Up the Mountains and Through the Woods to Silverton, CO We Go!
- Aly & JT
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
We were told to take a “short trip” to break in the new RV, just in case we needed help while figuring out life in our house on wheels. But when you’re in Texas, escaping the heat doesn’t exactly come with short options. So, we did what we do best and planned a trip in five hours and hit the road the very next day… all the way to Silverton, Colorado. Impulsive? Maybe. Worth it? Absolutely.
Day 1: Arrive at the Silverton Lakes RV Park & Cabins
After 16 hours of driving and one glamorous night in a Walmart parking lot, we finally landed at Silverton Lakes RV Park & Cabins. We picked it for the location, walking distance to town, which was key since we didn’t exactly bring a spare set of wheels.
And honestly? It was perfect. Friendly owners, mountain views for days, and somehow still peaceful even with neighbors close by. Our first night was all about “moving in”, aka wrestling with hookups, pretending we knew what we were doing, and then rewarding ourselves with a "homemade" meal. No big plans, no schedule, just us, our little house on wheels, and a whole lot of mountain air.
Day 2: Ice Lake and Island Lake Loop Hike
I’ve always wanted to tackle a long hike, and today was the day, no agenda, just pure miles. We set our sights on the Ice Lake and Island Lake Loop. From the very first step, it was uphill, and it stayed that way for 3,114 feet. We like to think of ourselves as “relatively athletic,” but let’s be real, our lungs were burning, calves screaming, and the weather couldn’t make up its mind: hot, cold, hot, cold. The only constant was that every step came with a new, jaw-dropping view. We went counterclockwise and hit Island Lake first, a stunning turquoise bowl with its own tiny island in the middle. Everything we read said to visit this one first, and they were right: had we gone to Ice Lake first, this would’ve felt like the “opening act.” Instead, it was the perfect spot for a quick lunch with a view. From there, we scrambled (literally) across the mountainside to Ice Lake. Not the easiest climb, but actually kind of fun. And then we turned the corner. BOOM. Ice Lake came into view and stopped us in our tracks. Out of all the lakes we’ve seen, this one was next-level blue; it almost didn’t look real. It’s more popular, so after grabbing a few photos, we found a quiet spot off to the side and just soaked it all in. Of course, what goes up must come down… and let me tell you, downhill is its own beast. Knees cracking, feet aching, and at one point, JT even took a tumble (graceful recovery, though). After 5 hours and 53 minutes, 8.1 miles, and about a thousand “that hurt,” we finally made it back. Shoes off, legs throbbing, but feeling every bit accomplished, and honestly, rewarded with one of the best hikes we’ve ever done.
Day 3: Ouray and Imogene Pass
In case you didn't know, we are Jeep people. With this being our first trip with the RV, we weren't brave enough to hitch up our own Jeep, so we rented one. Ours is no slouch, with some decent upgrades, but what we rented was a BEAST! Your regular Jeep Rubicon has enough stock upgrades to go just about anywhere. When you add a 2.5-inch lift kit, beefed-up suspension, and 37" tires, you create a monster meant to be taken out and played with. We were up early to beat the construction road closure to visit Ouray. Unfortunately, with our early arrival, very few places were open. We did find a small coffee shop to enjoy a warm beverage and morning snack to kill time. It didn't take us long to walk the shops of Main St. Although quaint, it's just not that big an area to fill a day. Which leads us back to the Jeep. Jim at High Desert suggested a good trail nearby for us to take our temporary toy out to see what it could do. Undeterred by the "this is a trail not to be taken lightly" caption in the trail book provided, the trailhead for Imogene Pass started just outside of town.
From the start of the trail the incline was no joke. But as we made our way up the mountain on the fairly wide and smooth gravel road, we passed a few "street" vehicles and thought to ourselves, "it can't be that bad if they are out here." They must have turned around at some point, because what we climbed up in our souped-up ride was NOT to be taken lightly! Crawling along at a snail's pace in "4 Low", several spots took every inch of clearance we had to get over the rocks and crevices. The biggest butt puckers had us practically on two wheels with nothing but the steep edge of the mountain to look down until we climbed over the obstacles. A little more than 3 hours later, over the rocks and through the puddles, we reached the summit, 13,114 ft above sea level, at the top of the second highest pass accessible by vehicle in Colorado. Now THAT was worth the money! Also, probably the craziest (and coolest) off-road experience ever. Gotta love Jeeps. To save time and nerves, our path home continued down the other side of the mountain, passed Tomboy Ghost Town, and into Telluride. It was an uneventful drive back to Silverton (on a normal highway) to relinquish our wheels, but our one day on the trail made amazing memories.
Day 4: Downtown Silverton
On our final day, we traded hiking boots for a “leisurely” plan...aka sleeping in and heading to the "big city" of Silverton. We wandered the streets and ducked into nearly every shop that was open. Of course, we went full tourist mode. Yep, we bought the T-shirt, stickers, and magnets. But here’s the thing… almost every store looked like it had been copied and pasted. Same mugs, same huckleberry candies, same quirky T-shirts. We kept hoping the next shop would surprise us, but it was basically déjà vu with a different door. Still, we laughed it off and enjoyed the stroll. We wandered historic Blair Street, grabbed a hearty lunch under the aspens at Kendall Mountain Café, and then wrapped things up with the San Juan County Historical Museum. Housed in the town’s original jail, the museum was surprisingly impressive, packed with mining history, old photographs, and artifacts that really brought Silverton’s rough-and-tumble past to life. It ended up being the highlight of the day and the perfect way to close out our trip.
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