Ouray Ice Festival Transportation

Hey guys,

My buddy and I were planning on going to the Ouray Ice Festival in January. We're flying in from New York. Ideally, we would prefer not to rent a car. It seems that flying to Denver is the cheapest option, but getting to Ouray is the issue. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Rent a car

sandrock wrote:

Rent a car

How about a a different response than wasting my time?

Rent a truck.

If you want to avoid renting a car then carpool or rent a blimp. Rent the blimp. Best way to see Colorado. 

Here is an option that would be a hassle: take  Colorado Mountain Express. Ski shuttle from DIA to Glenwood.$92. you could take an Amtrack train from Union Station to Glenwood, which would cost about the same but take double the time.  From Glenwood take a Greyhound bus to Grand Junction $$40, from there take a RoadRunner Express bus to Ridgeway$16. From Ridgeway your options are limited, hitchhike, rideshare might not be an option, or walk the 10 miles to Ouray. So for two people to go one-way is $300 and that's not even getting you to Ouray. The busses are limited schedules too...

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Denver/Ouray

jleining wrote:

Here is an option that would be a hassle: take  Colorado Mountain Express. Ski shuttle from DIA to Glenwood.$92. you could take an Amtrack train from Union Station to Glenwood, which would cost about the same but take double the time.  From Glenwood take a Greyhound bus to Grand Junction $$40, from there take a RoadRunner Express bus to Ridgeway$16. From Ridgeway your options are limited, hitchhike, rideshare might not be an option, or walk the 10 miles to Ouray. So for two people to go one-way is $300 and that's not even getting you to Ouray. The busses are limited schedules too...

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Denver/Ouray

Thank you for the valuable information. I think I need to suck it up and rent a car. Will probably cost more, but less of a hassle. 

Flying to Montrose is easy, plenty of flights, and usually doesn't add much, if any cost, over Denver. Then get a hold of Andy at Western Slope Rides and you'll be cheaply and quickly on your way to Ouray. 

Patrick Ormond wrote:

Flying to Montrose is easy, plenty of flights, and usually doesn't add much, if any cost, over Denver. Then get a hold of Andy at Western Slope Rides and you'll be cheaply and quickly on your way to Ouray. 

That's an awesome idea. Flight may cost more but no rental car fee. Short shuttle right to Ouray. And we could probably tag along with a group to the event. I think we'll end up doing that. 

Thanks Patrick!

Rent a van.

jk

If you fly into Denver take a Greyhound to Grand Junction, from there take the Roadrunner to Ridgeway, from there take a taxi to Ouray. I paid like $16 for said taxi last february.

http://roadrunnerstagelines.com/route/

Amazing what those google searches can do. 

If you can make it to Colorado Springs then you can probably hitch a ride with us for a short fee. I normally wouldn't charge but we're going as a group carpool so everybody is pitching in. 

From DIA you could get a local BUS to the Greyhound, and this to Grand Junction. From Grand Junction, you can call these guys gowsr.com (out of Ridgway) But all said and done, it might be even more expensive at the end than flying into Montrose. True you don't need a car once in Ouray. Good luck!

hi Adam,

When are you flying in and out. I am going to the festival too, i live in Boulder and would be happy to split gas. Send me a PM and we can talk dates.

Yura 

Another vote for flying into Montrose - you're just a few inches of snow from not being able to make the drive to Ouray from Denver that time of year.