Silverton

Silverton grew up in the silver rush of the 1870s and 1880s, and at its peak it thronged with miners, merchants, saloons, and all the rough energy of a boomtown. When the mining eventually faded, the town did not boom into something new but held onto its historic character.

The result is a remarkably intact late-nineteenth-century townscape, its main street lined with false-front stores, old hotels, and brick and clapboard buildings. Notorious Blair Street, once packed with saloons and dance halls, still runs parallel to the respectable main street, a reminder of the town's wilder days. Much of Silverton is recognized as a National Historic Landmark District.

Silverton is the mountain terminus of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, whose steam trains climb up the Animas River canyon from Durango and pull into town, a highlight for many visitors. The whistle and smoke of the arriving train are a living link to the mining era.

By road, Silverton is reached over dramatic high passes, including the cliff-hanging Million Dollar Highway to the north. From town, rugged four-wheel-drive roads climb to old mines and alpine basins, and this remote, spectacular setting has made Silverton a base for jeeping, hiking, and backcountry adventure.

Silverton sits at the heart of the San Juans, among some of the most rugged mountains in Colorado. Old mine structures, tumbling waterfalls, and alpine lakes fill the surrounding basins, and trails and rough roads lead into a world of tundra and towering peaks.

In winter the area draws those seeking deep snow and backcountry skiing at a famously challenging local ski area, while summer opens the passes and high roads. The scenery is a constant, with the peaks changing character through the seasons but always looming close above the town.

These mountains are the ancestral homeland of the Ute people, whose descendants form the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute nations of the region today. This high country was theirs long before the miners came, and their connection to it endures beneath the layers of mining history.

Silverton's high altitude shapes its year. Summers are short, cool, and busy with train passengers and adventurers, autumn blazes with aspen gold, and winters are long, deep with snow, and very quiet, when many businesses close and the town settles into a hush beneath the white peaks.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Silverton is a historic former mining town nestled high in the rugged San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, at an elevation over nine thousand feet. A well-preserved National Historic Landmark district, its colorful main street of Old West buildings, shops, and restaurants, along with its dramatic mountain setting, make it a charming and scenic destination. Silverton is famous as the northern terminus of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and as a hub for outdoor adventure, including four-wheel-drive backcountry routes, hiking, and, in winter, world-class backcountry and expert skiing. Remote and beautiful, Silverton offers Old West charm amid spectacular high-country scenery.

You can stroll the historic main street with its Old West buildings, shops, and eateries, arrive or depart on the scenic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, explore the town's mining history and museums, take four-wheel-drive tours or drive the rugged backcountry routes like the Alpine Loop to old mining sites and ghost towns, hike and enjoy the stunning mountain scenery, and in winter experience the extreme skiing at nearby Silverton Mountain. With its historic charm, railroad, mountain adventures, and dramatic setting, Silverton offers a memorable and adventurous destination high in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.

Silverton sits at over nine thousand feet, and the surrounding mountains and passes go much higher, so the thin air can cause altitude effects like shortness of breath or headaches, especially for those coming from lower elevations, so take it easy on arrival, stay hydrated, and give yourself time to adjust. The high elevation also means cool temperatures, strong sun, and rapidly changing mountain weather, including afternoon storms and snow even outside winter, so bring layers. The mountain roads and passes can be steep and are often closed in winter. Respecting the altitude and mountain conditions ensures a comfortable visit.

Summer and early fall are the prime seasons, when the mountain roads and passes are open, the weather is mildest, the railroad runs its full route, and the backcountry is accessible, with fall bringing spectacular aspen color. Winter transforms Silverton into a snowy, remote destination known for extreme skiing, but many mountain roads close and access is limited. For the fullest access to the town, railroad, and mountain adventures in comfortable weather, aim for summer or early fall, while winter suits those seeking snow and backcountry skiing in this remote high-country town.

Silverton is high in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, connected to Durango by the historic narrow-gauge railroad and the scenic Million Dollar Highway, near the town of Ouray to the north over dramatic mountain passes, and within reach of the San Juan Skyway and Mesa Verde National Park. That makes Silverton a scenic and adventurous stop to combine with Durango, Ouray, the Million Dollar Highway, and the stunning San Juan Mountains on a visit to southwestern Colorado.