Ouray Weekend — Ouray, Colorado#

Dates: Sat Aug 22 – Sun Aug 23, 2026 From: Salt Lake City, UT Distance: ~370 mi each way (~6 hrs driving) Style: Hotel in town, Telluride-centered return day Purpose: Telluride, Black Canyon, and a realistic route home

Ouray sits in a box canyon at 7,800 feet, walled in on three sides by the San Juans — the reason it gets called the Switzerland of America. Two waterfalls are inside town limits. The Million Dollar Highway climbs south out of it over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton, and Molas Pass is where you got engaged.

The original plan was a relaxed waterfall-and-highway weekend. For Sunday's return, Telluride is the centerpiece, Black Canyon is the second priority, and Colorado National Monument is optional if the clock and energy allow it.

See also: Colorado

Day 1 — Drive in, Ouray night#

Supplies on the drive. If the route runs down US-6 through Price, the Walmart Supercenter there is open until 11 PM and is roughly the halfway mark. Snacks, drinks, toiletries, swimsuit gear — anything forgotten. Better than a special shopping trip once in Ouray.

On arrival. Check in, unpack, shower, decompress. Nothing else is planned.

Dinner#

Late arrival is likely, so ordered by closing time:

After dinner the night is intentionally empty — hotel room, drinks, sleep.

Tonight — Can you fly the drone at Molas Overlook?#

Probably yes from the main Molas Pass recreation/overlook area, but that is not an automatic yes. Verify the exact launch point in an FAA-approved B4UFLY provider before taking off. The Forest Service identifies the area around the pass as National Forest land, but nearby wilderness designations and local restrictions still matter.

The Molas Pass Wilderness Study Area and Weminuche Wilderness are nearby. The overlook faces wilderness terrain, so do not launch or land from designated wilderness and do not assume that every visible landscape is an allowed operating location.

If you go back tonight:

1. Park at the main Molas Pass overlook/recreation area. Do not hike off into wilderness to find a launch point.
2. Open an FAA-approved B4UFLY provider and check the exact pin for temporary flight restrictions, controlled airspace, and any other notices.
3. Stay below 400 feet above ground level, keep the drone within visual line of sight, and yield immediately to any aircraft.
4. If the drone weighs 250 g / 0.55 lb or more, confirm that it is registered and Remote ID compliant, and complete TRUST for recreational flying.
5. Night operations add requirements. Confirm the current FAA recreational rules, lighting requirements, and the relevant community-based organization's guidance before flying after dark.

Given that it is already around 9 PM, I would save the drone shots for tomorrow morning. There will be usable light, easier visual line of sight, and much better footage.

Sunday — Telluride, Black Canyon, then home#

With a 10:00 AM departure from Ouray, make Telluride the centerpiece and keep Black Canyon. Treat Colorado National Monument as optional. Trying to fully do all three plus the gondola makes a 10:00 PM return unrealistic.

10:00 AM — Leave Ouray#

Drive Ouray → Ridgway → Telluride.

Around 11:10 AM — Arrive Telluride#

Spend about 90 minutes here.

11:10–11:40 AM — Walk downtown#

Walk Colorado Avenue through historic downtown. The mountain wall at the end of the street makes this worth doing even without shopping.

If you want food to take with you, The Butcher & The Baker is directly downtown and is open today until 2 PM.

11:40 AM–12:35 PM — Free gondola#

Walk to the Telluride gondola station and ride:

Telluride → San Sophia → Mountain Village

The gondola is free, the Telluride-to-Mountain Village trip takes about 12 minutes, and it operates today from 6:30 AM until midnight.

Definitely get out at San Sophia. That is the big panoramic view over Telluride. You do not need to spend much time in Mountain Village; look around briefly and ride back.

12:45 PM — Leave Telluride#

Around 2:45 PM — Black Canyon of the Gunnison#

The South Rim Road is currently open, so this stop works today. Check the National Park Service current conditions before leaving.

Give yourselves about 60–75 minutes, not several hours. This is a scenic driving tour with short walks to overlooks, not a hiking visit.

Stops, in priority order:

1. Gunnison Point
2. Pulpit Rock
3. Chasm View
4. Painted Wall — highest priority

Keep the drone packed away inside Black Canyon National Park. Drone use is prohibited there.

Around 4:00 PM — Leave Black Canyon#

Then make a decision#

This is where the clock matters.

Option A — Recommended: get home around 10 PM#

From Black Canyon, work northwest toward Grand Junction and then take I-70 toward Utah. Grab quick food in Grand Junction rather than doing another attraction.

Expected Salt Lake arrival is roughly 9:45–10:30 PM, depending on traffic and how long you spend earlier. This is the version to choose.

Option B — More Colorado, later arrival#

If you reach Grand Junction ahead of schedule and still have energy, add Colorado National Monument.

Rim Rock Drive is currently open. Check the National Park Service current conditions before committing to the detour. Do not drive the whole thing slowly; give yourselves 30–45 minutes and hit:

• Independence Monument viewpoint
• Grand View
• Coke Ovens

Then continue toward Salt Lake. Expected arrival is probably 10:45–11:30 PM, so the monument is a bonus, not part of the required itinerary.

Today's plan at a glance#

Today's priorities are Telluride and the gondola first, Painted Wall at Black Canyon second, and home around 10 third. Colorado National Monument is what to cut if the clock starts getting away from you.

Practical Notes#

• Return-time reality check. Grand Junction to Salt Lake City is a long final drive, typically more than four hours before dinner, traffic, fuel, or a drone stop. The 10:00 PM goal is aggressive with the full itinerary above; the schedule should be treated as a set of cut points, not a guarantee.
• Red Mountain Pass has no guardrails over long stretches and steep drop-offs. Fine in clear late-August weather; a different proposition in rain or low cloud.
• Silverton is the only real services stop between Ouray and Molas Pass. Fuel up before the pass.
• National Park Service drone rule. Do not launch, land, or operate a drone from Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park or Colorado National Monument. Check the same-day rules for every proposed launch point.
• High elevation and weather. Molas Pass is above 10,000 feet. Wind can be severe, battery life is shorter, and afternoon storms can arrive quickly. Be conservative.

Reference#

• Box Cañon Falls
• Million Dollar Highway
• Ouray city parks
• FAA recreational flyers
• FAA B4UFLY airspace resources
• NPS policy on unmanned aircraft