At a Glance
- Season: December–April
- Gear Rentals: Available in Town
- Difficulty: Easy to Strenuous
- Dog Friendly: Most Routes
Best Snowshoe Routes Near Ouray
The Perimeter Trail is a favorite winter snowshoe loop — it's wide, well-tracked, and offers continuous canyon views without serious avalanche exposure. The Box Canyon area also makes for a magical winter walk when ice coats the gorge walls.
For a longer outing, the road to Yankee Boy Basin (closed to vehicles in winter) becomes a pristine snowshoe highway through dense spruce forest, opening to wide alpine snowfields in the upper basin.
Safety and Avalanche Awareness
The San Juans receive significant snowfall and have active avalanche terrain above treeline. Always check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecast before heading into the backcountry in winter.
Stick to lower-angle terrain and established tracks if you're new to winter travel. Local guide services offer avalanche safety courses and guided winter tours for those wanting to venture higher.
After the Snowshoe
Return from the trail, rinse your boots, and walk five minutes to the Ouray Hot Springs for a restorative soak — the perfect end to a winter day in the mountains. The Lumberyard Condos has heated living spaces and full kitchens for warming meals.
Dogs love the snow, and our condos welcome them warmly. Book your winter getaway at ouraycondos.com.