Named after Sir Walter Scott’s novel A Legend of Montrose, the Denver & Rio Grande rail line reached the area in 1882. Montrose at that time served as the supply center for mining activity in the San Juan Mountains. In …
Basecamp: Ouray
Prospectors arrived in the San Juan’s around 1875, looking for silver and gold, Ouray boomed within two years with a population of over one thousand. Rich in ore, the Camp Bird Mine produced over one million ounces of gold by …
Hike: Durango
Durango is located in the heart of the San Juan National Forest, which covers 1.8 million acres. Wilderness Areas managed through this forest include Weminuche, Lizard Head, South San Juan, and Hermosa Creek. USGS Topo Maps Link: Durango West Durango …
Hike: Purgatory Area
These trails are south and west of Silverton in the San Juan Mountains. Silverton sits at 9,318 feet, and is a mining town dating from the 1880’s. Located 23 miles south of Ouray on the famous “Million Dollar Highway,” Silverton …