Some of the links provided here may be of interest to you to as they may be included in your tour. While in some cases you may want to add additional activities before or after your time with ORW.
Animas Forks is a ghost miner's town that by 1883 once saw a population of 500 people. It's also a great place to stop for lunch and you'll want to have a camera!
Imogene Pass is the 2nd highest pass in Colorado and proves a stunningly beautiful trek with its 13,114 ft summit. The famous Tomboy Mine is located along this trail. In 1897, the mine was sold to the Rothchilds of London for two-million dollars. After producing millions of dollars in gold, the ore ran out and the mine had a good run until it was closed in 1927.
Ophir Pass reaches an 11,814ft summit. With its alpine views of the upper Ophir Valley, various other peaks are viewable from atop Ophir. Just ten miles long, the pass once taken, is best remembered by its half mile long shelf cliff road. The trail begins (or ends) with the tiny alpine town of Ophir. Down the hill from Ophir, sits the Ames Power Plant, the world's first commercial system to produce and transmit alternating current (AC) electricity for industrial use and one of the first AC hydro-electric plants ever constructed.
Ouray takes its name from the legendary Ute Chief. The town proudly aligns itself with his legacy, for there are few people in history who are held in such high regard. At one time, the town was called Uncompahgre, the Ute word for hot water springs, another feature to enjoy in this small town. Due to its ragged peaks in the San Jaun mountain range, Ouray is known as the Switzerland of America. It has become nationally recognized for its Historic Main Street with its restoration of almost all the buildings built in the later 1800s. Within walking distance of town, the Ouray Ice Park has created a whole new season of tourism for the town of Ouray.
Silverton is a National Historic Landmark and a part of the San Juan Skyway. Just one point of interest there is Old Hundred Gold Mine where a mine train will take you 1,500 feet into the actual mining operation for mining demonstrations. You may want to take a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train! This historic train was constructed in 1882 to haul silver & gold ore. People soon discovered the beauty in the travel and it has been in use ever since.
Once called Columbia, the town changed it's name and though Telluride is named for the mineral telluride, none can be found in the area. Telluride was once a boom town with about 5,000 in its population. Once a thriving mining town, Telluride once again struck it rich when it capitalized on the snow and became world renowned as a ski town. The town's rich history includes bitter labor strikes and Butch Cassidy's first major recorded crime occurred when he robbed the San Miguel Valley Bank in town. Modern day Telluride includes shopping, dining and outside the city, the past or present multi-million dollar homes of celebrities like Tom Cruise, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey.
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