Summer Travel: Small Town // Big City

{ No.3-Small Town: Ouray } Noah Caldwell

If you boast of being “The Switzerland of America” you’d better back it up with world-class chocolate, a reputation for peacekeeping or majestic mountain ranges. Okay, so Ouray lacks the first two, but it more than makes up for it with towering canyon walls and high alpine mountainous terrain. Imagine standing in a bathtub with thousand foot sides of compacted sandstone, high enough to block out morning and evening sun.I

The drive to Ouray from the Denver area is befitting of the destination (assuming you don’t take the easy way, heading to Grand Junction on I-70 before turning south.) US 285 bends southwest out of Denver, skirting Morrison and heading into pristine high country toward Salida. Route 50 takes over, guiding you past the Collegiate Peaks, through Gunnison, and eventually south of Montrose to Ouray at the gateway of the San Juan Mountains.

Needless to say, outdoor activity will preoccupy your Ouray residency, no matter how long you stay. The Perimeter Trail is a good place to start. Jump on at the north end of town across from the Visitor’s Center, and follow the trail south around the eastern edge of the valley (enough cardinal directions?). The first major landmark is the slightly redundantly named Cascade Falls, a good setting for posed photos or, alternatively, a misty mid-hike shower. If you’ve got the time (four to five hours) continue onward and complete the loop, popping out across the valley near the town’s public hot springs pool.

Unless you find a cozy cave in the canyon to hunker down in for the night, eventually you’ll head indoors. Thankfully, you won’t be faced with the age-old tourist’s choice between familiar chain food and local fare; there is no such thing as “chain” in Ouray, only local Americana, local microbrewery, local nanobrewery, local mountain rustique, and local Tex-Mex. Yours truly, who is partial to pub-grub, recommends Ouray Brewery for dinner. The town’s eponymous alehouse is smack dab in the middle of Main Street and quickly collects diners in its cozy space, so get in early.

If you’re ready for post-dessert late night reveling, head north on Main Street to Mr. Grumpy Pants Brewing Company. While the exterior is plain, the interior mimics a Walden-esque log cabin, a rough-hewn wooden abode. The beer is as tasty as the bar is welcoming—Hutch, the proprietor and sole employee, is a humble Denver ex-pat whose demeanor is anathema to the irreverent name of his brewery. You’ll feel at home before your first pint is gulped.

What to bring to Ouray? Be sure to pack the classic mountain staples, increasing in intensity depending on your outdoor savvy: hiking boots, rain coat, hat (or buy a Stetson there), camera, a swimsuit for the hot springs, CamelBak, ice pick, headlamp, etc. But here’s the Ouray specific stuff: snow tires (if you’re like me and have been too lazy to switch them, this should be no problem), Advil for the morning (elevation plus Mr. Grumpy Pants beer is a hangover-producing equation), and a picture of home to counter the inevitable thoughts of staying forever.

Lodging options in Ouray are far more wide-ranging than most small towns. Want to camp? Ouray KOA Campground and 4J+1+1 RV Park are your best bet. (If you figure out what that last equation means, let me know.) For mid-priced stays, checkout Ouray Chalet Inn—it’s right on Main Street, won’t cost an arm or leg, and the spacey rooms resemble the motel love child of a wild west saloon and a spiffy Holiday Inn. Upscale? Beaumont Hotel and Spa was recently voted the #1 hotel in the west by Readers’ Choice, so good luck finding a classier joint.