north america · 4 days · 9 stops

San Juan Skyway — Colorado

A 380 km loop through the San Juan mountains: Mesa Verde, Telluride, the Uncompahgre gorge at Ouray, Red Mountain Pass and the mining town of Silverton.

Days
4
Stops
9
Driving
194 km
Behind the wheel
2h 48m

Driving figures are measured road distances between the stops listed for each day, not straight lines. The transfer from wherever you sleep to the first stop of the day is not included.

Daylight on this route, by season

The single number that decides whether a self-drive day works. Almost every guide tells you to "check the daylight hours"; here they are for this route, on the solstices and equinoxes.

Day Driving 21 Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar
Durango → Mesa Verde 1h 14h 44m 12h 12m 9h 36m 12h 11m
Cortez → Dolores 0h 17m 14h 45m 12h 12m 9h 35m 12h 11m
Telluride → Ridgway 0h 48m 14h 49m 12h 12m 9h 31m 12h 11m
Ouray → Red Mountain Pass → Silverton 0h 43m 14h 48m 12h 12m 9h 32m 12h 11m

Measured at the midpoint of each day's stops. "Midnight sun" means the sun does not set; "polar night" means it does not rise.

Day by day

Day 1: Durango → Mesa Verde

2 stops · 75 km · 1h driving · 5h at stops

In winter: About 1h of driving inside 9h 36m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Durango

    Start of the loop, on the Animas river

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Mesa Verde National Park

    Cliff dwellings in the mesa

    Allow about 4h

Legs and times
  • Durango → Mesa Verde National Park: 75 km, 1h

Day 2: Cortez → Dolores

2 stops · 19 km · 0h 17m driving · 1h 45m at stops

In winter: About 0h 17m of driving inside 9h 35m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Cortez

    Supply stop for Mesa Verde

    Allow about 1h

  2. 2

    Dolores

    North up the Dolores river valley

    Allow about 0h 45m

Legs and times
  • Cortez → Dolores: 19 km, 0h 17m

Day 3: Telluride → Ridgway

2 stops · 63 km · 0h 48m driving · 2h 45m at stops

In winter: About 0h 48m of driving inside 9h 31m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Telluride

    Box canyon town under the peaks

    Allow about 2h

  2. 2

    Ridgway

    Where the Uncompahgre valley opens out

    Allow about 0h 45m

Legs and times
  • Telluride → Ridgway: 63 km, 0h 48m

Day 4: Ouray → Red Mountain Pass → Silverton

3 stops · 38 km · 0h 43m driving · 4h 45m at stops

In winter: About 0h 43m of driving inside 9h 32m of daylight — comfortable.

  1. 1

    Ouray

    The Switzerland of America, in a gorge

    Allow about 2h

  2. 2

    Red Mountain Pass

    The Million Dollar Highway, 3,300 m

    Allow about 0h 45m

  3. 3

    Silverton

    Old mining town at the top of the pass

    Allow about 2h

Legs and times
  • Ouray → Red Mountain Pass: 21 km, 0h 27m
  • Red Mountain Pass → Silverton: 17 km, 0h 16m

When to drive it

21 Jun

14h 46m

of daylight

21 Sep

12h 12m

of daylight

21 Dec

9h 33m

of daylight

21 Mar

12h 11m

of daylight

Longest days are around 21 June, shortest around 21 December. On this route the swing is large enough that the same day's driving can be comfortable in June and entirely after dark in December — which is why the table above is per day.

Plan this route with the daylight in view

Tseril builds the multi-day route on a map, warns you about the legs you would drive at night, and shows the snow and weather at every stop. Free to use.

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