Ridgway
Ridgway is the friendly little crossroads town where Highway 550 meets Highway 62, with the jagged Sneffels Range filling the sky to the south. It’s a movie-set Western town, a railroad town and an outdoor town all at once, and one of the best stops on the San Juan Skyway.
Ridgway, Colorado: True Grit Town on the San Juan Skyway
Ridgway was laid out in 1890 by the Rio Grande Southern Railroad as its headquarters and hub, and the town was formally established a year later, named for railroad founder Robert M. Ridgway. It survived the 1893 silver crash, two big fires, the Depression, the end of the railroad and even a plan to flood the town site for a reservoir, earning the nickname “the town that would not die.” Hollywood helped put it back on the map: scenes from How the West Was Won (1962) and the original True Grit (1969) with John Wayne were filmed here. Today about 1,000 people live in town, which is a state-certified creative district.
Start at the Ridgway Railroad Museum at 200 N. Railroad Street, where you can wander the outdoor rail yard for free any time and see Galloping Goose No. 4, one of the Rio Grande Southern’s famous motorcars, and a re-created Motor No. 1. In season, volunteers give rides on the museum’s half-mile loop track. Then grab a burger at the True Grit Café on North Lena Street, opened on New Year’s Eve 1985 to honor the film and packed with John Wayne memorabilia, and stroll the riverside path along the Uncompahgre River.
Just north of town, Ridgway State Park wraps around the reservoir completed in 1987, with boating, fishing, trails and camping beneath the Sneffels Range. Insider tip: Ridgway sits about 10 miles north of Ouray, so you can sleep here, soak in nearby hot springs and spend your days on Box Canyon Falls or the drive over Dallas Divide toward Telluride.
Photo Gallery
Photo credits: Ridgway, Colorado and the Uncompahgre Valley by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0); Ridgway, Colorado by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0); Ridgway,Colorado by SkiVillage (CC BY-SA 3.0); Uncompahgre River at Ridgway by Jeffrey Beall (CC BY 4.0); Riverpath by SoCal L.A. (CC BY-SA 3.0); Galloping Goose 898 by Gillfoto (CC BY-SA 4.0); Galloping Goose 905 by Gillfoto (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ridgway – Sneffels Range [Sneffels Range from Highway 550 near Ridgway] by Murray Foubister (CC BY-SA 2.0); Sneffels Range and Ridgway Reservoir [Ridgway Reservoir, Ridgway State Park] by Wikimedia Commons contributor (CC BY-SA 4.0). Images via Wikimedia Commons.
News & Events
The Ridgway Railroad Museum’s outdoor collection stays free and open to view all winter, and its Galloping Goose No. 4 and Motor No. 1 rides return on Fridays and Saturdays in the warmer months (the 2026 season ran 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Ridgway State Park is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round, with a $10–$15 daily vehicle pass. The Ridgway Visitor Center on Racecourse Road is closed for the season and typically reopens on Memorial Day. Check ridgwaycolorado.com for events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was True Grit filmed in Ridgway, Colorado?
Yes. According to the Town of Ridgway, the 1969 film True Grit starring John Wayne was filmed in and around town, as was How the West Was Won (1962). The True Grit Café on North Lena Street celebrates that history.
Is the Ridgway Railroad Museum free?
Yes. There is no charge to visit, and the outdoor rail yard at 200 N. Railroad Street can be viewed at any time. Donations are welcome, and rides on Galloping Goose No. 4 and Motor No. 1 run on Fridays and Saturdays in season.
What is there to do in Ridgway, Colorado?
See the railroad museum and Galloping Goose, eat at the True Grit Café, walk the Uncompahgre River path, visit the Ouray County Ranch History Museum, and boat, fish or camp at Ridgway State Park. It’s also a great base for the San Juan Skyway.
How far is Ridgway from Ouray and Telluride?
Ridgway is about 10 miles north of Ouray on Highway 550. Telluride is reached by heading west on Highway 62 over Dallas Divide, about an hour’s drive.
What is near Ridgway?
Ouray and the Ouray Hot Springs Pool are just up the road, Box Canyon Falls Park is in Ouray, and Telluride is over Dallas Divide.
The Ridgway Railroad Museum is at 200 N. Railroad St., Ridgway, CO 81432, and the seasonal Ridgway Visitor Center is at 150 Racecourse Rd. Call (970) 626-5181 or visit ridgwaycolorado.com.