San Juan Skyway and The Million Dollar Highway

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After departing Durango, my next stop was Montrose, Colorado, close to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. But to get there, I had to drive U.S. Route 550 from Durango through the San Juan Mountains, otherwise known as San Juan Skyway and (between Silverton and Ouray) the Million Dollar Highway. 

In 2012, Travel + Leisure named San Juan Skyway one of "America's Best Spring Drives" for its million-dollar views. The canyon-clinging stretch of the byway between Silverton and Ouray is called “The Million Dollar Highway,” either because it cost so much to build or the amount of gold ore that remained in the roadway’s fill.

Along the way, I spied some spectacular mountain scenery, passed the Purgatory ski resort, and crossed Coal Bank Pass (elev. 10,660 ft.), the site of the 1879 Lime Creek Burn, Molas Pass (elev. 10,899 ft.), and Red Mountain Pass (elev. 11,018). I also stopped and strolled the sidewalks of the historic mining and mountain towns of Silverton and Ouray. And for those of you who are anxious drivers, the road also often had steep drop-offs without any guardrails! At one point, a tractor trailer (!) passed me going south. I said a prayer for I couldn't imagine how he would be able to navigate the hairpin curves and S-curves without some extreme difficulty and peril. It was another slow, white-knuckle ride. I'm getting to be a pro at these drives.

Enjoy the photos!






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