Ouray, CO – The Ouray Perimeter hiking trail is well named as this trail rims the entire perimeter of the town of Ouray, Colorado, providing beautiful views of the town, the surrounding mountains and at least four waterfalls. This trail stitches together existing smaller trails, providing an excellent overview of the town and environs with moderate effort (3 hours to hike). It’s about 6 miles in length and gains 1,600 feet of elevation. But if you tire there are numerous points to end your hike early and head back to town.
Map of the Ouray Perimeter Trail from OurayTrails.org
Ouray and its surrounding mountains from the trail
Begin your hike at the Ouray Visitor Center, at the north end of town. Carefully cross US 550 and look for a pinkish boulder and sign indicating the start of the trail. Switchback your way quickly up the hillside, appreciating the amount of effort required to cut this trail into the side of the cliff. After about 1 mile of generally upwards hiking you arrive at Cascade Falls, technically called Lower Cascades Falls as there are 6 (!) other waterfalls further up Cascade Creek. As an aside, it’s apparently quite the undertaking to see all 7 of these falls. I’ve hiked to the Upper Cascade Falls via the Chief Ouray Mine trail on a different visit, and that was strenuous. There are no official trails to the other 5 falls.
Lower Cascade Falls from the Perimeter Trail
Another view along the trail
Hiking onward (and still upward) brings you to the Amphitheater Campground and the Baby Bathtubs trail, which is co-opted as part of the larger Perimeter Trail. Called potholes in the Southwest, but apparently baby bathtubs in Ouray, these natural depressions fill with water and provide splashing fun for all ages on a hot summer day. Keep right at a junction with the Portland Trail and continue across the Portland Bridge, which affords nice views of the drainage back to town. The next section leaves the forest for open scrub bush and a rocky knoll, and is incidentally the highest portion of the trail.
Along the Perimeter Trail
Creek along the Perimeter Trail
Your next (and final) crossing of US 550 is coming up, after descending steeply from the high point. Immediately after crossing the road join the Ice Park Trail, which is really just a rocky access road for half a mile, and then climb over a large water pipe using a stile. A little more walking brings up the Ice Box Canyon Bridge, a narrow pedestrian bridge perched high over a narrow gorge. It’s possible to exit to town here, but you’ll have to pay a fee as you’ll be entering the Ice Box Canyon Park (a nice tour on it’s own accord). Instead, cross the bridge and enter a low, dark tunnel, which spits out hikers at the top of a precarious set of steps, quickly losing elevation down the cliff along the gorge.
Gorge along the Ouray Perimeter Trail
Pass another exit to town (you’ve made it this far, why quit now) and start climbing steeply up an access road, which will probably be in full sun at this point. But press on, for stunning views of the town and the imposing cliffs you hiked 2 hours ago are on tap. This section of the trail is rugged and steep, with slippery sections due to scree (somewhat smooth, marble sized rocks that litter the trail). Two other trails depart in this section, Oak Creek Trail and Twin Peaks Trail, that beckon to me to be explored some day, but not this day.
Ouray from the Perimeter Trail
One of the many bridges on the loop
Another view of a gorge and Ouray from the trail
Continue hiking down the trail that strangely transforms into someone’s driveway, but signs indicate this is the correct trail, so wave at the people whose land it seems like you’re trespassing on, but apparently you’re not. Now it’s just about a mile back to the starting point using Pinecrest, Queen and Oak Streets. Oak Street is quite picturesque, paralleling the Uncompahgre River along the east side of town, passing a rare beast: an urban RV Park: 4J+1+1. Continue following signs to cross the river on a pedestrian bridge and you’re back at the Ouray Visitor Center.
Waterfall viewed from the trail
Another view from the trail
During this trip to Ouray we also hiked Wetterhorn Basin Trail in the Uncompahgre Wilderness, Blue Lakes Trail in Mount Sneffels Wilderness, a section of the Colorado Trail/Continental Divide Trail from Stony Pass, and the Highland Mary Lakes Loop in the Weminuche Wilderness. In our Jeep, we traveled on Last Dollar Road, Porphyry Gulch, Ophir Pass Road, Alta Lakes Road, Corkscrew/Hurricane Pass/California Gulch, and Placer & Picayune Gulches. We stayed at the Ouray KOA but there are some other RV camping options in the region. During earlier trips we have driven Engineer, Cinnamon, and Imogene Passes.
