If biking is your passion, the Uncompahgre River Parkway is a 45-mile concrete pathway from Ouray to Delta. Already there are miles completed for your biking or walking enjoyment near Ridgeway and Montrose. The park grounds, north of town, are a short and easy ride or walk on the Parkway from Ouray. For the fit and experienced mountain biker, you can ride to Telluride over the Imogene Pass - 18 miles and extremely difficult.

The San Juan Mountains are a hiker's paradise. The hills around Ouray contain hundreds of miles of old wagon roads. Explore these trails to find ghost towns, old mining camps and mills, or to visit the nearby towns of Telluride, Silverton, and Lake City.

Getting to the hiking trails is easy. Along the highway and country roads are many trailheads. And, several trails start in Ouray. Most trails are steep and take you above the timberline.

If you are so busy relaxing that you are short on time, you can take Ouray's Historical Walking Tour to see old Victorians and learn the history of Ouray. (The historical district is only six blocks by nine blocks.) There is also a short hike up to a 1904 hydroelectric dam. The hike starts in Ouray.

Water from the dam finds its way down to the Uncompahgre River. Its headwaters are 12 miles south of Ouray just off the Million Dollar Highway. The rivers tributaries are at full flow the first part of June and are a sight to see. Kayakers often test their skills in the wider parts of the river, north of Ouray.

Winter time and Ouray are a perfect combination. If you are a skier, stay at the River Park Townhomes and save with a discounted Telluride's lift ticket and enjoy the Ouray Municipal Hot Springs Pool for half price. Please ask about this outstanding offer when you reserve your River Park unit. Telluride is just an hour drive from Ouray.

Children can ski in Ouray at the "kiddie's ski hill" complete with free rope tow. The hill is open after school each weekday.

Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are other popular sports. The Ouray Nordic Council maintains the Ironton Park Cross-country ski trails - north of Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway.

Or, you can take it easy by doing a little ice skating in the town's lighted ice rink. Rental equipment for most sports is available in Ouray at Ouray Mountain Sports.

If you want something a little more exciting that screaming down The Plunge at the Telluride Ski Resort, why not try ice climbing? You can hire a guide and rent the necessary equipment in Ouray. Ice climbing is so popular that Ouray hosts the Ouray Arctic Wolf Ice Festival each year in January over the Martin Luther King birthday weekend. Over 600 climbers and visitors attend the festival. Climbers come from as far away as France, Canada, and Iceland.

The Ouray Ice Park, the world's first ice climbing park, is located in the 150 feet deep Uncompahgre Gorge. The gorge has 65 water taps placed along 3,000 feet of two-inch pipe creating a half mile of challenging ice climbs. The park is managed by a non-profit group in cooperation with the city, county, and private landowners.

At the end of your busy day, head back to your River Park unit and enjoy a long soak in the hot mineral water at the Ouray Pools. And, relax with one of their professional massages. The pool has 150 by 250 foot lap lanes, a diving area, and the "hot tub" pool. Seven natural hot springs supply the 1,000,000-gallon pool with water. The mineral-rich water includes barium, fluoride, nitrate, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.