Western Slope
Ridgway, Colorado
Ridgway sits in Ouray County. For property records, taxes, vehicle work, and most local services, start with the county tied to the exact address.
- Place type
- Incorporated municipality
- County footprint
- Ouray
- Colorado region
- Western Slope
A nearby story: Mount Sneffels sits in a wilderness, reached by a rough basin road
Official office shortcuts
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These links go to the official county or regional office. Check that page for current documents, fees, hours, appointments, and address-specific instructions.
Ouray County
Local reading
Notes from Ouray County
These notes may cover the wider county as well as Ridgway. Open the note to see the exact place and source behind it.
Cars and driving - Ouray County
The Million Dollar Highway is a real mountain road, not a scenic shortcut
US 550 over Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton is a steep, narrow mountain highway that can close in winter, so it deserves planning rather than a casual drive.
Read note ->Local rules - Ouray County
Short-term rental rules in Ouray County depend on the jurisdiction
Short-term rentals are regulated separately by the City of Ouray, the Town of Ridgway, and Ouray County, so the rules for a property depend on which jurisdiction it sits in.
Read note ->Outdoors and wildfire - Ouray County
Mount Sneffels sits in a wilderness, reached by a rough basin road
Mount Sneffels is a 14er inside the Mount Sneffels Wilderness southwest of Ouray, and the usual approach climbs Camp Bird Road through Yankee Boy Basin on a steep, high-clearance route.
Read note ->Cars and driving - Ouray County
Ouray's high passes turn a Jeep into a way over the mountains
Ouray bills itself as the Jeep Capital of America, and rugged seasonal four-wheel-drive routes like Imogene Pass and Black Bear Pass climb over the San Juans toward Telluride.
Read note ->Water and land - Ouray County
Out in the county, 'has a well' is a question worth checking
Rural Ouray County parcels often rely on wells, but a well permit comes with conditions and the state administers water here through Division 4, so the permit details matter.
Read note ->Outdoors and wildfire - Ouray County
Ouray made an ice park by spraying spare city water into a gorge
The free Ouray Ice Park grows climbable ice along the Uncompahgre Gorge using the city's leftover spring water, piped through shower heads and run by a nonprofit a short walk from downtown.
Read note ->Outdoors and wildfire - Ouray County
Ridgway State Park is the county's big water-and-trails hub
Ridgway State Park sits along the Uncompahgre River just north of Ridgway with a reservoir, campgrounds, and trails, and like other Colorado state parks it has its own pass and rules.
Read note ->Cars and driving - Ouray County
The Alpine Loop is a scenic byway you mostly drive in four-wheel drive
The Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway links Ouray, Silverton, and Lake City over Engineer and Cinnamon passes, and the high sections need a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Read note ->Sources and review
Where this place listing comes from
Colorado's State Demography Office maintains the incorporated municipality roster and the county relationships used on this page.
Use this carefully: A mailing address can use a city or town name even when the property is outside that municipality. Confirm the exact address before relying on a local rule.
More local guides
Keep exploring this part of Colorado
These fuller guides add local character, practical checks, and official links for places in the same county or region.