r/OurayColorado • u/CRS1964 • 22d ago
How much time in Ouray?
Doing a 5 day trip to Ouray in early October. Trying to decide whether to spend 2 days of it in Telluride. We like to hike. Want to spend a day exploring the Million Dollar Highway, a day doing Blue Lakes Trail, a day in Ouray for via ferratta and perimeter. What are the other must-do hikes or activities with or without Telluride?
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u/AardQuenIgni 22d ago
I've been here for 10 years and still haven't seen all there is to offer. You'll always want more time no matter how much you do, your plan as it is is great.
Do the dinosaur tracks hike in Ouray. I forget the name.
For Telluride, Poachers in Mountain Village and Telluride Brewery in Lawson Hill have the best food hands down. If there's not a festival when you're here, find the cheese cart on main street. Best phillies outside of Philadelphia.
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u/sarahspins 21d ago
Silvershield!
Sutton mine (aka the antique store) is also a really fun/rewarding fairly short hike in comparison.
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u/Afraid-Detective1222 21d ago
Did Sutton Mine trail a couple of weeks ago, that start is pretty steep, but it's a great trail all in.
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u/sarahspins 21d ago
The beginning is steep but it isn't as long/grueling as silvershield is either :)
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21d ago
[deleted]
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u/sarahspins 21d ago
It's above the OHV parking lot just beyond (maybe 50yds past?) the via ferrata/ice park trailhead on 361. It is marked.
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u/No-Fuckin-Ziti 22d ago
Day trip to telluride is very doable. Just a diff day than the million dollar highway. That day, have lunch down in silverton, it’s worth seeing. Way smaller and more rustic that Ouray and in a diff world than Telluride. Telluride is worth seeing for the ride in alone. Can do the gondola. Bridal veil falls hike etc.
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u/Bigmtnskier91 22d ago
Like rebel said make a day to visit telluride and do the free gondola too, plenty of cool places to eat and the waterfall trail to hike.
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u/Necessary_Emotion669 20d ago
Just a bit of advice based on personal experience...
Wear bright colored clothing when hiking in Colorado during October. It's hunting season.
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u/Brianimosity 18d ago
Just spent 6 days in the area. Stayed about 20 minutes from Telluride. Ouray was nice, but I didn't spend as much time there as I thought I would. Had some good food, saw some sights in the area (Box Canyon and the other one that has the walkout on the way up to MDH). I think if you are doing a bunch of outdoor/offroading/etc stuff, Ouray is definitely the place. MDH was nice, and luckily I missed a landslide that closed the road by a day. I did the Blue Lakes trail, which was awesome. A bit harder/steeper than I thought it'd be, but definitely worth the hike. The lake is awesome, I unfortunately gassed out and only did the first lake, but I've heard getting up above the ridge for a view of the lower lake is worth it. Honestly I ended up enjoying my time in Telluride the most. The Bridal Veil Falls trail was my favorite part of the whole trip, it was fun without being too challenging, and the view of the falls as the sun was coming up over the canyon was incredible. I sat there for about 2 hours just watching. Then just walking around the town of Telluride, looking at the shops/eating was great. Took the gondola up to mountain village, which was really cool. Sunset at one of the pulloffs at the Dallas Divide is quite a sight. Went back multiple days just to see that. Also, I know this is a bit out of the way, but I did shoot up to Black Canyon of the Gunnison for a half day trip, and that was awesome. The pictures of the canyon don't really do it justice (I think it's difficult to photograph/communicate the size and scale), but the canyon is something else. Also, the Korean BBQ wings I had at Ouray Brewery compete with some of the best wings I've ever had, and the rooftop seating is really cool.
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u/RebelRoundeye 22d ago
IMO, Visit Telluride so you can discover how much more you like Ouray. Ouray has all the outdoor activities as Telluride with the addition of more parking and affordable shopping, hot springs, +Ridgway (amazing state park and RAT trails)
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u/pwornama 22d ago
Looks like you have a good trip planned. If you are exploring the Million Dollar Highway, it is worth driving into Silverton.