Welcome to Ridgway, Colorado and the beautiful San Juan Mountains!

Beautiful alpinglow on Chimney Peak which was featured prominently in the shoot out scene in the movieTrue Grit

Ridgway is situated in the rugged San Juan Mountains. We are the Gateway to all the great mountain activities including mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing, boating, horse back riding, hot air ballooning, cross country and down-hill skiiing, snowmobiling and Jeeping. Our history is based on ranching and the railroad and the town offers an incredible small but informative Railroad Museum. Ridgway's old railroad roundhouse gave rise to the famous Galloping Goose.

The True Grit Cafe was built to recognize Ridgway's movie making history. Back in 1967, Paramount decided to film the movie "True Grit" starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby and Robert Duvall here in the Ridgway area. Sitting in the 'Grit' you can look over the Town Park where the hanging scene took place

and right behind the park is the old train depot featured in the movie. If you look up toward the mountain ridge to the East you will see the famous Chimney Peak that is shown prominently in the big shootout scene where John Wayne takes the reins in his mouth, a pistol in one hand and his Winchester in the other and charges the outlaws. Ridgway has quite a history with two other movies that were partially shot in the area: "How the West was Won" with Debbie Reynolds and John Wayne and "Tribute to a Bad Man" with James Cagney. In nearby Silverton "Northwest Passage" with Jimmy Stewart and "Naked Spur" with Gary Cooper were filmed. Many commercials have also been filmed here including winter commercials for Wells Fargo Bank, Anheuser Busch and print ads for the Marlboro Company.