Local Attractions

Ridgway State Park is located within a day’s drive of many national parks and monuments, including Mesa Verde National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Dinosaur National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Close-by towns include:

Montrose

Montrose is about a 30-minute drive north of the park. It is the closest place to find national food and retail chains. There are plenty of local shops and eateries plus some golf courses. The Ute Museum is located on the south side of town, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is just a short drive to the east. See the Montrose Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Ridgway

Ridgway is just a five-minute drive from the Dutch Charlie area of the park and the closest place to find gas, food, bait, etc. Ridgway has a beautiful town park and a number of nice restaurants and shops. Fly-fishing and rafting guides can be found here. The town hosts rodeo events in the summer. Check out the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce website for more.

Ouray

Ouray is a premier hiking and ice climbing destination just a 20-minute drive away. Ouray is also known for its famous hot springs, the Batchelor-Syracuse Mine tour, and the Box Canyon tour. There are a variety of restaurants and shops to cater to visitors. Tourists can rent jeeps or buy tickets for touring the mining ghost towns and wildflowers of the alpine zones just south of town. A number of excellent hiking trails lead up into the mountains all around Ouray. More opportunities are available at the Ouray Chamber Resort Association.

Silverton

Silverton is located about an hour’s drive south of the park and is rapidly becoming a top destination for extreme skiing. There are good museums, mining tours, restaurants, and shops here as well as the northern terminus for the famous Silverton-Durango narrow gauge railway. Silverton hosts a folk music festival during the summer. More information can be found on the Town of Silverton website.

Telluride

Telluride is also about an hour away and is well known as a great powder destination for alpine skiers. It is also a popular summer destination thanks to both beautiful hiking trails and several festivals featuring music, film, and art. Telluride also offers great dining and shopping opportunities. Visit the Telluride Tourism Board for more.