Placerville, Colorado
Top Spots in and near Placerville
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Ridgway, Colorado
Explore Corckscrew Gulch
Corkscrew Gulch is named for the narrow and winding switchbacks that "corkscrewes" up Red Mountain Two. It is hard to miss this area of the San Juan Mountains, because the deep reds, oranges, and yellows blanket all three of the named "Red Mountains". The red color in the mountains is caused by o...Read more -
Ridgway, Colorado
Running to Grizzly Bear Mine
Bear Creek Trail, which leads to Grizzly Mine, is located just 2 miles outside of Ouray, Colorado on Highway 550 immediately following the first tunnel. There's two parking lots, a large one and a small one, the trail leads from the small parking lot over the tunnel and highway. There are no bath...Read more -
Ophir, Colorado
Ophir Pass Road
5.09.93 mi / 1696 ft gainOphir Pass Road is a point-to-point trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Ophir, Colorado.Read more -
Ouray, Colorado
Mineral Creek OHV Trail
14.04 mi / 3307 ft gainMineral Creek OHV Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Ouray, Colorado.Read more -
Silverton, Colorado
Explore Hurricane Pass and Lake Como
Spending much of the trek above tree line, Hurricane Pass is situated at 12,730 feet above sea level and offers up views of Poughkeepsie Gulch (a more extreme off-road trail) and sapphire blue mountain lakes, such as Lake Como. One of the most beautiful roads in the lower 48 states, Hurricane Pas...Read more -
Silverton, Colorado
Drive to California Pass
California Pass’s summit is a jaw dropping 12,960 feet above sea level. A long way from the valley floor, California Gulch, but, as drivers start their trek, the valley floor starts to shrink and gives way to steep climbs and switchbacks. Off road vehicles are needed to reach the top, and drivers...Read more -
Ouray, Colorado
Drive Engineer Pass
5.0This pass is closed December through May but when opened, does not fall short of views. I drove it on opening weekend and the snow was piled high all around (pictured above) but the views were just as amazing as driving it in late summer. Starting in Silverton, drive east on Colorado 2 through t...Read more -
Silverton, Colorado
Explore Placer Gulch and Sound Democrat Mill
0.25 mi / 50 ft gainPlacer Gulches 4WD trail is a gorgeous route offering scenic vistas of the San Juan Mountains and traverses an area rich with mining history. This area provides gorgeous wild flowers in the peak season of late July/ early August. Some of the best preserved mine structures in Colorado can be found...Read more -
Silverton, Colorado
Fly Fish the Animas River
4.0While the Animas River runs for miles in the San Juan National Forest, a beautiful (and accessible) stretch runs right through Silverton, CO. Here, you can fish, hike, or chill. The river is fast with very few pockets for the trout to hide; however, if you search around enough, you'll find a fish...Read more -
Durango, Colorado
Camp at Little Molas Lake
5.01 mi / 40 ft gainLittle Molas Lake Campground is about 1 mile off of US Highway 550 on Molas Pass just North of and on the other side of the highway from the Molas Overlook. Pro-tip: there is also another campground nearby called Molas Lake Park & Campground, so it's important to distinguish which you are hea...Read more -
Durango, Colorado
Hike the Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek
5.010 mi / 755 ft gainTo hike this section of the Colorado Trail, you'll begin from the Little Molas Lake Campground at around 10,895-ft. Little Molas Lake Campground is about 1 mile off of US Highway 550 on Molas Pass just North of and on the other side of the highway from the Molas Overlook, which is just South of S...Read more -
Durango, Colorado
Engineer Mountain via Cold Bank Pass
5.05.85 mi / 2293 ft gainWe were vacationing in the San Juan Mountains for 2 weeks. A local resident suggested the hike as a great place to see wildflowers. The "Engineer Mountain" sounded a bit too technical to be a scenic hike but we decided to hike like a local and this was one of the best hikes we did in 2 weeks. Ac...Read more -
Silverton, Colorado
Explore Animas Forks
5.00.25 mi / 40 ft gainThe ghost town of Animas Forks, CO is located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 11,200 feet. There are several original buildings remaining. The best way to explore the region is by Jeep or other high-clearance 4×4. The cabins began being built by prospectors in 1873. Three rivers meet...Read more -
Durango, Colorado
Adrenaline Falls
5.00.43 mi / 279 ft gainAdrenaline Falls is a popular spot for the locals to swim and relax during the warm summer months. The pool at the bottom of the falls is deep and popular for cliff jumping. To get to the waterfall, turn onto the North access to Lime Creek road. A high clearance 4x4 vehicle is recommended to ...Read more -
Durango, Colorado
Crater Lake via Crater Lake Trail
5.011.73 mi / 2077 ft gainReaching this trailhead actually begins off of Andrews Lake - you will see signs for Andrews Lake off HWY 550. I will provide directions from both Durango and Silverton at the end. The trailhead is extremely well marked the entire way. The mileage from Andrews lake to Crater lake one way is 5.5...Read more -
Lake City, Colorado
Backpack to Wetterhorn Basin
13 mi / 3000 ft gainThis trip is for the lover of solitude and the appreciator of the unscathed backcountry. Wetterhorn Basin is in the heart of the beautiful San Juan Mountain range in Southwestern Colorado.With a 4WD high clearance vehicle start at the West Cimarron Trailhead at 10,750 feet (38.1117N -107.5533W),...Read more