Visit Ouray, Colorado, the "Switzerland of America"

There are many beautiful places to see in the United States, but in my opinion, none are as beautiful as Ouray, Colorado and the mountains surrounding it. It is known as "The Switzerland of America" because of the picturesque mountains surrounding the town. It sits at about 7800 feet in altitude, completely surrounded by 13,000 plus and 14,000 plus foot peaks.

THE HISTORY OF OURAY
Ouray has a rich geographical history. Millions of years ago, the mountains that now surround Ouray formed from massive volcanic activities. Within the last couple of million years, ice formed along the San Juan mountains surrounding Ouray. The volcanic activies around the region are responsible for the recreational opportunities and natural beauty that are present today.

As explained on the http://ouraycolorado.com website, Centuries before the white men arrived, a nomadic band, the Tabeguache Ute, traveled to this rich setting in the summer, to hunt the flourishing game and to soak in what they referred to as the "sacred miracle waters". Even back then, it was a known fact that the springs beneath much of Ouray were therapeutic. In fact, the town's original name was "Uncompahgre", the Ute word for "hot water springs". The Ute's served as guides for expeditions seeking passage through the southern Rockies in the 1700s. These Spanish explorers named this mountainous range the San Juan Mountains. The Spaniards had no interest in settling such a harsh climate. It was the miners, rushing into the region in the late 1800's in search of silver and gold, which forever changed the face of the San Juan Mountains. Many of the country roads recreationists enjoy today are former access routes that the miners developed more than a hundred years ago. The century old towns of Red Mountain Town, Animas Forks, Sneffels, and Mineral Point, all ghost towns, as well as abandoned mines along the way, are evidence of the roots of this region.