The most dramatic 25 miles in Colorado — clinging to cliff edges with no guardrails, climbing three mountain passes above 10,000 feet. Named for the gold ore in the roadbed — or perhaps the million dollars it cost per mile to build.

Tappe di Questo Tour (10)

1. 1
   Ouray — "Switzerland of America" Nestled in a natural amphitheater of 13,000-foot peaks, Ouray sits at 7,792 feet. The Box Canyon waterfall thunders through a narrow chasm at the edge of town.
2. 2
   Bear Creek Falls Overlook The highway begins its climb south of Ouray. Bear Creek Falls drops 227 feet into a mist-filled canyon visible from a pullout along the cliff-edge road.
3. 3
   Uncompahgre Gorge The road was blasted from the sheer walls of the Uncompahgre Gorge. No guardrails protect the edge — just a straight drop hundreds of feet to the river below.
4. 4
   Red Mountain Pass — 11,018 feet The iron-stained red mountains surrounding the pass give it its name. Abandoned mine shafts dot the slopes — over $300 million in gold, silver, and copper was extracted from these peaks.
5. 5
   Idarado Mine The massive mine complex operated from 1939 to 1978, producing gold, silver, lead, copper, and zinc from a labyrinth of 100 miles of underground tunnels.
6. 6
   Chattanooga Ghost Town Once a supply town for surrounding mines, Chattanooga is now a collection of ruins in a high mountain meadow. The remnants speak to the fleeting nature of mining booms.
7. 7
   Molas Pass — 10,910 feet Sweeping views of the Grenadier Range and the Needle Mountains. The West Needle range pierces the sky with 14,000-foot summits.
8. 8
   Molas Lake A glacial lake at 10,515 feet reflecting the Needle Mountains. Anglers cast for brook trout in waters so clear you can see the bottom from 20 feet.
9. 9
   Coal Bank Pass — 10,640 feet The final pass, named for a coal seam exposed in the roadcut. Avalanche paths scar the mountainsides — this stretch receives some of the heaviest snowfall in Colorado.
10. 10
    Silverton An entire town designated a National Historic Landmark. At 9,318 feet, Silverton has survived mining busts, avalanches, and isolation to become one of Colorado's most authentic mountain towns.

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