Start in Durango
Durango is a lively base with a walkable historic downtown along the Animas River. It is also the southern end of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a historic train that climbs through the San Juan Mountains to the old mining town of Silverton.
Mesa Verde National Park
About an hour west of Durango, Mesa Verde protects the cliff dwellings built by Ancestral Puebloans. You can see several sites from overlooks, and ranger-guided tours take you into some of the larger dwellings. Those tours require tickets, so book ahead in summer.
The Million Dollar Highway
The stretch of US 550 between Silverton and Ouray is known as the Million Dollar Highway. It climbs over high mountain passes with steep drop-offs and some sections without guardrails, so take it slow and use the pullouts.
Ouray, often called the Switzerland of America, sits in a box canyon at the north end. Finish the day in its hot springs pool with the cliffs all around you.