POPULATION: 5,176 ELEVATION: 7,792 DISTANCE FROM DENVER: 333 miles / 5.5 hours
Set amid the San Juan Mountains just an hour from Telluride, where the term “scenic” feels like a gross understatement, Ouray is more a postcard from the Wild West than a dot on the map. Ouray is enveloped by nature on a scale that’s hard to wrap your head around, from cascading waterfalls within walking distance to hot springs that invite you to soak in the spectacle. To get there, the journey morphs into an expedition through time and terrain, particularly along the Million Dollar Highway, a stretch of road to the south that’s not just rich in views
