The San Juan Mountains are one of those places where scale and remoteness are impossible to ignore — long ridgelines above treeline, sharp peaks, deep basins, and a landscape shaped by both geology and mining history. It’s a range that feels raw, demanding, and incredibly rewarding.
After extensive research and spending weeks backpacking through the San Juans, I’ve put together this guide to share a continuous, car-free route that links what I consider the most beautiful and iconic parts of the range — from Elk Creek and the Continental Divide to Handies Peak, Cascade Mountain, Ouray, Mt. Sneffels, Telluride, and finally the Colorado Trail all the way to Durango.
This guide is built around one long traverse, split into three distinct stages. Together they form a complete two-week journey through the heart of the San Juan Mountains, but each stage can also be hiked on its own. Every section is described in detail, stage by stage, with distances, elevation gain and loss, camping notes, water considerations, and navigation guidance.
What’s inside
• One complete three-stage backpacking route through the San Juan Mountains
Stage 1 – Elk Creek to Ouray
Stage 2 – Ouray to Telluride
Stage 3 – Telluride to Durango
• Detailed stage-by-stage descriptions with distance, elevation, water notes, and camping suggestions
• Custom Google Maps with trailheads, campsites, key junctions, resupply points, and transport access
• Downloadable GPX files for the entire route
• Logistics and planning information — transportation, train access, resupply strategy, and town access
• Essential information on safety, altitude, weather, water management, and wildlife
• Clear explanations of permits, regulations, private land sections, and fire restrictions
Also included
• When to go — seasonal considerations, snow conditions, thunderstorms, and shoulder-season risks
• Gear considerations — shelter, water capacity, traction, and safety equipment for high alpine terrain
• Resupply strategies for Ouray, Telluride, and Durango
• Transportation details including airports, hitchhiking options, and the Durango–Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
• Extra things to see and do in Ouray, Telluride, Silverton, and Durango
The entire guide is designed to be readable on any phone or tablet without zooming in.
Maps, tables, and layouts are optimized for small screens, making it easy to plan, navigate, and reference on the trail — even offline.
This isn’t a casual overview. It’s a field guide built from research, planning, and real time spent in the mountains — long climbs at altitude, exposed ridgelines, dry stretches, and the kind of decisions you only understand once you’re out there.
It’s meant for experienced backpackers who value preparation, quiet trails, and moving through big mountain terrain in a self-sufficient way.
Watch parts of this route and related films here:
YouTube.com/HarmenHoek
