BEST
WILD
WILD
Silverton 4X4 Map:
Many visit Silverton to board the northern terminus on the beautiful Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad tour. Challenging mountain biking is found all around Silverton on old mining roads that today serve as excellent four-wheel routes, too. Molas Lake, just 4 miles from town is a popular places for trout fishers and is just one of the alpine lakes in the area that are popular with anglers.
The Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, over two passes to Ouray and Lake City, is a top four-wheel excursion. Hiking trails are accessible in the surrounding San Juan National Forest, including easy access to the Continental Trail in the Weminuche Wilderness, and the Silverton Snowmobile Club grooms many miles of trails for easy access for snowmobilers in the winter.
Silverton's best family destination in winter is Kendall Mountain, with ski lift tickets under $20, as well as rentals of sleds, ice skates, snowshoes and tubes. For the more intrepid skiers and snowboarders, Silverton Mountain is Colorado's highest and steepest ski mountain, with un-groomed, no-easy-way-down expert terrain.
Most of the downtown in a designated National Historic District and the San Juan County Historical Society, in the old county jail, is good for uncovering the past. Three other historic venues make for interesting stops: Old Hundred Gold Mine, Mayflower Gold Mill National Historic Site and the Victorian Grand Imperial Hotel.
For an otherworldly hike, make your way to Island Lake in the Ice Lakes Basin, where a steep four-mile trek rewards sturdy ramblers with an aqua-blue paradise.
SUV ADVENTURE TOURS
Where the pavement ends and the Best begins
Copyright 2016. Doug Heath. All rights reserved
Visit this GOOGLE interactive link for maps, pictures, and satellite view of Silverton and surrounding area