Million Dollar Highway

Got a head for heights? Experience the thrills of riding at altitude by taking on Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway

Treasure lurks deep in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, in southwestern Colorado. But rather than outlaw gold or pirate booty, this treasure takes the form of a 23-mile, twisty two-lane road known as the Million Dollar Highway. It follows the path of a toll road built in the early 1880s, connecting the mining districts of Ouray and Silverton.

THRILLS AND CHILLS
With hair-raising switchbacks, steep drop-offs, and few guardrails, the Million Dollar Highway offers some of the most thrilling high-altitude riding you’ll experience on a motorcycle. You’ll summit three 10,000-foot mountain passes between Ouray and Silverton along U.S. Route 550, enjoying incredible panoramic views along the way.

Complete the experience by circling the San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway, a 236-mile scenic loop of which the Million Dollar Highway is a part. The Skyway can be ridden in a day, but to really get your fill of purple mountain majesty you should plan on savoring it over a couple of days, staying in one of the quaint small towns on the route and learning more about the area’s history.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
No one really knows for sure how the Million Dollar Highway got its name. It might be due to the fact that the road reportedly cost a million dollars a mile to complete in the 1920s. Or it could be because fill dirt used for the highway was said to be rich in gold ore. Some say it’s because of its “million-dollar” views. Whatever the reason, it remains a bucket-list ride for those unafraid of heights.

Check out the route on the Ride Planner here.