Get A Guide

Getting a guide for an outdoor adventure in Ouray, Colorado opens the door to a world of exhilarating experiences across diverse terrains. Whether you're scaling rock walls, navigating the thrilling heights of a via ferrata, or testing your limits with ice climbing in the famous Ouray Ice Park, a local guide ensures you have expert support every step of the way. For winter enthusiasts, backcountry skiing and mountain ascents offer unforgettable challenges, while canyoning provides an exciting blend of rappelling, scrambling, and exploring hidden gorges. With so much to do—from rock climbing to hiking alpine trails—a professional guide enhances your adventure, offering safety, insider knowledge, and the chance to truly immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the San Juan Mountains.

Guided Adventures

  • 14ers

  • Backcountry Skiing

  • Backpacking

  • Expeditions

  • Hiking

  • Hut Trips (hike & ski)

  • Ice Climbing

  • Jeep Tours

  • Rock Climbing

  • Via Ferratas

  • White Water Canyoning

Guides, Lessons, and Rentals

  • Three people by frozen waterfalls

    Basecamp Ouray

    Basecamp Ouray is about connecting people to the epic outdoors, to other adventurers, and to themselves. Climbing is just the catalyst. We are local guides with established roots in the community.

    * All levels welcome

    * Walk-ins welcome

    * Rentals available

    Adventures Offered:

    - Gold Mountain Via Ferrata

    - Ice Climbing

    - Rock Climbing

    - Ouray Via Ferrata's

    630 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427

    970-318-9828

    info@basecampouray.com

  • Four people smiling in front of waterfall

    Canyoning Colorado

    At Canyoning Colorado we take your fun seriously without compromising your safety. Or is it the other way around? Either way you read it, your visit to Ouray will not be complete without a full - or half - day out canyoning with us. Go down some of Ouray's most iconic waterfalls under supervision of professional canyoning instructors.

    *All experience levels welcome

    * Walk-ins welcome (pre-booking recommended)

    Adventure Offered:

    - White Water Canyoning

    630 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427

    970-318-6492

    info@canyoningcolorado.com

  • Skier jumping off mountain cliff

    Cirque Guides

    Cirque Guides are "Your Partner in the Mountains". We are a small guide service owned and exclusively operated by its 3 owners, certified guides who are local residents of the San Juans and have over 60 years of experience combined. Taking pride in individualized instruction and customized mountain and climbing adventures, we are notorious for helping individuals achieve their goals in all things climbing and skiing. Over the last 20 years, Marc, Dan and Elías have gained their reputation amongst the best "one-on-one" instructors and guides. Whether you're curious about ice or rock climbing, or you're an experienced mountaineer seeking a challenging adventure, Cirque Guides will carve the best outing possible in Ouray County and beyond. 

    Adventures Offered:

    - Alpine Ascents

    - Avalanche Courses

    - Backcountry Skiing

    - Backcountry Hut Trips

    - Ice Climbing

    - Rock Climbing

    - Summits & Couloirs

    - Trekking

    - Via Ferrata

    970-633-2469

    info@cirqueguides.com

  • Male ice climber smiling

    Mountain Trip

    Mountain Trip is an AMGA accredited guide service that started in Alaska in 1973. Our highly trained guides bring the stoke on your day out, whether that be ice climbing, backcountry skiing, avalanche education, rock climbing, peak ascents, or the Via Ferrata. Not only do we guide locally, but internationally as well on the world's highest summits. What starts as a half day adventure, could turn into a lifelong partnership of climbing mountains together.

    *Rentals available

    Adventures Offered:

    - Alpine Ascents

    - Avalanche Courses

    - Backcountry Skiing

    - Expeditions

    - Ice Climbing

    - Rock Climbing

    - Trekking

    - Via Ferrata

    801 Main St, Ouray, Co 81427

    970-369-1153

    info@mountaintrip.com

  • girl with ice climbing picks

    Moxie Mountain Guides

    Certified IFMGA Mountain Guides, have been climbing 10+ years, and are looking to spread their knowledge and skill to those who may have never climbed before, to those who are looking to improve on skills, or adventure seekers looking to be shown what Ouray has to offer!

    Moxie Mountain Guides, strive to elevate those from marginalized communities (Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ communities, and climbers of size) so they can experience adventures such as ice climbing, skiing, ski mountaineering, rock climbing, and alpine climbing.

    (970) 239-1869

    info@moxiemountainguides.com

  • Two girls getting ready to ice climb

    San Juan Mountain Guides

    San Juan Mountain Guide's service is based in both Ouray and Durango, Colorado – located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. We offer both open registration courses and custom programs designed to fit individual goals. Custom programs allow us the flexibility to structure the curriculum to meet each person or self-organized group’s specific needs and objectives. Either way, your outdoor experience will be not only instructional, but also personalized and fun.

    *Rentals available

    Adventures Offered:

    - Alpine Ascents

    - Avalanche Courses

    - Backcountry Skiing

    - Expeditions

    - Hut Trips

    - Ice Climbing

    - Rock Climbing

    - Trekking

    - Via Ferrata

    710 Main St, Ouray, CO 81427

    970-946-0713

    info@mtnguide.net

Jeep Tours

  • People in back of black jeep tour

    Alpine Scenic 4x4 Tours

    A family-run business offering GUIDED 4×4 TOURS in the stunning San Juan Mountains, based out of Ouray, Colorado. We are the #1 rated Tour company in the San Juans, and look forward to touring with YOU on your next adventure! Our knowledgable guides share pertinent information on historical sites, geological features, local wildlife, flora/fauna on all of our tours. Safety and comfort are our TOP priorities. Group Tours provide an exciting 4 hours of sightseeing, no matter which destination you choose. All of our group tours include supplemental on-foot excursions to waterfalls, mining ruins, and other attractions along the route.

    970-318-6513

    Pets are allowed

    Car Seats allowed, they have bucket seats with seat belts too

  • People in white jeep tour

    Colorado West Jeep Tours

    Every tour is YOUR tour to customize to where you want to go and what you want to see and do. More time for photos? … No problem. Want more wildflowers? … No problem. Don’t want a history lesson? …No problem. Don’t want to go too high? … No problem. Choose your time. Morning (8 am-noon) and afternoon (1-5 pm) excursions are available. Limited space is available. Two adult person minimum charge. Maximum of four passengers. Larger group? Same prices to book multiple vehicles so you can tour together.

    970-325-4014

    Pets are allowed

    Car seats allowed

  • People riding in a blue jeep

    San Juan Scenic Jeep Tours

    Experience the 1880s and the world of prospectors, adventurers, and mountaineers with your own ride on those high cliff-hanging stage and wagon roads! You can see firsthand the old mining ghost towns above Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, and Lake City with the guides of Colorado's first and original Jeep Tour company.

    (970) 325-0089

    Pets are allowed

    Car seats allowed

  • People in red jeep tour

    Switzerland of America Jeep Tours

    Switzerland of America is a premier provider of guided tours, offering incredible Jeep tours in and around Ouray Colorado at their best. One of our favorite ways to see the San Juan Mountains is with an all-day or half-day guided scenic tour. Each tour begins in Ouray Colorado and quickly climbs into the majestic landscapes of Yankee Boy, Imogene Pass, Black Bear Pass, Engineer Pass, Corkscrew and many more. Whether you are looking for breath-taking mountain vistas, ghost towns, rugged alpine terrain, thundering waterfalls or fields of colorful alpine wildflowers, Colorado Jeep tours will get you there and Switzerland of America will suit your taste.

    970-325-4484

    Pets allowed on private tours $25 extra

    Car seats allowed