Driving from Denver to Ouray Colorado and back in late August
 

My husband and I are driving from Denver, CO to Ouray, CO in late August for a wedding. We're taking I70 up for a stop in Vail. Staying first night in Glenwood Springs. Then at Riverwalk in Ouray. Would like suggestions for the drive back. We're thinking of going back via Gunnison and Leadville. Unfortunately we can't take long walks or hikes due to some medical issues. Love history and sightseeing. Any advice?

Have you already booked your flights? Ouray is closer to Albuquerque (ABQ) and sometimes Southwest has sales/decent prices.

We have booked flights (on Southwest) to Denver. We plan a visit to friends in both Denver and Vail, so the alternative airports were not an option. That's why I want to make the journey to Ouray and back an adventure!

Flying into Denver? Are you spending any time in Denver?
I've heard that Denver is more expensive to rent cars than some other places (no personal experience).
You could hike up to the cemetery in Glenwood Springs to see the monument of Doc Holliday.
My stops in Glenwood Springs for the past few years have all been on the Amtrak California Zephyr. Sure it takes longer than driving it but it is the most scenic place that Amtrak goes through in daylight IMO.
I-70 is scenic but someone has to be driving and not looking.
The worlds largest hot spring fed swimming pool in in Glenwood Springs near 2 large old hotels.
See the Black Canyon of the Gunnison on the way back.

I would continue on through Durango to Alamosa and do a loop. Actually, that's my favorite way to "do" Colorado.

How much time will you have for the "return"?

On your way to Glenwood Springs, you could drive over Loveland Pass instead of going through the Eisenhower Tunnel. In Glenwood Springs, check out Glenwood Vaudeville Revue. It's a great comedy show in the evenings that is a lot of fun. I would recommend dinner somewhere else first though. The hot springs are great as well.

If you come back through Gunnison and Leadville, check out the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, as tomfuller mentioned. It's pretty impressive and doesn't require any hiking or really much walking. Just overlooks along the drive.

If you do the loop as starrs suggested (also my favorite)there is Great Sand Dunes NP near Alamosa which is very different, and you could do Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. I love Garden of the Gods, and you would be ok doing some walking in there I think. The walkways are mostly paved and flat. You would also get to drive the Million Dollar Highway if you go on to Durango from Ouray, which I always love.

I-70 is very scenic. I would drive one way on I-70 (through Gleenwood Springs) and they other way through Aspen, Independence Pass, and Leadville.

HTtY

Some of the suggestions are impractical for what you asked. You return trip is OK and cuts back into I-70 around Copper Mountain. Or from Leadville you could run by Camp Hale (Home of the 10th Mountain Div from WWII) and Tennessee pass and that would take you back to I-70 west of Vail. The black canyon of the Gunnison is terrific and doesn't require much leg work.

Georgetown and the Georgetown loop railroad just off of I-70 at the beginning climb to the tunnels is well preserved Victorian mining town. If you have the time an hour or so, the train is very scenic.

If you go to Ouray via Grand Junction, you will pass through Palisade that is the heart of the Colorado wine industry. Twenty-five wineries in the area.

If you haven't had a enough mountain driving you could go to Ouray via Carbondale (south from Glenwood Springs) and Delta. It would be scenic but slow with a lot of two lane twisting roads.

Unless you like driving on a narrow two lane highway with sheer drop-offs and no guardrails, I wouldn't take the Million Dollar Highway. There are other beautiful scenic highways to take.

Not sure which Million Dollar highway OHrowver is driving on but that is not an accurate description of the road between Ouray and Durango and besides that is about your only choice of roads.

<i>Unless you like driving on a narrow two lane highway with sheer drop-offs and no guardrails, I wouldn't take the Million Dollar Highway.</i>

I'm not certain to which road this person is referring; however, all the roads you will travel have been driven by hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of others with great enjoyment. This is a highly scenic area. Those who don't like mountain roads should drive around Kansas.

HTtY