Colorado Bucket List: 8 Must-See Stops on The Million Dollar Highway

There are so many beautiful things to see and do in Colorado.  I’ve spent a lot of time in this beloved state, and even I still have a Colorado Bucket List that’s over a page long! One thing I definitely recommend for everyone to put on their own Colorado Bucket List is the Million Dollar Highway…or as it’s more simply known, Highway 550 from Durango to Ouray.  This highway covers an incredibly scenic and exceptionally beautiful stretch of mountains.  You will say “Wow” more times than you can count, and you’ll stop and take pictures dozens of times along the way! It’s a perfect attraction to add to a multi-stop itinerary cutting through some of the most gorgeous portions of the Western Slope.

I’m just gonna go ahead and put this out there…this is definitely a Colorado Must-See.

This highway is called the “Million Dollar Highway” because – well – nobody is sure of the exact reason why! I always thought it was because the views were worth a million dollars, but after doing a little digging, I found that this isn’t the case.  Whatever the unknown reason is, it’s still a catchy name that deservingly captures a lot of interest and curiosity regarding this highway.

(Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that when you click on the link to buy a certain product, I will receive a small commission off the sale.  It doesn’t affect the price that you pay, and the commission I receive doesn’t have any bearing on my recommendation! Regardless, I hope that you like the products and give them a try whether you use my links or not, cause I truly suggest only what I use and love!)

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What You Need To Know:

Directions: Starting in Durango, head north on Highway 550. Google puts the mileage between these two towns at 70 miles.  Not all of the 70 miles is the actual “Million Dollar Highway”, which goes for roughly 26 miles.

Tips:

• If you are visiting the area earlier in the year, check to see if the road is open before you go! I’d hate to have to turn around on this narrow highway!
• This is considered a dangerous road.  Please drive cautiously and with respect to oncoming traffic. Consider driving in first and second gear when appropriate to prevent your brakes from overheating. (There is no brake check station on this road).
• Make sure your tires are up to par before heading out on this road.
• Make sure the vehicle you are driving is one you trust! This road is not the place for a breakdown, I can assure you.
• This trip is a day trip.  Start your trip up early so you don’t have to rush through all the different things to see and do along the way.  There’s nothing worse than driving past something magical looking because you’re starting to worry you won’t check into your hotel until after dark!
• Some people think this drive is best done after the snow has melted…but honestly, the people who think that are probably natives.  What they don’t understand is that us people from states without any sort of discernable mountains live to see those white caps!  If you want to see this attraction with snow still on the peaks, late May through June is your best bet.  However, this drive would be beautiful anytime in the summer or fall, truly.  Plan the trip for whenever’s best for you!
• This road is maintained through the winter by the Colorado Department of Transportation, so it is possible to drive this in the winter.  If you are brave enough to do that (because I’m sure not), make sure you check to see if the road is open, as bad weather can cause temporary closures.

What You Need to Bring:

 If you want to see ALL the gear I recommend, check out my Resources & Store page!)

The biggest thing you’re going to need on this adventure is photography gear!!! You don’t want to visit the Million Dollar Highway and not have group photos with stunning backgrounds to show for it! Below are the cameras and tripods I use.  Tripods are such a game-changer when it comes to vacation photos! Once you invest in one you won’t believe you waited so long.

• Camera – I love my Nikon, and I will forever recommend it! They are more expensive than your regular point and shoot cameras, but the quality of the picture is so much better in comparison! This particular link is for a Nikon that comes with two lenses.
• Tripod – The ones listed below are the ones I recommend!

How To Fit This Into Your Itinerary:

• The way you see this highway will depend on your trip: where you are staying, for how long, etc.
  •  If you are staying in Durango and don’t really like driving, you could just ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to Silverton and call it a day.  You wouldn’t truly be experiencing the highway, but you’d still witness beautiful scenery and get to explore Silverton.
  • If you are staying in Durango and don’t mind driving, you could drive to Silverton and back, which would allow you to experience around half of the highway.  140-mile roundtrip is what you’re looking at if you go there and back in a day, so you can be the judge over whether or not that’s something you want to do.  I would at least go to Silverton, though!
  • If you are taking a road trip through Colorado, then this will fit in perfectly depending on your destinations! We usually spent a couple of nights in Pagosa Springs (but you could also stay in Durango), and then we drove through this highway to spend a few nights in Telluride.
  • If you are coming from the north, you could easily make this journey southward as well.

Now that we’ve got all the logistics out of the way, here are the Top 8 spots that you should definitely stop for on the Million Dollar Highway!

1.  Pinkerton Hot Springs

The scenery outside of Durango is just a warm-up to what you’ll see once you really get going on this road! (Unfortunately, there is some fire damage in the valley outside of Durango since my visit.  I haven’t been back since the fire so I don’t know how extensive it is regarding this particular stretch of road, but I know it was a pretty large fire). One of the first interesting things you’ll see along the road is the Pinkerton Hot Springs.  There’s a large pull-off close to this stop and an informational signposted to tell you about the history of this hot spring.  It’s certainly strange and out-of-place looking on the side of the road, so it’s worth an up-close investigation!

2. Pull-off to admire the spectacular scenery and take some envy-worthy pics!

My mission in life regarding this website is to be as accurate and specific as possible so I can help people find the places they want to see! That being said, this stop doesn’t have a specific name, and I don’t know the mile markers to tell you to watch for…but I think you’ll feel the urge to stop even without that information! There’s a place a little before you reach Molas Pass that opens up to an incredible and stunning view of the mountains.  There are a few pull-offs along the way, and I highly suggest stopping and getting a group or solo shot here! Heck, forget the photography and just be present drinking in the views! It’s one of those places that’s so beautiful, you might actually become angry.  We set up my tripod here and got a super frameable family shot before continuing on:

It was Memorial Day weekend when we last drove this highway.  If you visit later in the summer, depending on the amount of snow Colorado got throughout the winter, it’s very likely you won’t get the snow-cap on the mountains.  If that’s important to you, plan your trip for late May or June.

Be kind to your driver…these roads aren’t for the faint of heart or those afraid of heights!

3.  Molas Pass

Molas Pass is another wonderful stop that’s located just before reaching Silverton.  I highly suggest getting out of your car for a bit here and having a look around.  Imagine 360-degree views of white-capped mountains….that’s pretty much what awaits you here at Molas Pass!  At 10,899-ft, the views are incredible and the air is crisp and chilly – even in the summer. There are restrooms located here, which makes this a natural stop on your journey.  You’re definitely going to want to spend a little time here before driving on to your next destination.  Enjoy a few of the pics I took here at Molas Pass:

4.  Silverton, CO

Silverton, CO is one of the smaller and tough to reach mountain towns in Colorado, but man, that scenery packs a punch!  Sitting at over 9000-ft elevation, you’re going to feel the thinness of the air up here while walking around town.  Silverton is perhaps most well-known for being the end-destination of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.  I’ve never ridden that train, but it’s supposed to be phenomenal! I highly suggest taking a break from your drive to grab lunch here and walk around some of the stores.  It’s such a small town – it won’t take you long to see a lot of what it has to offer!  We had lunch at the Handlebar Restaurant, which I highly suggest! It has a fun atmosphere and good food.  (They used to take polaroids of men who came in with mustaches and stick them on the wall, but they don’t do that anymore).  There’s a gas station here in Silverton – the last, before Ouray – so make sure you have enough fuel before continuing on your journey!

Silverton’s Main Street

He was all ready to have his picture go up on the wall before we found out they don’t do that anymore!

Every view in this town has mountain tops for its backdrop!

Crystal clear rivers and streams are seen at multiple stops along the highway!

Some views along the way to Stop #5!

5.  Red Mountain Pass

Red Mountain Pass is my #5 Must-See spot on the Million Dollar Highway! Once you crest the top of the road you’ll start to descend on one of the most hairpin curves of the whole highway!  Make sure the person on the passenger side of the car is ready with their camera to capture how twisted the road is – it’s definitely unique!  There’s a pull-off on one of these hairpins pictured above that you’ll want to take!  It has parking spots and offers some historical information about the pass and the mining ruins along the side of the highway.  It also provides a nice opportunity to get some beautiful photos of the surrounding red mountaintops! Definitely, a beautiful spot that you’ll want to see!

Red Mountain Pass…easy to tell how it came by its name! Unlike the highway…

Views as you descend from the Pass.  Once you get through the pass you’re very close to Ouray.

I love tunnel pics!  Unfortunately, I was caught off guard and had to shoot this through the windshield!

No railings? No problem. Just don’t mind my white-knuckled driving.

6. Pull-off to see Bear Creek Falls & the surrounding views

At this point in the drive, you are almost finished driving the Million Dollar Highway! One thing you want to make sure you see is the pull-off where Bear Creek Falls is.  Now…this pull-off isn’t marked.  It’s one of the larger pull-offs with parking lines and most likely a crowd of people.  If you pass parking or the tunnel by the Bear Creek Trailhead parking lot, you have just gone too far.  (I really wish it was better-marked – I don’t want you to miss it!)  The pull-off has phenomenal views looking back towards where you drove from (pictured above), it has a platform overlooking Bear Creek Falls, which is a huge surprise of a waterfall you would never even know was there!  You also get to see snowmelt waterfalls in the surrounding mountains – it’s not a place you want to miss!  The first time I drove this highway we didn’t even stop here.  I couldn’t believe what we had missed the second time I came!  Here are some pics I took of this stop:

Bear Creek Falls.  It’s so easy to miss it’s scary!  This picture doesn’t do the size of this waterfall any justice.

7.  Switzerland of America Lookout Point

Ouray is affectionately known as the “Switzerland of America”, and for good reason!  This lookout point is located on the Million Dollar Highway right outside of Ouray.  There’s a large parking area in front of the sign, so make sure you get out and get a group shot in front of it! It took me three tries to take a picture with this darn sign!  The first time we had made so many stops already my husband was afraid we’d be checking into Telluride at dark.  The second time this area was under construction.  The third time? Well, the third time was a charm, and I finally got my picture!

8.  Ouray, CO

Oh Ouray, how cute you are! You will be impressed with this little town, I can assure you! It’s nestled in the midst of towering mountains on every side, and it has one of the cutest little Main Street’s I’ve ever seen!  The restaurants are quality, there’s hiking aplenty, multiple waterfalls to check out, and the entire Main St is a designated historical site – and that’s not even mentioning the Hot Springs & Syracuse Mine! Make sure you leave time in your itinerary to at least grab lunch in this jewel of a town!

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Well folks, that about wraps it up for the Million Dollar Highway! It’s such a beautiful drive, it’s definitely worthy of your Colorado Bucket List! I hope this post has helped you plan your trip!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Has anything changed since my visit that I need to update? I want to know that too!

Until next time!