Experience sweeping vistas of the San Juan Mountains and the lush river valley ranches below. Take in amazing mountain sunsets as you grill out on the spacious deck. Unwind at night with a glass of wine in the hot tub as the Milky Way arches across the mountain ranges. These are just some of the many rewards for choosing Red Rock Overlook as your vacation getaway near Ouray.
*If staying during snow months (mid-October to mid-April), you must have a 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicle with good winter tires for our long, steep driveway.*
The 2-bedroom, 2-bath home sits 150 feet above the Uncompahgre River Valley 6 miles north of Ouray and 4 miles south of Ridgway, Colorado. The 5 acre property is carved out of the red rock mountainside in mature Pinyon and Juniper forestland. The east side of the property is BLM land, so long hikes around the property are unlimited. The closest neighbors are about 1/3 mile away but way below us, so they can't see us and we can't see them.
We (the owners) spend a month or two in the spring and fall at Red Rock Overlook. However, we are booking the rest of the year for our vacation rental guests.
The house has an open kitchen, open great room (living room and dining room) with large windows looking south and west onto the 13,000 ft San Juan peaks. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you'll need to create memorable meals. The dining area easily seats six. The living area is comfortable and has a large flat screen TV with Apple TV, surround sound, WiFi connectivity, and DVD.
There are 2 bedrooms, each with a full bathroom. The master bedroom has a king bed and the second bedroom a queen bed. The great room sofa has a queen sleeper. Six guests can stay comfortably. We have central air conditioning. The side-entry mudroom is equipped with new high-efficiency washer and dryer for getting those muddy hiking clothes or wet ski clothes turned around fast.
The home's location midway between Ouray and Ridgway makes it ideally situated to access all the activities in the area conveniently, while retaining the solitude of a remote setting with no neighbors other than bighorn sheep, deer, and elk.
Activities within 5 to 15 minutes drive include: Ouray Hot Springs waterpark, Orvis Hot Springs and Spa, rock climbing and the Ouray Via Ferrata and the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata, ice climbing at the world-famous Ouray Ice Park, a multitude of hiking trails for all levels, Jeep/4WD trails, world-class fishing, Ridgway State Park & reservoir, cross country skiing, horseback riding, mine tours, and innumerable scenic drives into the mountains of the "Switzerland of America."
Within an hour's drive: Telluride with its extensive ski slopes and summer festivals, the Million Dollar Highway to the old mining town of Silverton with its narrow-gauge railroad, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and Owl Creek Pass and Silver Jack Reservoir in the Cimarron Mountains.
It should be noted that our gravel/dirt driveway is a little over 1/4 mile long and has an average grade of about 10% (climbs approximately 150 ft) with some bends in it. We have had road motorcycle guests tell us that it is difficult to negotiate with heavy road bikes. There is a large flat gravel parking area behind the house.