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San Juan Skyway
A Scenic American Byway

MAP TRAVEL INFORMATION TOWNS, LODGING MUSEUMS, MILLS, MINES “INDIAN” RUINS

Story by Kathryn R. Burke
All content © San Juan Publishing Group, Inc, All rights reserved.

[SW Colorado] SAN JUAN SKYWAY — no, it’s not the name of a regional airport. It’s not tram system, either. It’s a road. And a very high road. We’re talking major altitude here. At times you will travel above 10,000 feet, skimming the skyway with wheels rather than wings. Looping around, through, and over the San Juan Mountains, one of the highest ranges in the United States with peaks over 14,000 feet, the San Juan Skyway truly earns its name. This 232-mile drive is scenically spectacular, historically fascinating, and ruggedly intoxicating. It’s a destination as well as a journey!

And it’s open all year long.
Each season bring a new scenic journey.

The road roughly follows that of the railroad (see map), built over seemingly impossible terrain by men eager to find the riches hidden within these mountains. As you follow it, starting from any point on the loop, you will find plenty of reminders of those hardy folk. The area abounds with ghost towns and crumbling mills and mine structures. The “active” towns on the Skyway are filled with history and proud to preserve and share their heritage. Museums showcase collections minerals, mining equipment and history, acoutrements of living rough in a rough time. Many structures that have withstood the tests of time, saloons, hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and private homes combine modern amenitites with a graceful touch of the past. Guided tours provide opportunities for visitors to go “underground” in a working mine explore ghost towns by jeep or ATV, ride in a statecoach or ore wagon, investigate ancient ancestral ruins, or just find the best photo spots. There are plenty of opportunities along the drive to exit whatever ground conveyence you employ, so you can soak up the scenery, maybe to a little hike, maybe do a multi-night pack trip adventure.

It IS possible to do the Skyway in seven hours. If you really hurry. However, the Skyway is an experience to be savored not rushed. To truly enjoy the experience, allow a few days to explore. Telluride is a must stop; so is the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores. Allow a full day for Mesa Verde, then another day to take the train from Durango to Silverton and spend the night there. Drive the incomparable Million Dollar Highway to Ouray for a soak in the hot springs pool after a backcountry jeep tour or hike. Then book your next trip. You’ll be back for more!

“The Skyway is an experience to be savored, not rushed.”

PLACES TO STAY – TOWNS TO VISIT –
(from the SE corner: Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgway, Telluride, Rico.)
All of these towns offer full services, including lodging, restaurants, automobile services (gas, repairs, etc.), and pretty parks for relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Several (Ouray, Durango, Ridgway) have public hot springs. The mountain towns offer jeep rentals and tours, and most have great history museums. Many communities have “Indian Trading Posts”, although the best are in Cortez, historically an Indian* trading center. Durango and Silverton preserve the heritage of the narrow gauge railroad, with daily passenger service between the two towns from May through October and an excellent railroad museum at the Roundhouse in Durango. Both communities began to serve the surrounding mines and are rich in mining and railroad history. Ouray is the prettiest on the route, with the best-preserved Victorian heritage.

Ouray andDurango, at the north and south end of the Million Dollar Highway, are both “year round” towns with robust economies and plenty to do any time of the year. The drive between them in the winter, though, can be difficult. Check road conditions before starting out.

Slideshow loading of images along the skyway. Please be patient!

PLACES TO VISIT – MUSEUMS, MINES, MILLS –
Virtually every town on the skyway has some kind of historic museum. Starting at the north end of the Skwyay:
Ouray County Museum presents an excellent mix of mining and ranching heritage, both important to the town’s heritage, and an undergroundgold mine tour of the Bachelor Syracuse Mine;
Ridgway’s Railroad Museum celebrates the region’s railroad history, Ridgway was the origin of the Galloping Goose, combination motorcar and railroad car designed to deliver mail and carry passengers;
Silverton and the San Juan County Historical Society offer a Heritage Pass with admission to four attrations: the Mining Heritage Center, Mayflower Gold Mill Tour, Old Hundred Mine Tour, and Historical Museum;
in Durango, The Animas Museum houses a research library, photo archives, exhibits on Native Americans, Mining, Railroading, and Pioneers of La Plata County; and the D&SNG RR Roundhouse Museum is a working roundhouse with locomotive and rolling stock exhibits and a chance to watch a working turntable in action; Durango also has an interactive science center Discovery Museum and a Children’s Museum;

ANCESTRIAL RUINS
Mancos is the headquarters of Mesa Verde, a World Heritage Park and a living museum worth a long visit, the town is also a ranching center;
Cortez Cultural Center presents artist and Native American exhibits and dances, and is a research center, Notah Dineh Indian Trading Company and Museum has an excellent collection of artifacts from the first generation of present 5th Generation owners and features the largest collection of Navajo rugs in the Four Corners; Dolores is home to the Anasazi Heritage Center, an interactive intrepretive museum and a federal repository for Indian artifacts and houses a permanent exhibits on archaeology, local history, & Native American cultures. On the museum grounds are two 12th century settlements, the Dominguez and Escalante Pueblos, both open to visitors.

TRAVEL INFORMATION
Road Access. The San Juan Skyway follows major highway. All portions are open to truck traffic, so passenger vehicles can easily negotiate the roads most of the year. At the height of the winter, portions of US 550 and Colorado 62 may be closed due to avalanche. At any time of the year the higher passes on both highways may be subject to snow—even in July! Check with a local chamber and Colorado Road conditions before you set out. The Silver Thread Byway is open most of the year, and does not require four-wheel drive. The Alpine Loop is a very rugged, rough road that does require high-clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles and is open generally from June through September. If you decide to explore off road, be sure to stay on designated roads Do not trespass on private property. More information on mountain region byways.

Visitor Services. All services, including food, lodging, gasoline, auto service and restrooms, are available in the towns the along the Skyway. No services are available on the Alpine Loop except at Ouray, Silverton, and Lake City. Cell service is intermittant due to the high mountains and scare cell towers. Most towns do have cell service. It is nonexistent or extremely limited (tour guides carry radios) on backcountry trails and roads.

Water/Liquid. Drink plenty of water. At high altitude you dehydrate quickly. Carry water with you, and DRINK IT! Avoid alcohol. Alcohol and altitude do not mix. If you become ill, all main towns have clinic and/or hospital services.

Clothing, sunscreen. Weather changes instantly, In a few minutes you can go from heatstroke hot weather to heavy snow. Any time of the year! Wear layered clothing and a head cover or cap. If you’re hiking, pack extra socks, gloves, rain gear, but pack as light as you can. Use sunscreen.

Mine structures. Most of the old mines and buildings in mining towns are unsafe to explore because of rotting timbers, open mine shafts, collapsing buildings, and rotten floors. It is best to explore outside of the buildings. Many of these buildings are on private lands; obey all signs that may be posted and do not trespass.”

Altitude. Passes on the Skyway can exceed 10,000 feet. If you go off road and explore the trails, some exceed 12,000 feet. Traveling at high altitudes can cause headaches, nausea, and even more serious symptoms of altitude sickness, especially if you fail to stay hydrated. If you notice these symptoms, stop and rest awhile. If symptoms do not improve, head downhill to acclimate. Medical help is available in all towns.

Photography in slide show.By author unless otherwise noted.
1. Aerial view of Silverton.
2. Old section master’s house at Ironton (ghost town)
3. Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde
4. D&S 480 steaming above Lake Shalona. © James Burke
5. Above Silverton in the fall.
6. Ouray after January snowstorm.
7. Lupines in front of Mt. Wilson, near Telluride.
8. Mt. Abrams, south of Ouray as seen from Million Dollar Highway.
9. Old mill at Eureka (above Silverton).
10. Victorian house in Ouray, typical of many in San Juan towns. (See related story.)
11. Strater Hotel in Durango during December snowstorm. ©James Burke
12. Spring waterfall in the San Juans. 13. Aspens at Owl Creek Pass. (outside of Ridgway)
14. Ouray Hot Springs Park in February. ©James Burke
15. Aspens in fall thunderstorm, near Dolores.
16. Historic building in Cortez (now the art center)
17. Longfellow mine in Red Mountain Mining District.
18. San Juan County Courthouse, Silverton.

Notes
The San Juan Skyway is quite possibly the lovelist drive in this country—at lease we think so, but then, we have the privledge of driving it frequently. In the name of ‘business” of course. Having published newspapers and magazines about this area for over 20 years, and written for numerous other publications, our “business” takes us to the best of the west. But the San Juan Skyway, and all that it encompasses, is undoubtedly our favorite place to be!

References & Additional Links
San Juan Skyway, National Scenic Byways Program
San Juan Skyway Adventure, Durango Tourism Office
San Juan Skyway, Colorado Vacation Guide
San Juan Skyway, Colorado Diectory. Map, lodging, etc.