Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · United States
Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway)
United States · US-550
One of the most intimidating and exhilarating ribbons of tarmac on the continent. Carved directly out of the vertical cliffs of the Uncompahgre Gorge with zero guardrails and precipitous 1,000-foot sheer drops, it summits Red Mountain Pass at 11,018 feet amidst rust-red mining tailing peaks. Demands absolute lane discipline, smooth throttle control, and steady nerves through steep-grade switchbacks.
Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway) runs 23.5 miles between Ouray, CO and Silverton, CO. We count about 145 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. A hard road that rewards experience and punishes bravado.
Tank-bag quick reference
- StartOuray, CO38.0228, -107.6715
- High7,792 ft - 11,018 ft (Red Mountain Pass)elevation range
- EndSilverton, CO37.8119, -107.6645
T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.
Repair within reach
- 54 miDurango Harley-Davidson & Handlebar PowersportsDurango, United States
Straight-line distance from the start of the route, not driving distance.
More in United States
- California Route 36 - '140 Miles of Curves'140 mi · 1800 corners
- Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia Ridge & Peaks of Otter)176 mi · 620 corners
- Blue Ridge Parkway (Southern High Peaks Section)129 mi · 580 corners
- The Snake 421 (Holston Mountain Pass)33 mi · 489 corners
- Coronado Trail (The Devil's Highway)92 mi · 460 corners
- Lolo Pass (Lewis and Clark Highway)132 mi · 450 corners
Questions riders ask
- How long does Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway) take to ride?
- About 23 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 1 hour of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.
- Where does Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway) start and end?
- It runs between Ouray, CO and Silverton, CO. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.
- Is Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway) a twisty road?
- We count about 145 corners across 23 miles, which is consistently bendy.
- Is there a GPX file for Million Dollar Highway (San Juan Skyway)?
- Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.
Where these numbers come from
Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.