Ouray

Although it has been at least fifteen years or so since my trip to Ouray, Colorado, it is a place I would love to return and shall never forget. Called “Little Switzerland of America,” because of its placement at the narrow head of a valley, enclosed on three and a half sides by steep mountains, Ouray is a tiny town of 813 people nestled in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. It is 40 miles south of Montrose and ten miles northeast of Telluride, but due to the severity of the landscape, the drive is about 50 miles. Yankee Boy Basin, only a few miles away, boasts a beautiful spectacle called Twin Falls.

Visitors can float on the Ouray Hot Springs swimming pool (open all year) and gaze at the slopes above, drive on a tour over a four-wheel-drive-only road to Telluride or to Yankee Boy Basin with its wildflower display, visit Box Canyon Falls, or just drive the highway up the gorge toward Durango. When we were there, we were creating a gorgeous bouquet of wildflowers that lined the quaint downtown plaza streets. To our surprise, someone announced that some of our lovely discoveries were the State flower, the Columbine!

In the fall of 1968 the film True Grit was filmed in Ouray County, including some scenes in the city itself and the nearby town of Ridgeway. According to the residents, autumn is truly an outstanding time of year, with aspen stands and mixed conifer forests exhibiting glorious displays of golden colors. The winter months are enchanting, and Christmas “takes on a whole new meaning.” At night when the lights meet the formations of ice and snow, they join in a shimmering dance of magical light.

This is a vacation you will want to always remember. There are panoramic vistas, mountain basins with breath-taking waterfalls and wildflowers, and an inspiring winter wonderland waiting to be captured on film, so don’t forget your camera!