If you are a big fan of road trips like me, the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado offers an adventurous ride with spectacular views. You can make traveling this route even more thrilling by riding onboard the sleek and sexy Polaris Slingshot. Driving on the scenic road that’s cut from the mountainside in this open air 3-wheeled motorcylce made me feel like a bit of a daredevil!
While it is not a long-distance route, navigating the exciting terrain with sheer cliffs and narrow roads makes the ride a memorable one. The best part is that you can stop at various places along the way to explore the area, see sightseeing attractions, and admire the picturesque landscape.
If you enjoy a good road adventure, it’s easy to plan a drive on this highway and other roads around America by booking a ride with Polaris Adventures.
Polaris Slingshot Adventure: Driving Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway
About Polaris Adventures
By organizing ride and drive experiences all over America that combine interesting terrains with unique vehicles, Polaris Adventures in collaboration with various excellent outfitters (like Rock Pirate Backcountry Adventures in Coloraado!) elevates travel experiences on the road. There are travel options for families, couples or groups across age groups and skill levels. They are focused on safe, memorable adventures and making experiences like these accessible to everyone, all ages.
You can ride on roads that are easy to travel, and also those that are a bit more challenging to drive on. Open air roadsters, Polaris Slingshot, and two and four-seater RZRs are some of the cool vehicles used for exploring various roads during trips. (I also did an off-roading adventure on the RZR—story to come!).
The Million Dollar Highway Slingshot adventure that I was on is one of the road experience organized by Polaris Adventures in association with Rock Pirates Backcountry Adventure in Silverton, Colorado.
MORE INFORMATION
- You can opt for a full day, half day or two-hour tour that takes you on an exhilarating ride through various places including mountain towns while navigating three high mountain passes. Book a tour here or just rent one by the hour to explore on your own.
- Safety and guidance are given prime priority by the outfitters resulting in a memorable ride.
- You must be 25 years or older with a regular driving license to operate this vehicle.
- While the highway is open around the year, Polaris Adventures offers summer and fall tours.
- If you’re in Silverton for a longer length of time outfitters Rock Pirate Backcountry Adventures also offers fun Polaris RZR off-roading tours: from exploring Animas Ghost town to a full day on the Alpine Loop.
What is a Polaris Slingshot
An electrifying ride in a Polaris Slingshot on the San Juan Scenic Byway, better known as the Million Dollar Highway, gives your trip an added edge. Imagine making your way through the mountainous route in an open-air vehicle designed for two—be prepared for plenty of stares! The street-legal 3-wheeled motorcycle with a five-speed manual transmission is a vehicle you can drive on public roads. A sleek design with no roof and doors gives you a thrill that you seek on the roads. It’s like a Ferrari that can go over speed bumps!
I was initially worried about the stick shift, since I hadn’t driven one for years, but it came back to me quickly and this one was smooth as butter.
The Slingshot comes equipped with useful technology including a multi-touch display system and phone connectivity. I could hook up my favorite playlist and rock out to it the entire ride!
Before starting the ride, the local outfitter ensures all safety precautions including helmet and eye protection are issued, as well as explaining operation and maintenance guidelines. It is advisable to bring sunglasses and sunscreen.
Million Dollar Highway
The Million Dollar Highway is a 25 mile section of U.S Route 550, from Silverton to Ouray in Coloraado. It was initially built in the 1880s, and offers one of the most thrilling road experiences. The highway is part of the San Juan Skyway that snakes its way through the San Juan mountains passing through Dolores, Telluride and Durango.
You will go up and down three mountain passes – the Coal Bank Pass, the Molas Pass and the Red Mountain Pass during a ride on this route. All three have an elevation of more than 10,000 feet (3000 m) each. In certain areas, watch out for steep drops, hairpin bends and absence of guardrails. Keep your eyes on the road during the tricky sections, and admire the stunning vistas during the easy portions of the drive.
As you move along the two-lane route hugging the mountain-side, you can see forests, lakes, waterfalls, and much more. Plus, there are enough twists and turns to make my heart beat fast (in a good way) along the route.
Stops Along the Million Dollar Highway
Whether you choose your drive in summer or all Fall, you can stop at viewpoints along the way to take in the scenery and click some great photos. Throughout my entire trip there were splendid landscapes, charming towns, remains of gold and silver mining settlements, rugged mountain passes, rivers, forest areas and even some animal life.
We started at Rock Pirates shop in the old mining town of Silverton, a quaint place which takes you on a trip down history lane. I felt like I was plopped into the wild, wild west!
At Red Mountain Pass, you can admire the beautiful red-color mountain. Awe-inspiring views of canyons, gushing river, and cliffs at Uncompahgre Gorge are another must-see on this route.
Among the most popular stops is the scenic town of Ouray that has picturesque views and interesting sights. Attractions here include Box Canyon Falls, hot springs, mountain vistas, and lovely views of the town. The route also travels along the San Juan National Forest area in Durango.
Basically, there are breathtaking views everywhere that will compel you to stop and take in the sights.
A ride on the Million Dollar Highway in a Polaris Slingshot is just what I needed to bring out my adventurous side. It is challenging and occasionally scary but totally worth it for the unmatched experience and superb views.
For every person out there looking for thrilling road experiences and eventful journeys, head to Colorado for a one in a million ride! Strap in for an unforgettable time on the two-lane highway aboard a Polaris Slingshot.
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Great article with lots of good images. Thanks for sharing this information!!
Nice — love my Slingshot…. :)