Million Dollar Highway
U.S. Route 550
The US-550 mountain road from Ouray to Silverton clings to the cliffs without guardrails and crosses 3,358-meter Red Mountain Pass, one of America's most beautiful roads.
The Million Dollar Highway generally refers to the roughly 40-kilometer stretch of US-550 between Ouray and Silverton. It is carved into the cliffs of the Uncompahgre Gorge, with many sections lacking guardrails, and it crosses Red Mountain Pass at 3,358 meters. Along the way you can see reddish mines, abandoned mining sites and alpine meadows. The northern section from Ouray is the most thrilling. The one-way trip takes about 1 hour, and you can drive up to Red Mountain Pass and turn back or continue on to Silverton. The road is most beautiful in autumn, when the aspens turn gold. In winter it is often temporarily closed due to avalanche risk, so drive with caution.
Opening hours
Open all day (closed in winter depending on weather)
Nearby sights
- Bear Creek Falls
- Ouray Perimeter Trail
- Ouray Ice Park
- Box Cañon Falls Park
- Wiesbaden Hot Springs
- Ouray County Museum
- Cascade Falls
- Ouray