Million Dollar Highway

Million Dollar Highway is a spectacular 25-mile stretch of US-550 between Ouray and Silverton through the heart of the San Juan Mountains, widely considered one of the most dramatic mountain drives in the United States. The road clings to cliff faces, passes through multiple mountain passes, skirts sheer drop-offs (often with no guardrail), and winds through old mining country with ghost towns and abandoned mills at every turn.

The name's origin is debated — some say it refers to the ore-rich tailings used in its original construction, others that a disgruntled traveler once exclaimed they wouldn't drive it again for a million dollars. Either way, the highway passes through some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in Colorado, including Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 feet, where the iron-stained slopes glow rusty orange.

The towns of Ouray and Silverton bookending the drive are both worth extended stops — Ouray for its hot springs and ice climbing, Silverton for its Victorian-era mining heritage.