FILM
MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY: Colorado’s MOST FAMOUS mountain pass and MOST BEAUTIFUL road of the USA
EDITORIAL SUMMARY
A motorcycle ride links Ouray and Silverton along Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway, a mountain section of US Route 550. The film places this road trip within Got2Go’s cross-country journey through the United States.
About this film
Lea Rieck’s motorcycle journey follows the 40-kilometre stretch of highway between two former mining towns. The route forms part of the San Juan Skyway and crosses high mountain terrain in the western San Juan Mountains. Along the way, the film introduces scenic viewpoints and reminders of the region’s mining past. Ouray and Silverton provide context for a road whose character is shaped by both its dramatic landscape and the communities along it. The ride is part of a larger USA cross-country trip described as a 9,000-kilometre journey across 13 states, made over 28 days.
The journey
Leaving Ouray, the route passes Bear Creek Falls, where a viewing stand looks down on water dropping beneath the highway. Further along, the Treasury Tunnel entrance recalls the Idarado Mine and the extensive underground workings used by miners. The road climbs over Red Mountain Pass, whose summit reaches 11,075 feet, before continuing toward Silverton. Parts of the highway have no guardrails, and the surrounding peaks can remain snow-covered into early summer. In Silverton, historic buildings and downtown landmarks preserve the town’s mining-era atmosphere; the last operating mine there closed in 1992.
What to expect
- A motorcycle crossing of the Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Silverton.
- Views of Bear Creek Falls and the high terrain around Red Mountain Pass.
- Local mining history, from the Treasury Tunnel to Silverton’s historic downtown.
COMMUNITY
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