Ouray County Magazine-Day Trips

There’s no need to pack and unpack or haul all your stuff from place to place when you center your stay in Ouray. Unpack, relax, and take day trips in any and all directions. Then come home to Ouray and a soothing soak in our natural hot springs pool followed by a delicious dinner at one of our many excellent restaurants and a deep sleep, untroubled by traffic and lulled into dreams by rustling pines and our clear mountain air.

Mesa Verde National Park. World Heritage Park. World-class archaeological site occupied for over 700 years includes hundreds of ancient cliff dwellings and pit houses, some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Archeological museum, guided tours, lodging, restaurants, camping. Between Durango and Cortez, Colo., on US Hwy 160. (970) 529-5036.

www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

Anasazi Heritage Center. A museum of Ancestral (Anasazi) culture and other Native peoples in the Four Corners Region. Interactive exhibits, two ancestral sites on the grounds, library, research facility, gallery. Colo. Hwy 184, Dolores, Colo. (970) 882-4811. www.co.blm.gov/ahc

Durango, Colorado. Rafting, kayaking, hiking, biking, climbing, skiing and more. Home of four-year Fort Lewis College, its Concert Hall and Center for Southwest Studies, Durango is known for its richness of events and activities. Be sure to visit Honeyville. (800) 525-8855. www.durango.org.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Historic, coal-fired, steam-powered excursions through spectacular and breathtaking canyons in the remote wilderness of the two million acre San Juan National Forest for an unforgettable year-round adventure. Yard tours, Roundhouse museum. Trips from Durango and Silverton. (888) TRAIN-07. www.durangotrain.com

Silverton, Colorado. The setting is spectacular. The town, all of it on the National Historic Register, is living history preserved in spirit, lifestyle and architecture. It’s one of the last great remnants of the American West. Stroll notorious Blair Street, tour the Old Hundred Mine, visit the historical museum, and lunch at one of twenty great restaurants. Then take a drive up through Eureka to Animas Forks, in the heart of the old mining country. (800) 752-4494. www.silvertoncolorado.com

Colorado Wine Country. Tour the distinctive wineries of Western Colorado. Pick up a map at any of them and enjoy a leisurely, self-guided tour. Call ahead for tours that take you beyond the tasting room to learn about winemaking firsthand. Tasting rooms, wine and gift selections, www.visitgrandjunction.com/wine_country

Telluride, Colorado. Known for its notable visitors, there is more to Telluride than world-class ski slopes. Perched at 8,750 feet in elevation, it’s a place “where people come to play” year-round, with funky, fun and family activities and trendy shops. Ride the free gondola up the mountain and hike (or ski) back down to the little town on the National Historic Register. (888) 605-2578. www.visittelluride.com

Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The nation’s newest National Park offers scenic drives, wildlife viewing and year-round outdoor activities. Then drive the 205-mile West Elk Loop, which includes vistas of the canyon. (800) 873-0244. www.nps.gov/blca/webvc/home.htm