Ouray

Some call the mountain town of Ouray the Switzerland of America, as it’s situated in a river valley at nearly 8,000 feet, surrounded by the snow-capped San Juan Mountains. You almost expect to hear yodeling echo from these high hills. Established in the late 1870s during gold and silver strikes, Ouray survived those boom-and-bust days because it's such a wonderful place to relax. Natural hot springs feed the town pool, where both locals and visitors come to soak in the therapeutic waters. It's said that Chief Ouray, the Ute Indian after whom the town is named, visited the pool often and held ceremonies in the local vapor cave.

Several waterfalls make for spectacular photos, and a popular activity for visitors is to take a short hike up to Box Canyon Falls, where the water cascades 285 feet from top to basin. The town's canyons, in fact, provide the location for one of the most popular winter events: ice climbing. Each January, Ouray proudly hosts the Ouray Ice Festival at their avalanche-free Ice Park, which features the easy access climbers relish.

Surrounded by deciduous trees such as quaking aspen and evergreens scrub oaks, the town also becomes a spectacularly colored canvas each autumn, drawing visitors who want a closer look at the brilliant foliage.

A tour of the Bachelor-Syracuse Mine offers a look at what it was like to be a miner, as do displays at the local museum. One may also enjoy a historic tour either by carriage or walking with a ghostly tour guide.

Historic buildings, a wide range of affordable and comfortable lodgings (some with their own hot spring pools), unique artisan shops and galleries, and delicious, diverse restaurants keep visitors coming back.