High up on the Million Dollar Highway, 23 miles south of Ouray lies the beautiful old mining town of Silverton. Besides awesome views of towering mountains all around, there are restaurants, hotels, bars, and shops to keep you occupied while walking the old streets. The town has a very Wild West feel to it and is much quieter than nearby Ouray and Telluride.

The entire town is actually a National Historical Landmark. The first mining operation began in 1860 but it wasn’t until 1873 when the Utes handed over the land that it became a town. And it absolutely is a town worth visiting.

I absolutely insist that you stop in the Handlebars Bar. It is awesome and it has so many taxidermy animals (I love taxidermy animals) including very rare species like the elusive and endangered Trouser Trout. My wife and I had a delicious dinner (I had Bison Lasagna) at Eureka.