An Adventure to Celebrate Our 40th Anniversary – September 2023 – Part Three

 

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version & highlighted text are links to additional information

Please click here for – Part Two

 

Ouray, Colorado Area

 

The rain started early in the morning as we were leaving the grocery store in Durango for restocking with food. Our route was north to Ouray via highway 550, the Million Dollar Highway.

 

We stopped north of Durango at the colorful Pinkerton Hot Springs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve driven highway 550 several times and always look forward to it as we love winding high mountain roads, and, of course, the stunning visuals. Not so this day. It was pounding rain and crashing thunder until we started the drop down to Ouray.

 

We secured a campsite in the Amphitheater Campground.

We've stayed here before. We like the location, the ability to walk to town, and that large RVs cannot fit in the small sites. The location also has outstanding vistas.

 

 

 

 

 

The campground host, Steve, was one of the best hosts we’ve encountered.

 

We knew time was short - we were pretty much guaranteed to have a thunderstorm roll through - so we quickly hiked down to Ouray using the Ouray Perimeter Trail and connecting trails. From the campground we connected with the perimeter trail above Lower Cascade Falls.

 

 

 

 

 

We continued north and enjoyed the amazing views. This is our favorite section of this trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We dropped down to the Ouray Hot Springs.

 

 

 

 

 

We discovered we both qualify for the senior discount! In fact, I’m only a little over 4 years away from getting in free!

 

It was beginning to rain as we walked through downtown from the Hot Springs. We climbed back up – a multitude of primitive stairs – to the campground via the trail access on 5^th street. One of the highlights of Ouray are the well-kept historic homes.

 

 

 

 

 

The storm arrived with fury and kept us in the camper for around two hours. We wandered the campground loops after dinner before turning in for the night. A few rain squalls on the roof woke us from sleep.

 

The campground overlook is an outstanding place to get out before sunrise and take in a day’s beginnings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today we hiked the perimeter trail clockwise from our campsite by starting south.  The first feature was the baby bath tubs – the water scoured potholes on Portland Creek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were a little early for fall colors in the San Juans on this trip, but the alders along the creek were beginning to change as were the Gambal Oaks (Quercus gambelii).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The highest point on the trail is just before its crossing of highway 550.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail drops steeply down to the highway and then works its way around the Ouray Ice Park in the Uncompahgre Gorge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail crosses the Uncompahgre River just below the dam that supplies water to the historic Ouray Hydroelectric Power Plant, one of the four oldest operating plants in the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also in the Uncompahgre Gorge is the Ouray Via Ferrata.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This looked like a blast to do and it was hard to contain the Lady’s excitement. You know she wanted to do the ferrata. I did too. We’ll do it on our next trip to Ouray. Perhaps this would be a great way to celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary. Today we contented ourselves with watching and photographing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our next highlight was the high bridge over the box canyon of Canyon Creek. There is a tunnel on the opposite side of the bridge that leads to a long, steep set of stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below the high bridge is Ouray's Box Canyon Falls Park.

 

The perimeter trail has been expanded since we last did it in 2013. From Box Canyon it now stays high until it finally drops and intersects with Oak Street in town below. It also crosses Oak Creek with a new bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back down at street level, we again enjoyed the historic homes. They really caught our eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We returned via the section of the perimeter trail near Lower Cascade Falls we had hiked the day before. And we made it back just before the thunderstorms started rolling through. The storm started to clear at dinner time and we had a spectacular evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent two more days in the Ouray area. 

 

Our adventure continues. Please click here for - Part Four.