CO Road Trip: Driving The San Juan Skyway

The San Juan Skyway is a scenic byway in Colorado passing through the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests in Southern Colorado. Over 236 miles, you’ll pass through mountain towns, stunning lakes and rivers, and even stumble upon what’s been dubbed ‘The Switzerland of America’.

Along the way, you’ll have access to two national parks, and you’ll drive 20 of the most scenic miles in the world on the Million Dollar Highway.

Hop in your car for the day or hit the road for a long weekend, and let’s road trip the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway!

google map with stops along San Juan Skyway — With no hikes or stops at national parks, allow for about 7 hours to drive the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, which should give you time to stop at overlooks and have lunch in Telluride. Plan more time or additional days if you’d like to add hikes or activities along these stops.

The best time to drive the San Juan Skyway in Colorado is from April through October. If you want to take advantage of long days with lots of daylight, visit in the summer. This would be especially helpful if you’re planning to drive the Skyway in one day.

If you want to enjoy cooler temperatures for a few hikes along your road trip and soak up Colorful Colorado’s fall foliage, consider planning your road trip for early October.

Just be careful about planning your road trip too late in the year. The Million Dollar Highway is generally open year-round, but winter weather can cause closures or unsafe conditions.

If you plan to drive the San Juan Skyway in one day, we recommend staying in Durango. This is the perfect place to start and end your road trip. (Start early!) Otherwise, consider overnight stays in Durango and Telluride if you’re turning this drive into a long weekend road trip.

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Note: To visit Mesa Verde National Park, you may need to turn this drive into a long weekend road trip. We recommend leaving yourself about 2 hours just to drive the Mesa Verde Scenic Road (not including hikes along the way). This is in addition to planning 7 hours for the San Juan Skyway.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is not technically along the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway but is close enough to add if you’re interested in visiting both of these Colorado National Parks during the same trip. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is about 1.5 hours from Telluride and 50 minutes from Ridgway, Colorado.

1. Durango

We recommend starting your drive from Durango, but like every road trip at Road Trip Locals, you can pick any point along this route to begin and then make a full loop to return home.

Durango is the start of the San Juan Skyway and an amazing mountain town in Colorado.

We spent two months in Colorado in 2021 and road-tripped between various towns, spending two weeks in Durango, 10 days in Carbondale, one month in Winter Park, one week in Trinidad, a long weekend in Denver, and taking day trips to towns like Vail, Aspen, and Boulder. Two years later, Durango is the one town Jon and I keep talking about revisiting. There’s so much to do nearby, and Durango has an amazing, laid-back but very active downtown.

If you’re driving the San Juan Skyway in one day, consider stretching your legs before you drive by walking the Rim Trail. After your drive, grab dinner at Steamworks Brewing Company, Grassburger, or 11th Street Station. Then grab dessert at Cream Bean Berry Ice Cream.

If you’ve turned your drive into a long weekend road trip, spend at least one full day in Durango. Ride the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (more information on this below- it’s amazing!) or get in a workout on the Sky Steps.

Dog-Friendly? Durango is a very dog-friendly town. The out-front “Bistro waiting area” (drinks only, no food) at Steamworks Brewing Company is dog-friendly. So is Grassburger. 11th Street Station is not dog-friendly (but the outdoor patio at PRIMI’s Pasta & Wine Bar is if you’re looking for an additional sit-down option). The Sky Steps, Animas River Trail, and Rim Trail are dog-friendly. The Narrow Gauge Railroad is not dog-friendly.

Note: From Durango, you can drive clockwise or counter-clockwise. We’re sharing this itinerary clockwise. If you’re nervous about the lack of guardrails and steep drop-offs along the Million Dollar Highway, consider reversing this itinerary and driving counter-clockwise. This way, the right side of the road you’ll be driving on is against the mountains vs. the drop-offs.

2. Mesa Verde National Park

About 40 minutes from Durango, you’ll pass Mesa Verde National Park.

(Staying in Durango and up for a bonus road trip? You can visit Mesa Verde National Park and the Four Corners Monument at the same time. Learn more here!)

You can either stop at Mesa Verde National Park for a bonus drive/hike or continue on toward Telluride. To drive the full Mesa Verde Scenic Road, plan for about two additional hours. To add a hike to your trip, add additional time (or days) to your trip.

Dog-Friendly? Dogs are allowed on many Wetherill Mesa trails at Mesa Verde National Park (excluding the Step House Trail). Click here for information and pet regulations in Mesa Verde National Park.

3. Trout Lake & Hope Lake Trail

The next stop along your San Juan Skyway Road Trip is Trout Lake and Hope Lake Trail. Trout Lake is stunning and right off the San Juan Skyway (on your way to Telluride). The Hope Lake Trailhead starts about 2.5 miles up the road from Trout Lake.

You can add both of these stops to your day trip (this hike will add about 2-3.5 hours) or easily add them to a long weekend trip. (Trout Lake is about 30 minutes from Telluride. Hope Lake Trailhead - you’ll pass Trout Lake on your way - is about 40 minutes from Telluride.)

Take in the view at Trout Lake, then drive to the Hope Lake Trailhead and begin your 6-mile out-and-back hike to Hope Lake. Although we safely drove to the Hope Lake Trailhead in a Prius, we recommend a high-clearance vehicle for all of your Colorado road-tripping adventures. While the San Juan Skyway is great for most vehicles, the drive to the Hope Lake Trailhead is rocky and uneven.

Dog-Friendly? Yes! Hope Lake Trail is dog-friendly. Lincoln loved the hike and swimming in Hope Lake once we arrived.

4. Telluride, Colorado

For the next stop along your Colorado Road Trip, you’ll drive about 40 minutes from Hope Lake to Telluride, Colorado.

If you’re driving the San Juan Skyway in one day, enjoy brunch or lunch in Downtown Telluride before continuing on.

If you’re turning this drive into a long weekend road trip, consider spending a night in Telluride to explore downtown. You could also choose to explore the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park from either Telluride or the next town along the San Juan Skyway: Ridgway, Colorado. Learn more about visiting the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park here!

Dog-friendly? Yes, Telluride is a dog-friendly town. At Black Canyon of the Gunnison, leashed pets are permitted on the Rim Rock Trail and the North Rim Chasm View Nature Trail.

Telluride main street at base of grand mountain — Downtown Telluride

Bonus: Dallas Divide & Mt. Sneffels

On your way from Telluride to Ouray, you’ll pass Placerville and Ridgway, Colorado. Between Placerville and Ridgway, CO, sits a stretch of highway referred to as the ‘Dallas Divide’. (Here, you’ll also find Ralph Lauren’s Double RL Ranch!)

There’s a gravel parking lot where you can stop and hop out of your car to enjoy the mountain views. (From what I hear, this is a very popular viewpoint for photographers at sunrise, especially in the fall.)

If you’d like to hop off the San Juan Skyway for views beyond this gravel parking lot, you can turn right on County Road 9 (driving through Double RL Ranch - remember this land is private, no trespassing) for views of Mt Sneffels, Dallas Peak, and more.

Or you can drive further to East Dallas Road (CO 7) to access the Mt Sneffels Trailhead. If you’re driving the San Juan Skyway as a long weekend road trip, learn more about hiking this Colorado 14er here.

can in gravel parking lot overlooking gray mountain peaks — Dallas Divide Viewpoint

5. Ouray (The Switzerland of America)

Sitting in the heart of the San Juan Mountains with high mountains on three sides is the town of Ouray, Colorado, which has been nicknamed ‘The Switzerland of America’. (There’s even a lookout point denoting such!)

This is a gorgeous stop along the San Juan Skyway, and one of our favorite viewpoints along this entire drive. So, stroll through Ouray, then stop along your road trip for a picture at the Switzerland of America Lookout Point. (You can’t miss it. There’s a pull-off for you to park and grab a picture.)

Ouray, Colorado is also famous for being the start of the Million Dollar Highway. This is one of the most gorgeous drives in America. It’s also considered a nerve-wracking drive for its at-times steep drop-offs sans guardrails, so make sure whichever road trip passenger has nerves of steel is driving for the next 20 miles! You got this!

6. Million Dollar Highway

The Million Dollar Highway is a 20-mile stretch of road between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. It’s breathtaking and one of the most scenic drives in the United States.

Yes, the driver should feel comfortable with heights and driving (as there are narrow sections with no guardrails), but if you’re up for it, this is one of the most beautiful highways in the world. (So beautiful, in fact, that you may want to experience it twice - once driving from Ouray to Silverton and once driving Silverton to Ouray!)

Stop at all of the overlooks and pull-offs so you can take it in and grab pictures. Make sure you look for the road at these overlooks to see exactly what you’re experiencing while driving!

Hungry for a snack after your drive? Consider stopping in the town of Silverton for a bite to eat.

Dog-Friendly? Yes. Make sure your pup is on a leash at all overlooks.

7. Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mountain

If you want to stretch your legs at the end of your road trip along the San Juan Skyway, stop at Coal Bank Pass for a hike to Engineer Mountain. This 6.1-mile out-and-back trail is about 20 minutes from Silverton (in the direction of Durango).

If you’re driving the San Juan Skyway in one day, you’ll likely need to choose either a hike to Hope Lake or Engineer Mountain.

You may have time for both if you’re turning your drive into a long weekend road trip!

Dog-Friendly? Yes!

dirt path with trees leading to Engineer Mountain — Engineer Mountain near Silverton, Colorado

8. Durango

We recommend starting and ending your road trip in Durango. Now that you’ve driven through the San Juan Mountains, let’s take a train ride through them!

For the next day, consider booking a ticket on the Durango to Silverton Railroad. (We recommend the Silver Vista Train. This way, you’ll have access to a clear dome for the most all-encompassing views. You’ll also have access to two outdoor viewing platforms.)

If you’re riding one-way to Silverton, and taking the bus back to Durango to save time, sit on the right side of the train while you’re going from Durango to Silverton.

If you’re riding one-way, from Silverton to Durango, sit on the left side. (This will put you on the “right” side of the train for the best views.)

If you’re riding round trip, it’s up to you! You’ll get to see it all!

Dog-Friendly? No.

San Juan Skyway Sneak Peak

Curious at what’s to come on the San Juan Skyway? Click play on the video below for a short look at some of the drives and views along the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway.

Keep planning your road trip to Colorado

Have more time to explore Colorado? Check out our Ultimate Colorado Road Trip Itinerary.

Headed to Utah next? Click here for a Mighty 5 National Park Itinerary.

Or you can view all of our road trip itineraries here!

Please leave us a comment below!

We’re always looking for inspiration and would love to hear about your adventures too! What’s your favorite thing to do in Colorado, or which of these stops along the San Juan Skyway sounds the best to you? Please share with us in the comments below!

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