Million Dollar Highway, Mountain highway in Ouray County, US.
The Million Dollar Highway stretches 25 miles through the San Juan Mountains, connecting Silverton to Ouray with narrow lanes cut into mountainsides.
Otto Mears constructed this road in the 1880s as a toll route to transport mining ore between Silverton and the railroad station in Ouray.
The road passes through former mining settlements and provides access to multiple ghost towns that reflect Colorado's rich mining heritage.
Drivers need to exercise caution due to the absence of guardrails, steep drops, and winter conditions that frequently affect the three mountain passes.
The highway reaches an elevation of 11,018 feet at Red Mountain Pass, making it one of the highest paved roads in North America.
Location: Ouray County
GPS coordinates: 37.91523,-107.70055
Latest update: September 23, 2025 16:53
Colorado features natural areas and historical sites away from common routes. The locations range from sand formations at Paint Mines Park to Zapata waterfalls. Bishop Castle displays hand-built stone architecture in the forest, while Devil's Causeway presents narrow rock bridges in the wilderness. Fossil discoveries, dinosaur tracks, and abandoned mining towns document the state's history.
Red Mountain Pass
2.1 km
Mount Sneffels
12.7 km
Bridal Veil Falls
6.1 km
Handies Peak
17.2 km
Box Canyon
11.6 km
St. Elmo Hotel
12.1 km
Mount Sneffels Wilderness
17.6 km
Vermilion Peak
17.1 km
Telluride Historic District
9.8 km
Sultan Mountain
14.4 km
Dallas Peak
13.5 km
Fort Peabody
3.3 km
Gilpin Peak
11.4 km
Teakettle Mountain
10.9 km
Western Hotel
12.4 km
Jones Mountain
15.4 km
Ouray City Hall and Walsh Library
12.3 km
Niagara Peak
15 km
Wright's Opera House
12.1 km
Ouray County Courthouse
12.2 km
Ouray Historic District
12.2 km
Bear Creek Falls
10.1 km
Silverton Historic District
11.9 km
San Juan County Historical Society Mining Heritage Center
11.6 km
Telluride Historical Museum
10.1 km
San Juan County Courthouse
11.7 km
Silverton City Hall
11.9 km
Blue Lake Trail
15.8 kmReviews
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