From road to sky, the San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway is an essential trip through popular mountain Colorado towns, like Durango, Silverton, Telluride and Ouray. With the 14,000-foot San Juan Mountains towering above, the route moves through hills and Indian pueblo ruins, and offers all manner of recreation—from hot springs to ski slopes, even a narrow-gauge railroad. Travel + Leisure named San Juan Skyway one of “America’s Best Spring Drives,” most notably for its spectacular views.
Starting at the southern edge of the San Juans, the town of Durango was strategically positioned for a railroad, becoming a train hub and commerce center by the 1880s. Modern-day Durango offers a walking tour to visit the saloons and historic homes of that time. Also on the tour is the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Depot and the Strater Hotel—once a popular destination for railroad barons. All aboard the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a scenic ride into the San Juan Mountains by way of steam locomotive.
Continue along the byway into the towns of Silverton and Ouray, a stretch known as “The Million Dollar Highway,” a nod perhaps to the gold ore that remained in the roadway’s fill during construction. Ouray has preserved many mining-era buildings and is home to the Ouray County Historical Museum, located in the brownstone Miner’s Hospital built in 1887.
Once a mining camp and now a popular tourist destination, Telluride honors its past with its national historic district and many well-preserved buildings, such as the New Sheridan Hotel and the Sheridan Opera House. Learn more about the history of the town in the Telluride Historical Museum. With its ideal position in a box canyon amid forested peaks, Telluride is a popular destination for skier and golfers.
From here, the byway loops to the south and passes through the town of Dolores and Mesa Verde National Park. This area is known for its history with the Ancestral Puebloan people and their famous cliff dwellings. Positioned in a landscape of deep canyons and sprawling vistas, the park is home to over a thousand species and protects a rich cultural heritage of 26 tribes. This part of the San Juan Skyway overlaps with the Trail of the Ancients Scenic and Historic Byway.