadian Rockies are. We were not disappointed. Perhaps the name of the highway is in reference to the mining in the area, but I’m with you, I like to think it’s because of the fabulous views! Thanks for reading. Linda
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We drove it in August and I was so grateful I was not the driver. I think Johnna’s knuckles were turning white by the end! But man, those views!
Oh gosh, I’m glad I wasn’t driving either and could just focus on the beautiful views of the mountains. And thank goodness we had nice weather. I’m not sure we’d have enjoyed it so much if it was snowing!
I would have been terrified to be out there in snow.
Same, especially since there are no guardrails. I built in a bit of a buffer in our itinerary just in case we needed to stay in Durango an extra night because of the weather. We didn’t need to so we ended up going to Arches for our bonus day.
Smart thinking and great choice!!
Gorgeous views 😍. It is incredible that they managed to keep the road open even in winter. In Cumbria 2 cm of snow on the road and it is total chaos 🤣.
Oh I know. I can imagine this highway gets a lot of snow considering it’s in the mountains and at a higher elevation. That being said, I would never want to attempt this drive in the winter!
It’s surely got to be the views which give the Million Dollar Highway its name – spectacular!
No doubt! The views were fabulous, especially with all that snow!
What a scenic drive! I don’t think I’d dare drive it mind you!!!
The scenery was stunning. Some of those twists and turns along the highway were pretty sketchy. I’m glad my husband drove so I could just focus on the views!
It’s incredible that in early May, given its latitude, there’s still snow in this place. It does look like a very scenic road, and the mining towns seem worth checking out. I’m curious about the mining restoration project and how other places can learn from it.
I’m just happy it wasn’t snowing while we were driving otherwise I don’t think it would be as enjoyable of a drive. The mining history of the area is pretty interesting. There’s even a ghost town that’s located nearby. Too bad everything was still snowbound though. Oh well, at least it made the mountains look very majestic.
Absolutely gorgeous photography and eternal beauty of earth wonders 🌷🙏👌😍
Thank you so much for sharing my dear friend, happy weekend 💗👏
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. The views of the mountains never disappoint. Hope you had a wonderful weekend as well.
Yes, so true and most welcome dear friend 🌷🙏💞🌷
Enjoy the rest of your day!
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What a spectacular part of the state. I love how (seemingly) quite suddenly you have been transported into wintry scenes, and in May! The mining history is very cool, a pity that the museums were not open. Closed stuff has been a regular feature for us this summer travelling through The Baltics.
Oh I know! We went from one extreme to the next. After spending the past week in the heat of the desert we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by snow high up in the mountains. But yah, it was kind of a bummer that a bunch of the overlooks and museums in town were still closed. Sorry to hear that you’re encountering closures too, which is a bit surprising considering summer is peak season. Is that because a lot of people are on holidays? Or because of the Russia-Ukraine war?
I think it’s because we were in towns and villages where opening times are just a bit flaky for small museums. It could be a case of “Nah, too hot today” or something. As for the Russian War, there was never any sign of that across The Baltic States except for the anti Putin exhibition outside the Russian embassy in Tallinn.
Well that’s annoying. You’d think the small museums would need/want the money.
Wow, what a spectacularly beautiful drive! The scenery’s stunning, especially with the snow.
The snow (and blue skies) made the mountains look very majestic. I’m glad it wasn’t snowing though as I imagine the highway would have been even sketchier!
What a beautiful drive, Linda! I can see why it has that name. Although I would find narrow lanes, no guard rails and sharp turns to be harrowing to drive!
Love the history of the towns and strange to think of a town with just 600 people.
It was definitely very scenic. I’m so glad I wasn’t driving though and could just focus on the mountains (and the baby too of course). And thank goodness the weather was nice.
Silverton was very charming. I imagine it would be pretty isolating to live in such a small town in the middle of nowhere. While I’m a fan of small town living, that may be a bit too small for me!
I hadn’t heard of this highway before. Your post makes me want to add it to the traveling list. Love your first photo of the highway and the mountain.
It’s definitely worth adding to the list if you’re in the area. It’s a great way to enjoy the mountainous landscape.
I think you guys had million dollar views – I love the mountain scenery. And snow! I know you see more than enough snow, but I can’t wait for your winter season to see snow photos on your blog.
Completely agree! The views of the snow covered mountains were stunning. We’ve had such a hot and humid summer that I’m looking forward to winter as well! I actually don’t mind the snow.
Scary but thrilling drive!!
Oh absolutely! That being said, it’s not one we’d want to attempt at night or during inclement weather.
Whoa! I’ve driven this road, but later in the summer when there wasn’t any snow. It looks very different. I’m actually surprised you were able to make it with all the snow we got this past winter. If you’re ever back later in the year, there’s some great hiking and camping along the way!
I’ve heard the fall foliage along the Million Dollar Highway is pretty spectacular. We were debating whether to do this trip in the spring or fall, but landed on the spring as we figured it wouldn’t be as busy. But it meant that we had to deal with the snow. Thankfully it didn’t impact our drive along the Million Dollar Highway, but we did have a heck of a time getting from Grand Junction to Estes Park a few days later as a snowstorm had caused a bunch of road closures and accidents through the mountain passes.
Sadly, that sounds about right. It’s amazing how quickly everything falls apart here when it snows. We just don’t even go to the mountains when it’s snowing at this point because who knows when we’ll make it back.
Ha, the same thing happens on all our major highways here too. It’s like people forget how to drive in the snow. But there’s also a bunch of idiots who don’t even bother with snow tires. I completely understand about avoiding the mountain passes. I probably should have checked the forecast beforehand instead of just looking at what conditions were like at our destination. But oh well, we made it to Estes Park. Even if it did take us about ten hours to drive there.
TEN hours? Yikes!
It was pretty rough. Thank goodness we had a lot of car snacks!
Thanks for taking us on this tour.
Then we know the next time we are in the US were to go and especially in winter. We live at the North Norfolk coast but are from Scandinavia. We miss the snow and mountains here.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
There’s something so mesmerizing about the mountains that keep calling us back. Colorado seems like it would be great to visit in every season, but especially the winter if you enjoy the snow. We weren’t sure what the conditions would be like in the mountains. While most of the trails and overlooks along the Million Dollar Highway were still snowbound, we could still enjoy the snowy scenery. We haven’t made it to any of the Scandinavian countries yet, but they are on our travel bucket list! Thanks so much for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
When I’ve been through this area years ago, someone else was always driving! Beautiful mountain roads but a scary drive.
My husband likes to drive and I like to take pictures, so it worked out well. We really lucked out with the weather. I would not want to attempt this route in inclement weather or in the dark!
Very nice views.
Even though many of the viewpoints and trails were still snowbound, the views of the mountains along the drive were pretty spectacular. I like to think the highway got its name from the million dollar views!
Absolutely love the scenery views.
For sure. I’m really glad we had nice weather to enjoy the views!
Those views are incredible!!! Matt and I struggled to get to some museums when we went to Pittsburgh because of the hours being odd. It’s a pain but I’m glad you got to witness such beautiful views on the Million Dollar Highway. I have never heard of that. It’ll be on my bucket list now!
It’s a very scenic drive, but I’m glad I wasn’t the one behind the wheel as there are lots of twists and turns in the road. We were visiting a bit too early in the season and most of the trails and overlooks were snowbound, and the museums in Silverton and Ouray were still closed. Sorry to hear that you had some issues with weird hours in Pittsburgh. We’ve encountered similar issues with museums being closed on a certain days or the hours limited. Oh well, it’s an excuse to return someday!
That’s very true! I love having reasons to travel to places I’ve enjoyed before. It makes life more interesting 🤔 🙂
Absolutely!
I’d say it’s because it’s a Million Dollar View 🙂 Loved the natural hot springs rocks. I’ve never heard of this, so thanks for sharing.
Oh, totally! The views were incredible! I’m glad I wasn’t the one driving though so I could focus more on the beautiful scenery. The natural hot springs coming out out of the rocks was pretty cool. It kind of reminded me of Yellowstone National Park.
Yeah, that photo was amazing. I also don’t like to drive those types of roads. I have to not pay attention.
You’ve done SO much in the US. I realize now that I’ve rarely travelled south. I guess there is so much to do in British Columbia, that I normally head west. Keep up the great work with your travels!
I don’t blame you for travelling far given what’s in your own backyard. The mountains out west are so majestic. There’s so many fantastic trails that you can hike or ski depending on the time of year.
We’ve done a decent amount of travelling this year but haven’t ventured too far from Ontario because we weren’t sure how our little one would handle the flight or time change. We’re planning to head to some further places within the next few months, including to New Zealand in April (which I’m so looking forward to)!
OMG!!! I am SO jealous. I’d love to go to New Zealand. How long are you going for? Are you buying a campervan when you arrive? I hear that’s the thing to do. You buy one from the tourist that is going home.
I’ve had NZ on my list for a while, but I want to stay down there for a good six weeks. Maybe I should just go and do a few trips, but it seems like such a long plane ride.
All I have to say about traveling with a baby, is that it makes all other travel seem easy. I highly recommend it. If you can survive flying with kids, you can pretty much handle anything 🙂 Go for it, and enjoy!
We’re going for five weeks. We’re planning on renting a car and will likely be staying in roofed accommodations throughout our trip. It seems like that would be easier with our little one who will be around 16 months at the time we fly out. If she was a bit older, we would have totally done a campervan.
I hear yah on wanting to go for awhile given how long (and expensive) the flight is. My husband will still be on parental leave and I’ll be coming back to work with 2.5 years worth of vacation … so we figure we might as well make this time count. When are we ever going to have another opportunity like this to take a super long vacation?! And agreed about travelling with kids! She’s done well on shorter flights, but this will be the ultimate test!
Yes, what an amazing opportunity for you and your family. What a way to take advantage of the time off. Well done!
Okay – I can totally see that. A toddler in a campervan IS a lot of work 🙂
I can’t wait to read about your adventures.
Thanks!! A toddler in general is a lot of work! And it’s even more work to travel with one. But as you said earlier, it’s so worth it. Even though she won’t remember any of it, it’s good to give her new experiences and get her used to a life of adventure!!
The thing is, as a parent, you have to keep doing what YOU want to do. Your kids will fit in and go along with anything. I am so happy to see that you’re still doing what you love – traveling. It doesn’t matter what she remembers about the location – she will remember good times with her parents. Hugs, Ali
Oh I love that!! Such great advice. And you’re right, they’ll adapt, especially when they’re younger. It doesn’t take much to keep them entertained, especially when we’re all hanging out. I’m not looking forward to when baby M starts to get older, makes friends of her own and doesn’t want to hang out with us anymore!
Awww. She’ll be a teenager before that happens 🙂 Actually, if you’re active with your kids, they never want to ditch you. My girls love to see what mom and dad are up to, and think we live pretty interesting lives. I bet you’ll have Baby M’s friends coming WITH you to some cool places.
Glad to hear that your girls still enjoy spending time with you and find your lives so interesting! Being active and staying curious makes life so much more interesting anyway!