Ridgway, Colorado
| Town of Ridgway, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
Town of Ridgway
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| Nickname(s): Gateway to the San Juans, The Town That Refused to Die | |
 Location in Ouray County and the state of Colorado |
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| Coordinates: 38°9′7″N 107°45′25″W / 38.15194°N 107.75694°WCoordinates: 38°9′7″N 107°45′25″W / 38.15194°N 107.75694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Ouray County |
| Incorporated (town) | April 2, 1891 |
| Named for | Robert M. Ridgway |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home Rule Municipality |
| • Mayor | John I. Clark |
| • Town Manager | Jen Coates |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2 sq mi (5.2 km2) |
| • Land | 2 sq mi (5.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,985 ft (2,103 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 924 |
| • Density | 462.0/sq mi (177.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 81432 |
| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-64200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0188398 |
| Website | Town of Ridgway |
The Town of Ridgway, coined Gateway to the San Juans, is a Home Rule Municipality in Ouray County, in the southwestern portion of the U.S. State of Colorado. The town is a former railroad stop on the Uncompaghre River in the northern San Juan Mountains. The town population was 713 at the 2000 census and 924 according to the 2010 census.
Steep forested mountains and cliffs surround Ridgway on the south, east, and northeast. The Uncompahgre River runs through the town and flows into the Ridgway State Park and Reservoir, to the north. Dallas Creek also flows from the south west and forms a confluence with the Uncompahgre before entering the reservoir. There is a notable wildlife presence — mountain lions, badgers, deer, elk, bears, coyotes, wild turkey, and bald eagles are indigenous to the area. The regions bald eagles nest in the cottonwoods along the river and are a common sight in the late fall.
Ridgway and the surrounding area have featured predominantly in pop culture. Most notably the area is the setting of John Wayne's western movie True Grit, and others including How the West Was Won and Tribute to a Bad Man. Ridgway has the only stoplight in Ouray County, at the intersection of Highways 550 and 62.
Ridgway began as a railroad town, serving the nearby mining towns of Telluride and Ouray.
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