colorado

Ouray County

Box Canyon Falls Park

30 Box Canyon Rd. Ouray, CO 81427

Our rating:

*5 out of 5 stars* We had so much fun adventuring through this park to see the beautiful falls. It definitely takes your breath away seeing how fast this water comes through this canyon at 180,000 gallons per minute.

About the place:

Ouray, Colorado is considered the “Switzerland of America” because of it’s pure beauty. This 285 foot waterfall is located right in the heart of it and shoots thousands of gallons of water into Canyon Creek each minute. You can enter this park anytime between 8am & 8 pm, admission is $3 for children under 17, free to seniors and $5 for everyone else. You can get a stunning up close view of the waterfall from the Falls Trail which is an easy 500 foot walkway. If you’d like to adventure more, you can also take the High Bridge Trail which is a 1/2 mile loop, gaining 200 feet in elevation. You won’t get a good view of the waterfall on this trail but you will get gorgeous views of the canyon. Unfortunately dogs are not allowed in this park.

How to get there:

This beautiful park is found in Ouray, CO along the Million Dollar Highway. The parking lot for this is located off of Box Canyon Road and is very easy to find.

 

Things near by:

  • Million Dollar Highway 11.3 miles away (23 mins)

  • Telluride, CO 50.2 miles away (1 hour 10 mins)

The Paint Mines

29950 Paint Mine Rd, Calhan, CO 80808

El Paso County

Our rating:

*5 out of 5 stars* Though not your typical Colorado scenic hike, sans mountains and take-your-breath-away views, this experience is unlike anything else I’ve experienced in this state. The rocks are strikingly colorful, as if it was photoshopped by the gods.

About the place:

This 750 acre open space land is a stunning display of the other side of Colorado. This well-maintained, easily traveled area is an easy “hike” that will make you feel like you’ve got a decent work out in. The structures carve the land and slices into it creating natural privacy away from the busy trails.

The Paint Mines get their name from the clay created by Native Americans who collected these rocks. Evidence of human existence in these natural rock sculptures dates back 9,000 years. The beautiful display of reds, purples, yellows, oranges, tans, and whites are said to be created by the presence of oxidized iron compounds found in varying levels throughout the rocks.

How to get there:

Thankfully this location is easy to find, but be ready to get a little dusty! Regardless of the direction you arrive from, there are several miles of dirt roads you’ll have to travel on to get there. There are two parking lots, the first lot will you take you to the Green Trail head. This route will lead you on a 3.9 mile hike across the vast plains and into the mines. If you continue past the main lot to the overlook parking lot you will find yourself at the Overlook Trail. This trail takes about 0.5 miles to get down into the mines.

 

Things to do nearby: