Ridgway, Colorado [2004]

Situated at the intersection of US 550 (top of the Million Dollar Highway) and Colorado 62 (to Telluride) Ridgway is the northern Gateway to the breathtaking San Juans. The Ouray County Fairgrounds, along the southwest corner of that intersection, is host to the annual Rodeo and County Fair, held each year over Labor Day Weekend. From May through September, the  fairgrounds also hosts a Sunday Farmers’ Market, popular with locals from a four-county area who come for locally-grown fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, honey and flowers and a sprinkling 
of entertainment. 

VISITOR CENTER AND RAILROAD MUSEUM
At the back of the fairgrounds, the green building is home to the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center as well as the new Ridgway Railroad Museum. Parked out front, along with several boxcars and other rolling stock, is Karl Schaffer’s Motor No.1, an authentic replica of the first “Goose” to ply the narrow gauge tracks from the 1930s to early 1950s. The museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of railroading in Ouray County and surrounding areas. For more information, visit their website at www.ridgwayrailroadmuseum.org. 

RIDGWAY STATE PARK
Just north of town is the Ridgway State Park, rated one of the best parks in Colorado. The 1000-acre reservoir offers fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and a full-service marina. Several campgrounds and a variety of facilities cater to every camping style, from the most primitive tent to the most luxurious motor coach. Visit online at http://parks.state.co.us.

TOWN PARK
Home to a number of festivals, including the annual Arts and Crafts Ridgway Rendezvous, the Town Park is also popular with locals who enjoy picnics under the shade of the park’s century-old cottonwood trees. A walking/bike trail leading from the park heads north, along the Uncompahgre River, crossing over the old railroad bridge where the narrow gauge once ran to Montrose. (There are  remnants of Ridgway’s railroad past everywhere you look.)