After spending almost a month in the small town of Ouray, Colorado this summer, I have finally crafted what I believe to be an amazing itinerary! I have put together all of my favorite activities, eateries and more into a two-day guide. You can either pick and choose your activities or follow this guide to a “T”, but I promise you will leave just as in love with Ouray as I am.

Ouray is a small mountain town in the San Juan Mountains about an hour from the popular ski destination Telluride. The town is named after Chief Ouray from the Ute Tribe and is nicknamed the “Switzerland of America”. We have been traveling to Ouray for a few summers now and just keep making our way back to this charming little town. For a town of less than 1,000 people, there is so much to do here and I can’t wait to share all of my favorites. So keep reading and enjoy this Ultimate Guide to Ouray, Colorado.

Day 1:

Cascade Falls

598 8th Ave, Ouray, CO 81427

Start your day by heading up to Cascade Falls, located right off Main Street. You can walk here from town or drive up to the parking lot at Cascade Falls. This 200′ waterfall is the perfect spot to kick-off your time in Ouray. You can choose to view the Falls from below or enjoy a quick hike and walk behind the waterfall. Just be aware, it is slippery.

If you are up for a longer hike, Cascade Falls (like many other hikes in the area) is directly on the Perimeter Trail. This trail loops almost six miles around the entire town, with gorgeous views and waterfalls along the way. What makes this trail unique is that there are multiple entry and exit points and you are never more than 500 feet vertically or a half mile horizontally from the town’s city limits. This makes it very easy to either just do a portion of the trail or take a break in town for a meal and then get back on the trail to resume the hike. There are tons of possibilities for all time limits and fitness levels!

Maggie’s Kitchen

703 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427

Now that you have stretched your legs a bit and maybe worked up an appetite, hit up Maggie’s Kitchen on Main Street. Voted the best burgers in town, it has quite the eclectic inside and a fantastic dog-friendly patio. Things do tend to be more expensive in mountain towns but I found Maggie’s to be really affordable and the food is delicious. Be sure to check google for restaurant hours, as they are not open every day!

Main Street

While you are already in town, take a stroll on Main Street and enjoy the historic buildings and beautiful shops. You’ll find tons of places to shop for souvenirs, outdoor gear, Native jewelry and more.

If you are in town with kids, I have two stores that you can’t miss:

• Sweet Ouray – 460 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427 This old fashioned candy shop is located on Main Street and brings immediate nostalgia. They carry a huge variety of unique candy and gifts. Sophie opted to buy some cricket lollipops to take home to her friends.
• O’Toys – 539 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427 This toy store, also on Main Street, was a fast favorite. It’s enormous and has what seems like every toy under the sun. From board games, puzzles, stuffed animals and everything in between. There policy Is that you can touch and play with anything in the store. How amazing is that?This was a great spot for us to let the kids play for a bit on a rainy afternoon.

Another really fun shop is Ouray Meat and Cheese Market. They have an amazing butcher shop and everything you could want to make a fantastic charcuterie board but they also sell these huge dog bones that were the perfect treat for our dog Penny!

Alpine Scenic 4×4 Tours

929 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427

Next on my list of must do’s is to take a jeep tour into the mountains to enjoy some of the less accessible roads in the area. We used Alpine Scenic 4×4 Tours and had an incredible afternoon. Our guide Joe, who happens to be the owner, took us up to Yankee Boy Basin. We learned all about the incredible mining history of the area, the wildlife he sees regularly and even the wildflowers that were starting to bloom in late June.

With Alpine Scenic, you can choose to take either a group or private tour depending on your preference. They do an amazing job tailoring their tours to the wants of their guests and even if the destination is the same, they make sure ever tour is unique.

Our Texas girls love any chance they get to see the snow, so Joe made it a point to stop and build a snowman with them. We made it up to Twin Falls and flew the drone for a bit, the views were absolutely amazing. his was the first Jeep Tour we have ever done and it was such a blast for us but also the girls. What a cool way to learn more about the history of the area. Plus, we felt extremely safe taking the girls up some of these 4×4 roads we would have otherwise been hesitant to to try in out truck.

Ouray Hot Springs

1220 Main Street, Ouray, CO 81427

After a long day of exploring, the Ouray Hot Springs are my favorite place to go to cap off the day (or really anytime of day because the Hot Springs are amazing). The Hot Springs have 5 different pools at different temperatures, the Shallow Pool, Hot Pool, Lap Pool, Activity Pool and the Overlook Hot Pool. The Shallow Pool is great for little because they can stand in many spots and it’s temperature between 92-98 degrees. The Hot Pool has a temperature of 100 – 106 degrees and is also really family friendly. The Overlook Pool is two pools divided by an infinity edge waterfall which is for adults only. The Lap Pool and Activity Pool has 8 full size 25m lanes and has temps between 78 – 82 degrees. 

We really love the Hot Springs because they are so kid-friendly. There are waterslides, a rock climbing wall, basketball hoops and more. An awesome touch is the bin of floats for littles which is perfect if you are not traveling with those items. They also carry swim diapers, sunscreen and beach towels. Honestly, if you don’t have time for anything else while in Ouray, go to the Hot Springs!

Day 2:

For your second day in town, I have two options to start your day with depending on how adventurous you are feeling!

Ouray Via Ferrata (OVF)

The Ouray Via Ferrata is an entry-level climbing experience through the Uncompahgre Gorge. It’s the perfect adventure for those of you looking to step outside of your comfort zone. You’ll start by heading to one of the local outfitters in town, we used San Juan Mountain Guides whom I highly reccomend. There you will get fitted for your harness, helmet and EAS Via Ferrata lanyard. Then you’ll head over to Camp Bird Rd. to park and walk the half a mile to the entrance to the OVF and it’s go time.

I will be writing a whole post on the Via Ferrata to give you all the details that you need to know but I would like to say that while the website does call this an entry level climbing experience, there is a certain level of physical fitness that is required. There are many part if the OVF that are hard to see on social media or even in my video, but the vertical climbing can be extremely strenuous, especially if you don’t have much climbing experience. That being said, the guides will take amazing care of you and go at your pace.

Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour

Now if hanging off the sides of cliffs isn’t exactly your pace, the Bachelor Syracuse Mine is a fantastic option as well. We did this tour last summer when Sienna was a baby and were blown away by how much we not only enjoyed the tour but learned as well.

This tour takes you 1500 feet inside Gold Mountain where you will see what it was like to work in a mine in the late 1800’s. As you’ll see in the YouTube video, they do such a great job incorporating kids into the program. Our guide was such a character, we loved him. You can also learn how to pan for gold and other stones in the original mine stream. Be sure to check out the website because on weekends, they offer a Miners Breakfast which looks so fun!

Head back to town and check out the fish pond behind the Hot Springs. You can grab fish food for 25 cents inside the Hot Springs and your kids will have a blast. Also next to the Hot Springs is Fellin Park which is a great spot to let both dogs and kids run around and there are even two giant play structures, benches and a picnic area.

Mouse’s Chocolates & Coffee

Since your already in town, head back up Main Street to Mouse’s and ask for a scrap cookie! Mouse’s hand makes truffles, toffees, fudge and caramels and the scraps, well they end up in these amazing cookies that I crave all year. They also have a variety of coffee’s, teas and ice cream to choose from.

Box Cañon Falls

For your final stop, I have to highlight Box Cañon Falls. This is one of the most popular attractions in the area and for good reason. For a small fee, you can explore the different viewpoints of Box Cañon Falls Park.

The High Bridge Trail takes you up 200 feet to a bridge above the Falls and also connects to the Perimeter Trail. There is a tunnel which was a real treat for the kids and awesome views of Ouray from above.

To get close to the Falls, you’ll head back down towards the visitor center and walk approximately 500 feet directly into the slot canyon. You can even go down several flights of stairs to get an even closer look. Box Cañon is great for all skills levels but this is one of the few spots where dogs are not allowed.

Ouray Riverside Resort

During our time in Ouray, we stayed at Ouray Riverside Resort in our RV and absolutely loved the location. You are right on the river and it’s only a short 10 minute walk to town. If you aren’t in an RV, they also have different size cabins that are so cute!

The resort has a restaurant on site that is open to the public where kids 12 and under eat free! They have a buffet breakfast daily and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. You also have the option to get a meal to-go.

I hope you have enjoyed this guide to Ouray, Colorado and will take the time to watch the video below. If I missed one of your favorite spots in town, leave me a comment and I’ll add it to my list.