US-550 is part of Colorado’s San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. We’ll be traveling from Durango to Ouray, Colorado, about 70 miles of the 305-mile US-550. The 25-mile stretch between Silverton and Ouray is called the Million Dollar Highway. No one knows exactly why it got that name, although the whole area was home to very productive silver, gold, lead, copper, and zinc mines. The Million Dollar Highway served those mines, but is best known today for it sharp curves, steep grades, and narrow road edges. Sound scary? It is, but as we head north from Durango, we slowly climb into the beautiful mountains along US-550.
