All-American Road · Colorado

San Juan Skyway

A 233-mile mountain loop from Durango through Silverton, Ouray, Telluride and Cortez, including the Million Dollar Highway over Red Mountain Pass.

Also known as Includes the Million Dollar Highway (US 550, Silverton to Ouray)

San Juan Skyway: Backdrop of the San Juan Mountains

Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source

  • Length233 miles[1]Colorado's tourism office lists 236 miles.
  • Drive timeAbout five hours of driving; plan one to two days[1]FHWA's "time to allow"; Colorado's tourism office says allow 7 hours
  • RoadsA loop on US 550, Highway 145 and US 160 (with Highway 62 between Ridgway and Placerville)[2]Colorado's tourism office names Highways 145 and 160 and the Million Dollar Highway; the loop's other links follow the U.S. DOT route line.
  • Start and endA loop starting and ending in Durango[2]
  • Fees and passesNo fee to drive the byway; parks and attractions along it charge their own fees.[1]
  • Best seasonSpring, summer and fall; fall color is a highlight[2]Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer.
  • SurfaceNot verified
  • Vehicle notesMountain passes with steep drop-offs; some stretches lack guardrails.[2]A side trip to the Tomboy ghost town needs four-wheel drive.
  • Seasonal closuresNot verified

Before you go

Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.

About the drive

The San Juan Skyway is a loop through Colorado's San Juan Mountains. From Durango it climbs north past Molas Pass to Silverton, then follows the Million Dollar Highway section of US 550 to Ouray, crosses Dallas Divide toward Telluride, and returns south on Highway 145 and east on US 160 past Mesa Verde.

Plan on at least a full day of driving and two if you want to stop in the towns. The passes are high and some stretches have steep drop-offs without guardrails, so check road conditions before you start, especially outside summer.

Fall is the season people come for, when the aspens turn. In summer, expect afternoon thunderstorms and pack layers for the high country.

Stops along the way

  1. Telluride

    Mining town turned ski town in a box canyon.

    Official information · 37.9375, -107.8123 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  2. Rico

    Small mountain town on Highway 145.

    Official information · 37.69278, -108.03036 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  3. Molas Pass

    Rest area with views on the way into Silverton.

    Official information · 37.73778, -107.69813 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  4. Ouray

    Victorian town with a public hot springs pool.

    Official information · 38.02278, -107.67146 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

  5. Ridgway State Park

    Reservoir and campground north of Ouray.

    Official information · 38.22294, -107.74179 · about 4.7 mi from the route line

  6. Dallas Divide

    Mountain pass between Ridgway and Placerville.

    Official information · 38.09444, -107.88841 · about 0.0 mi from the route line

Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).

Food along the way

Farmers markets within about 25 miles

  • Durango Farmers MarketDurango, CO · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Ridgway Farmers' MarketRidgway, CO · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Telluride Farmers' MarketTelluride, CO · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Town of Mancos Farmers' MarketMancos, CO · about 0.1 mi from the route
  • Market on the PlazaMountain Village, CO · about 0.9 mi from the route

Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.

In season during the best months to drive

The drive's best months are Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov. Typical U.S. seasons from our Fresh Market Guide; local harvests vary.

Sources

  1. America's Byways: San Juan Skyway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
  2. San Juan Skyway (Colorado Tourism Office) (checked 2026-10-22)
  3. Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.

Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).

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