Ouray virgin with questions

[ross80truck]

So, I am an Ouray virgin and this July will be my first trip there. I know I am asking these questions early, but I am so dang excited about the trip already I can't stop thinking about it. So here goes question #1. I will be pulling my "Cheap Chief" up with my wife's 4 wheel drive diesel Excursion. I will have my wife and our 2 kids and then most likely my wife's mom and dad with us. We obviously all cannot fit in my jeep. Are there any trails I can take the whole family in the Excursion on with out the fear of death from my wife if I scratch her baby? Question 2. What things are there to do in town for my wife, the mother in law and the 9 month old baby while I am out in the jeep with the oldest boy and father in law?

[bigun]

Lots of artsy stuff in town for the ladies, and there are a bunch of trails you can take the wifes baby on with out scratching. We followed a Rav 4 over Engineers, there were a couple of times he had to take a different line, but he made it with out scratches

[XJChad]

There are quite a few little shops and stores they can shop at in Ouray. Also there is the hot springs pool at the edge of town.
If she will have a vehicle to drive they can go to Silverton, it's not too far away, and is a neat place to visit. Silverton has a bunch of small shops there too.
As for trails for the excursion, Ive seen people take large full size vehs on many of the area trails, such as Black Bear. I wouldnt recommend it, but it has been done.
Ophir is not too far away and can be driven in a large veh and has some good views.
The Red Mntn Mining district has some very cool old mines and things you can get to easily. Plus several others that I can't think of right now...
You can look at bushducks.com for trail listings as well as when those trails open, close and current status. You can also check out traildamage.com for more trail listings and reviews.
Ouray is one of my top favorite places to visit and drive trails. Once you go you will be hooked.

[Grand_Wag_85]

Engineer is a little bumpy but your Excursion will do it no problemo. Minnie&Maggie Gulches are very scenic and not very challenging.

[FSJ Guy]

I'd think you could horse an Excursion over most all of the trails except Poughkipsie and Black Bear. All the other popular trails are really not that knurly. The scenery and the DROPOFFS are what make people do this:

[3upadventures]

Your Excursion could do pretty much whatever you would like to do. If you just want to get wife + baby out in the high country without much (if any) pucker factor, Brooklyn Road is pretty nice. Also, it's not a gnarly 4-wheel road but going up Owl Creek Pass and then out to the end of the West Fork Road is worth a drive. Some of my favorite hikes are up in that basin. It'd be great for a family picnic.

Telluride is a little bit of a drive but it would make a good day for your wife and mother-in-law. My mom's a huge fan of poking around the shops, taking the (free!) gondola up to Mountain Village, having lunch, then heading back to Ridgway when she comes to visit.