Rough Trails and 4WD Make a Perfect Marriage in Colorado’s San Juan Range

By Christopher Rush

PURGATORY, Colo. — There we were, about 40 of us, huddled with umbrellas and blankets as cold rain began to pelt the bride and groom at Southwest Colorado’s Clear Lake basin. What began down in the valley as a beautiful sunny day quickly devolved into a soaking rainstorm high on the mountain.

But spirits would not be dampened. The bride herself — our rugged mountain- and Jeep-trail-loving niece — knew better than anyone that anything can happen at 11,940 ft. high in the mountains. She and her fiancé had chosen this stunning location and wanted it to be the backdrop of their fondest shared memory. They got their wish.

As the vows were exchanged and the ceremony hastily concluded, prompted by increasing rain and now sleet, guests scrambled for their respective four-wheel drive vehicles to make their way back down the challenging single lane trail. The drive up, with its numerous hairpin turns and switchbacks, loose rocks, deep ruts and puddles, was challenging enough for our lightweight 4×4. I was kicking myself that I had just newly equipped it with highway tires instead of its former heavy ply off-road type. The drive back down the steep trail was now complicated with the motion of slapping windshield wipers, newly flooded ruts, slick rocks, and flowing rivulets of mud.

Everyone made it safely down the mountain to celebrate at the reception in nearby Silverton with a new layer of road grime and memories to last a lifetime. The wedding was the culmination of a much-anticipated and much-needed vacation and get-together with extended family and friends. The Durango-Silverton corridor in late August (a shoulder season between high summer and Autumn foliage tours) with its warm days and cool nights, was the perfect backdrop.

A few days earlier, the happy couple, their cousins and several close friends, all made a Jeep trek deep into the high mountain trails to take in the remarkable vistas and fresh air of the scenic San Juan Mountains. Meanwhile, the older folks, meaning my wife and I, set about to rediscover some of the memories we had made in this same place 13 years earlier on a previous memorable family vacation.

We initially set out to more fully explore the historic mining town of Silverton, located 48 miles north of Durango on Hwy 550. We split the difference by renting a condominium at Purgatory Resort (elev. 8793 ft.) approximately halfway between the two towns. Known primarily as a popular winter ski destination, we highly recommend this area during the off-season as it is far less crowded than other areas and the home/condo rental rates are quite reasonable.

Driving north from Purgatory to Silverton is extremely picturesque as the winding highway crosses two mountain passes, Coal Bank and Molas, before descending into the quaint Victorian-inspired town of Silverton (elev. 9318.) Unlike other more-travelled tourist destinations like Ouray or Telluride, Silverton has managed to maintain its small, down-to-earth character as a former gold and silver mining town. Although the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (a wonderful day trip we took years ago – highly recommend it) makes two to three roundtrips daily, the historic town never seems to be overwhelmed by tourists while also providing a perfect jumping off point for a variety of mountain activities.

One evening on the way into town, we picked up a hitchhiker (I never pick up hitchhikers) outfitted with heavy pack and trekking poles. Turns out, he was from our home state of Oklahoma and he was quick to identify the Pistol Pete sticker on our back windshield as a sign that we were both Oklahoma State University alumni. Getting acquainted, we found out he was making his way up the trails when he encountered heavy fog and rain above 11,000 feet. We were happy to drive him down the mountain to his motel. This is just one notable example of the friendliness we encountered from both locals and visitors to this spectacular area.

Silverton itself is quite welcoming but maintains an authentic charm. While there, don’t miss Handlebar’s Food & Saloon for lunch or dinner and the Coffee Bear for a breakfast burrito or an early afternoon pick-me-up. The town also boasts a limited number of hotel rooms at a variety of price points from budget to luxury.

From Silverton, we embarked on our off-road adventure. We had intended to drive to Animas Forks, an old mining ghost town high in the mountains with beautiful alpine meadows and soaring mountain vistas. We recalled making the trip there many years ago. From Animas Forks, many choose to embark on the popular Engineer Pass loop. Attempting the drive from memory, we took a wrong turn and ended up on an unfamiliar trail that terminated at Velocity Basin (aka Colorado Basin). The trail dead ends in a small parking area overlooking a pristine alpine lake surrounded by a fortress of steep mountain walls. It is stunning, but as we learned from a few locals who also made the challenging drive, the area is largely unknown to outsiders and, therefore, never crowded.

We were grateful for the background on the area and by the end of our visit there, also grateful that we had actually gotten lost at such a beautiful and remote location. According to the friendly locals we encountered, the area is famous for hosting Olympic champion snowboarder Shaun White and his “secret” training halfpipe where he could practice beyond the gaze of prying eyes. It apparently worked. On this day in late August, the area was still covered by a few remnant snow drifts. We made our way back down happy to have discovered such a remote and picturesque location. It seems some of our best experiences often are unexpected surprises.

The road between Purgatory and Silverton is full of numerous outdoor opportunities — hiking, fishing, camping, mountain biking. During our limited time, we made brief visits to Little Molas Lake, Molas Pass overlook, and Andrews Lake — all providing gorgeous mountain vistas. Other popular points of interest include West Lime Creek Trailhead, Adrenaline Falls, Coal Creek Trailhead and Engineer Mountain Trailhead, among others. Weekend traffic can get heavy at times, but weekday outings in the offseason may find few, if any, hikers out and about.

As for driving, it’s best not to be in a hurry. The highway is a winding up-and-down affair with multiple tight turns and switchbacks. Average safe speed is probably 40-45 miles per hour. But the slower drive also gives motorists a chance to see vistas and wildlife along the road. We spotted numerous mule deer, especially at dusk close to the roadway, and a bull moose resting in a nearby meadow. Though primarily a narrow two lane road, the highway does provide numerous small turnouts for picture taking or just taking in the scenery.

Throughout our trip, the monsoon rain pattern continued daily. But the showers were often brief and the skies cleared in the early evening providing for some spectacular sunsets.