I'm looking into jeep tours in southwest Colorado. I'll be spending some nights in Ouray and in Durango, and I'm debating whether to take a jeep tour out of Ouray or out of Silverton.

Switzerland of America offers half-day jeep tours ot of Ouray, to Yankee Boy Basin and Corkscrew Pass (I'm particularly interested in the former tour).

There's another company -- Outlaw Rivers & Jeep Tours -- that offers half-day jeep tours out of Silverton, to mines and ghost towns. It's part of a package that includes a bus out of Durango to Silverton, the half-day jeep tour, and then the rail back to Durango. A packed day!

Has anyone heard of or been on either of these types of tours? what would you recommend?

Is the landscape near Ouray far different than what I would see taking a jeep tour out of Silverton??

I am wanting to visit mines, ghost towns, and see some amazing landscape. Sounds like I can't go wrong with either jeep tour . . . Any thoughts?

I can only comment on the 1/2 day jeep tour to Yankee Boy we took out of Ouray. On this tour, you pass an abandoned mine shaft and a ghost town (Sneffels), but there's not all that much left and you don't walk around the buildings. But Yankee Boy in the summer is totally gorgeous - it's carpeted in wildflowers and on the way up, you drive along a river and see the waterfall that was featured in a Coors commercial some years back. It's very scenic.

NYC,

Silverton and Ouray are not very far apart, say 35 miles straight line. There isn't a whole lot of difference in the mountains you will see at either spot. Sorry I can't recomend a company since I have never used one. I've been over most of the trails in that area on my ATV.

BeanMan

Yes, I did a jeep-train tour with Outlaw Tours. Was wonderful. We did the half day jeep from Silverton and it was spectacular with waterfalls and ghost towns. Are you going to go to Durango at all? I can recommend 3 different jeep trips all with different views.

Folks, I just signed up for the Outlaw Jeep/Train ride for May 24th. Hope it is as advertised, it sounds pretty good.

I was hoping to get a quick 3 or 4 day itinerary for the area... current thoughts.

23rd Evening Arrive Durango
24th Outlaw Jeep/Train Ride
25th Mesa Verde... camp in evening
26th Drive to Ouray (via Telluride)

Any suggestions on stops. points of interest... etc. Leaving Ouray for Moab afterwards.... Thanks

In Mesa Verde, go right to the Visitor Center to get timed tickets to visit the Cliff Palace and Balcony House ruins. You need a ticket to tour these areas.

In Ouray, the historical museum there is small, but very interesting.

In Ouray, take a jeep over Imogene Pass - great adventure. You can rent one in town & drive to Yankee Boy Basin & Imogene Pass. But you have to be ok with driving on narrow unpaved roads to take the Imogene Pass...but so worth it!
We prefer to do our own driving so we can make little stops along the way.