True Grit: Then and Now

John Wayne, True Grit, Then and Now

John Wayne, from the famous shootout scene in “True Grit”

My You Tube Video, “True Grit :: Then and Now,” has become  popular and I’m frequently asked how and where I found all those movie locations 40 years later. Well, now you can find out! Retrace my steps and see where the Duke filmed his famous scenes!

Much of  the 1969 western “True Grit” was filmed in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and the movie lead to John Wayne’s only Academy Award. The amazing natural scenery of Colorado’s southwest corner was a huge part of the film. I happen to spend a lot of time down there, and after stumbling across a few of the filming locations, I decided to create a “Then and Now” video highlighting the locations from the movie, and what they look like today. Who knew it would be a You Tube hit?

The Ross Ranch

True Grit: Ross Ranch, Last Dollar Road

Click to enlarge the road leading to the Ross Ranch

The Ross Ranch is located on Last Dollar Road, which can be found off Highway 62, which runs from Ridgway to Telluride. The cutoff for Last Dollar Road, if you’re traveling from Ridgway, is past the Dallas Divide, and on the left. There’s a sign at the intersection, so you won’t miss it. (GPS: lat=38.0834180156, lon=-107.924766506).

Travel this road until you reach a fork. A road sign shows Last Dollar Road turns off to the left (and it will take you on a spectacular journey through aspen groves and over mountain passes to Telluride), but if you stay right, you will immediately see the Ross Ranch up ahead on your right (it’s set back off the road though).  You can pull into a short parking area, jump the fence and trespass in order to go up to the houses…or you can drive a bit further up the road and look back for a nice view and photo opportunities. It’s private land, so be sneaky about it, if you decide to hop the fence! I’ve been told by locals that MANY people hop that fence to get a closer view, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If you want to recreate the shot from t he first frame of the movie, it will require a bit of a climb to the  top of a hill overlooking the houses. This is where the cemetery scene was shot, but nothing remains up there now, except for cow pies. Also, in the summer, cattle are often grazing on this hill.

McAlester’s Store

Click to enlarge this Google Eaarth map of Horsefly Mesa, location of McAlester's Store

Click to enlarge this Google Earth map of Horsefly Mesa, location of McAlester’s Store

Since this location is close to Last Dollar Road, it’s best to do these two locations at the same time. Also located off Highway 62, and just a few  miles further up the road from the Last Dollar Road cutoff, is the road you need to take to go to the McAllester’s Store location. This area is called Horsefly Mesa. This road is a little tricky to describe how to get to, since I’ve never seen any road names on it. But, basically, from the Last Dollar Road cutoff, continue on Highway 62 a few more miles until you see a road cut off on your right. There are only a few roads that go to the right, so that helps to narrow it down a bit. You’ll see a cutoff to your right and the road takes an immediate sharp cut up and to the right. There will be a private residence to your right and then immediately after that, you’ll see a private driveway on your left with a  huge ranch sign and gate. If you see those two things, you know you’re on the right road!

You’ll continue on this dirt road with aspens on both sides and finally you will round off to the left and come into a clearing and the views open up behind you. Up on your left, you’ll see a clearing and a crumbling old homestead. That’s the homestead that is behind John when he first rides up to the store. Turn in here (GPS: lat=38° 6’56.79″N, lon=107°57’37.34″W) and  park near the homestead and you can rummage around. This is where you’ll find the old hitchin’ post and the planks on the ground. If you continue through the trees, you’ll discover an old corral back near the fence line.

The Lone Pine Tree

This is the pine tree that is behind Rooster, La Boeuf and Mattie as they ride their horses down a “trail.” the trail is actually this same dirt road you’ve been traveling on to get to McAlester’s store. Once you pull back onto the road from the McAlester’s Store location, head back the way  you came (heading back to Highway 62) and you will immediately see the lone pine tree on your right around the 1-mile marker. (GPS: lat=38° 6’55.90″N, lon=107°57’36.41″W). You can’t miss it; it’s the only pine tree in a grove of aspen.

Deb’s Meadow (Shootout Field)

True Grit: Deb's Meadow Google Earth

Click to enlarge this Google Earth map of both Deb’s Meadow and Sleeping Rock

The famous shootout scene at the end of the movie was filled in Deb’s Meadow, near the summit of Owl Creek Pass. From Ridgway, travel toward Montrose on U.S. Highway 550 and turn right on County Road 10 (GPS: lat=38°10’25.86″N, lon=107°44’30.97″W). Follow the signs for Owl Creek Pass; you will pass through many ranches and private residences along this dirt road. The views are spectacular and just keep getting better as Courthouse Mountain and Chimney Peak (featured prominently in the shootout scene) come into view. It’s about 13 miles from the Highway 550 cutoff to the summit of Owl Creek Pass, and Deb’s Meadow is on the left, about a quarter of a mile before you reach the summit. You can’t miss it though…as you near the summit you will complete a very loopy switchback and curve back to the left. Right after you complete this switchback, you will see a large field on the left with a turn in (GPS: lat=38° 9’43.40″N, lon=107°34’4.21″W). Park and get ready to relive the scene that was made famous by the line, “Fill your hands, you son of a bitch!”

As you walk down the faint trail that threads through the center of the field, look to your left and head toward the large boulder. This is the rock the Duke was next to when he and his horse was shot. Looking up, you’ll Chimney Peak, which is what was above Robert Duvall’s head when he first entered the field. In summer, the field will be covered in Corn Lilies and can also be a bit swampy.

If you go back to the turn in, and face the road, to your left you will hear and see a small stream. This is the stream they camped next to. Follow the stream through the trees and you’ll find their streamside camping place.

Sleeping Rock

The rock that Mattie slept in is at the summit of Owl Creek pass, which is literally only a few minutes further up the road from Deb’s Meadow. Follow the road until you reach the summit sign for Owl Creek Pass and turn into the little loop, which also has a port-a-potty. You’ll see the Sleeping Rock immediately and will be shocked at how close it is to the road! In the movie, the way it’s framed, of course looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere, but the rock is literally feet away from the road! The smaller rock that the Duke leaned against while drinking coffee is also located right next to the Sleeping Rock (GPS: lat=38° 9’28.25″N, lon=107°33’43.94″W).

The Hanging Scene

True Grit: Hanging Scene, Ridgway Town Park

Click to enlarge Google Earth map of Ridgway’s Town Park and True Grit Cafe

True Grit’s Hanging Scene was filmed in Ridgway’s Town Park, also know as Hartwell Park. It is right downtown and you can’t miss it. It’s a great place for a picnic and they often have concert series there during the summer and fall. To find the park, simply turn off Highway 550 into downtown and it will be on your right, off Lena Street. Also, when you turn off to head downtown, turn in to your left and you’ll see the  old Paddy Wagon from the beginning of the movie, when the Duke was bringing in prisoners. It’s parked there near the highway and downtown.

If you walk around the park, you will see the famous old trees used in the scene. The beautiful red building with the steeple is on the back end of the park, just down the road from True Grit Cafe (a must-see, great food). That red building is the old firehouse. Also, take time to look at the building to the left of the True Grit Cafe, and notice it is the Fort Smith Saloon, also used in the movie.

The True Grit Cafe is filled with True Grit and John Wayne memorabilia and has a great menu. Visit their web site and be sure to notice the wall to the left as soon as you enter. You’ll see the Chambers Grocery Store sign still painted on the wall, the same one used in the movie when Duke pulls up with the Paddy Wagon. There’s lots to look at and you can also purchase True Grit memorabilia from their store.

Chen Lee’s and Other Town Scenes

Chen Lee’s place is on Clinton Street in Ridgway. From the True Grit Cafe, just walk down the boardwalk next to the street, pass the Firehouse and turn left on Clinton Street. You’ll see a Natural Grocer’s across the street, this was a building that was shown behind John Wayne and Kim Darby when they were talking in the street. If you continue up Clinton Street, on the left side you’ll see a building that was part of the front of Chen’s. It’s the door Rooster and Mattie walk through to go into Chen’s.

Courthouse

Ouray County Courthouse, True Grit Courthouse scenes

Ouray County Courthouse, Ouray, Colorado

Some of the scenes that showed Rooster in court were shot in the Ouray County Courthouse, and some of the courthouse scenes were built sets. I did find the staircase that Mattie chased Rooster on, and it was indeed in the Ouray County Courthouse. From Ridgway, take Highway 550 10 miles to Ouray. The courthouse is on the left side of the main street. Turn left on 6th street, then turn right onto 4th street and the courthouse will be on your left. If you go inside, the staircase is on your right.

Other Scenes

The snakepit scene is located on Camp Bird Road outside Ouray (as you’re leaving town and heading toward Silverton on the Million Dollar Highway, you’ll see the sign for Camp Bird Road, just take a right). Camp Bird takes you to beautiful Yankee Boy Basin and is worth the trip alone for that. You can’t reach the snakepit scene, unfortunately.

The ferry scenes were filmed over at Blue Mesa Reservoir, which is between Montrose and Gunnison. The actual locations are now under water, but you can see the rocky cliffs that were shown in the movie.

Resources

When in doubt, please visit the Ridgway Chamber of Commerce, which is located on the left side of the road when you enter downtown Ridgway. They have True Grit DVDs for sale and also offer some directions to various True Grit related areas…but I have to admit, I believe my compilation is more comprehensive!

The most amazing time of year to visit these locations is the last week of September. The aspens are at their peak colors and are simply stunning. On your way from Ridgway to Last Dollar Road and Horsefly Mesa, you have to stop at the Dallas Divide, a very picturesque area that shows the San Juan Mountains in all their autumn glory. Another great time to visit is mid-July, when the wildflowers are blazing. The San Juan Mountains played a vital role in the movie for good reason: they are one of the most beautiful places on earth!

Have fun! Long Live the Duke!

You Tube Video

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Comments

  1. Kevin Mikkelsen  February 18, 2010

    Thanks for sharing all your knowledge about the places that made True Grit come to life. You put in a lot of time and effort to bring us your ‘then and now’ video which is my Youtube favorite for sure. We were able to spend 11 days in Colorado last fall and visited many of the locations that you specified. I even crawled inside the ‘sleeping rock’ at the top of Owl Creek Pass and had my photo taken. Kind of cool to be where all that took place. We spent several days in Silverton driving the 4WD roads and then went through a snow storm that created some great photo opportunities that I will never forget. If I could I would live in the Ridgway/Ouray area. Truly amazing country……..rich in history. Thanks again! Kevin

  2. margaret hart  February 23, 2010

    Thank you so much for your website on True Grit. I plan a visit to the sites soon and it was wonderful for you to share all the things you saw. If you have any updates my e-mail is margarethart58@hotmail.com,please send them to me. I plan a trip sometime this summer. Thank you again for sharing your trip!

  3. admin  February 24, 2010

    Thank you both for posting! I am hoping to go back down in July 2010. Maybe one day a bunch of us can take t he tour together! Congrats, Kevin, on finding the True Grit Sleeping Rock! I wish I could live in Ouray/Silverton too!

  4. Helen Beeman  February 25, 2010

    Oh my! What an awesome video!!! That was always one of my favorite movies. “The Duke” would be proud of what you’ve done! Makes me want to move to Colorado!!!!!

  5. Bill Poshard  March 30, 2010

    Many thanks. I used to live in Durango and spent a lot of time poking around the San Juans, especially in autumn. When I miss the area I pop up your video for a couple viewings. Must have watched it 50 times by now. True Grit is my favorite movie and I always wanted to know where the locations were. I found the sites in Ridgway, of course, and Owl Creek Pass, but never could get good directions to the ranch on Last Dollar Rd. I will check it out this fall when I am down there. Any idea where the shack was where Dennis Hopper was holed up and Duke and Glen Campbell waited to ambush the gang when they returned? I thought it might have been on the Uncompahgre River between Ridgway and Montrose but never found it for sure.

  6. Julie  April 25, 2010

    Thank you so much for your website on True Grit. I plan a visit to the sites soon and it was wonderful for you to share all the things you saw. If you have any updates my e-mail is margarethart58@hotmail.com,please send them to me. I plan a trip sometime this summer. Thank you again for sharing your trip!

  7. Eric  April 25, 2010

    Thanks for sharing all your knowledge about the places that made True Grit come to life. You put in a lot of time and effort to bring us your ‘then and now’ video which is my Youtube favorite for sure. We were able to spend 11 days in Colorado last fall and visited many of the locations that you specified. I even crawled inside the ‘sleeping rock’ at the top of Owl Creek Pass and had my photo taken. Kind of cool to be where all that took place. We spent several days in Silverton driving the 4WD roads and then went through a snow storm that created some great photo opportunities that I will never forget. If I could I would live in the Ridgway/Ouray area. Truly amazing country……..rich in history. Thanks again! Kevin

  8. admin  April 26, 2010

    Thanks for visiting the site and watching my video! Glad you are planning a trip this summer! You’ll have a great time!!

  9. admin  April 26, 2010

    Yes, the San Juans are amazing! I get down there as often as I can! Thanks for visiting!

  10. Lawrence  May 6, 2010

    Ouray bound In 30 days! So as Duke said it…

    Well, come see a fat old man some time!

  11. Brian  May 26, 2010

    Thanks so much for all of the information. Great work on the video. I just finished loading the GPS coordinates into my Garmin. Also loaded a bunch of geocaches in the area. Do you geocache? I’ll be in the Ouray area for the 4th of July. See you on the trails.

  12. Isaius  June 7, 2010

    Fantastic work !
    Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂

  13. Jim Adams  June 13, 2010

    I moved to RIdgway in October 2009. I am in paradise! .

  14. admin  July 8, 2010

    Lucky you! I’m glad you made it!

  15. admin  July 8, 2010

    Thank you for watching! Come back in another month, I leave for another offroading trip to the San Juans in two weeks so I’ll have more to post!

  16. admin  July 8, 2010

    Did you find all the places??

  17. Linda Lysaght  July 18, 2010

    Hi Jeepster Gal! Wow! Great to see this compilation and yes it is more comprehensive than the Ridgway Chamber’s. I no longer work there so while I was hoping to see you there on one of your trips, we’ll have to work that out another way.
    I’m sending this link to the person in charge down there so they can give it out to visitors. I also know how to get to the snakepit and can write you privately about that.
    You have my email so write me with yours.

  18. admin  July 26, 2010

    Hi again Linda!

    Thanks for passing the link along! I am hoping to add a lot more content to this site soon…trying to juggle to much! LOL

  19. Nate  August 1, 2010

    Thanks for the vid! ‘True Grit’ has always been my favorite Duke movie….would love to get out there this fall to see it for myself. Looks like beautiful country!

  20. Bob  August 4, 2010

    Well, I was planning on visiting some of the Oregon Trail and California Trail in Utah, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Nevada next month and planned on being gone 10 days.
    Thank you for adding another three days on my vacation to see the places of my favorite Wayne movie of all time…I’ll send you the bill…lol
    What a great video. I have watched it three times in the last hour and my wife is ready to call the men in the white coats.
    What a great piece of work. Congrats.

  21. admin  August 5, 2010

    Haha! Thanks for watching multiple viewings. LOL! You won’t regret heading to the San Juans, it’s amazing! Enjoy your trip!

  22. Bruce  August 26, 2010

    Thank you Jeepster Gal!! You did an excellent job in matching the movie scenes with the current view
    My brother sent me the link – we’re both huge fans of the movie. I would like to know if the shack still exists where Dennis Hopper was shot and where the first big shoot out takes place – do you have any idea if it’s still there or where it was?

    Again, many thanks this is an awsome video you put together.
    Bruce

  23. admin  August 26, 2010

    Thanks for watching and writing! As I understand it, the scenes you describe were filmed in Hot Creek at Mammoth Lakes in California…not Colorado.

  24. Ron K  September 25, 2010

    I have long been a great fan of True Grit and have visited many of the movie locations in southwestern Colorado, but I must have driven by the Mattie Ross Ranch location on Last Dollar Road a dozen times without realizing that was a place worth noting. Thanks to Jeepster Gal I was able to make the pilgimage only a few weeks ago.

  25. admin  September 27, 2010

    Glad you finally got to see it!

  26. Mark S  October 25, 2010

    What a fabulous website, which I found based on your superb Youtube video. I live near Grand Junction, CO, and spend several weekends each summer and fall in the “Winding Stair Mountains'” per the Duke, actually the Owl Creek and Dallas Divide areas you have featured. There are many tales of the backstory of True Grit in this region. JW drinking heavily with the locals in the Stockmem’s Bar in downtown Montrose during lulls in filming; half the residents of tiny Gunnison gathered (they let school out) on the banks of Soap Creek at Blue Mesa Reservoir as it was first filling up, to watch the ferry scene filming (note the standing drowned pines in the movie, flooded by the rising waters of Blue Mesa and still visible); the fake saddle horse pulled behind a vehicle, rumored to have supported the ailing Duke in his shooting closeups during the final shootout. To me, just strolling around the area feels like reliving the events of the movie, especially in the autumn. Thanks a million for this website. I wonder how the remake of True Grit, due out this Christmas, will compare. I believe it was filmed in New Mexico and Texas, so at least the locations will be a step down from the original. “Watch out for the chicken and dumplings, it’ll hurt your eyes…looking for the chicken!”

  27. Ron K  October 27, 2010

    Fans of the original True Grit will be gratified to know that it is being released on Blu-ray DVD in December to coincide with the release of the new Cohen Brothers version in the theaters…. or so I’ve read.

  28. mike hailey  January 1, 2011

    Simply amazing! Thank you for this incredible effort and
    for sharing it!

  29. Clyde  January 2, 2011

    This is my favorite film of all time, and now that my son lives in Colorado, I would like to someday make the trip out to every site you mention. These sites are rich with memories from the film and absolutely beautiful. I live in California and I’d also like to find the Hot Creek/Mammoth Lakes shoot-out location. Thank you so much for your time and research in posting all this information! The video and website are top notch. The film and the stars of True Grit will live on forever in my memory, especially the great John Wayne.

  30. Californian  January 5, 2011

    Great site and video. Someday, though, you need to add the California location in the movie — Hot Creek over by Mammoth Lakes in the Sierras, where Ned Pepper’s gang had their hideout!

  31. admin  January 6, 2011

    Thanks for watching, if you can get out there to see the San Juan Mountains, you won’t forget them.

  32. GWest  January 6, 2011

    With all the interest and hullabaloo surrounding the “new” True Grit, I sure enjoyed this look at the original. Even more so because I literally lived right there. My dad (Ben West) surveyed the Owl Creek Pass road in the early 60s when he was an enginner with the US Forest Service. We lived in a small camp trailer, starting out on the Charles place on Cow Creek (later owned by Continental Airlines’ Robert Six). As the road progressed we moved up closer and closer to the base of Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain. Watching the film clip and the stills you’ve woven in sure brings back some great memories. I can almost smell the skunk cabbage and taste that ice-cold water — which we used to drink straight from the creek. Thanks for the time and effort you put into this. Great job.

  33. admin  January 7, 2011

    That’s really cool your dad surveyed that road…such a stunningly beautiful area. That field is definitely full of that skunk cabbage (or corn lilies, I’ve heard both names) every summer, sometimes it gets too high to see over! I love that field and have camped there a lot. I’m thankful it’s still unspoiled and available for use! Thanks for watching!

  34. Andy  February 24, 2011

    Thank you SO much for this! My family camped at Ridgway State Park last year and I discovered that True Grit (one of my all-time faves) was filmed there! We are coming back again this summer (2011) with a bigger posse this time. My plan is to hopefully take them to see some of these highlights you’ve shown here! Thanks again!

  35. Karen  February 26, 2011

    Hi Jeepster Gal,
    You have done a fantastic job on this website. Perhaps you saw my blog entry where I embedded your video?
    http://info.boxcanyonouray.com/bid/50270/Ouray-Ridgway-Colorado-were-home-to-the-first-True-Grit

    Please contact me as I have an idea that I would like to make a proposal.

  36. Mark  March 7, 2011

    Jeepster gal,

    All I can say is WOW, between the True Grit Video and your off-road videos, you have the best videos.
    We spent some time last fall in the Ridgeway,Ouray, Silverton and Durango area is was awesome.
    We’re going back again next fall as we have for the past 8 yrs in a row, ther’es no better place on earth to be !

    Thanks again for taking me back ! God Bless John Wayne

  37. admin  March 9, 2011

    Hey Mark, thanks so much for your kind words. I’m glad you enjoy the videos. Fall in the San Juan Mountains is AMAZING, eh? I try to make it down there late September as well. Thanks again for writing!

  38. AR Hogan  March 17, 2011

    I wish to highly compliment Jeepster Gal on doing such an excellent job in researching, filming, and editing “True Grit Then and Now” short documentary, supplemented by the written explanations and links.

    The 1969 film is my all-time favorite Western, and one of my four all-time favorite films The others are “Mary Poppins,” “Casablanca,” and the 1951 original “The Day The Earth Stood Still.” My worldview is at least as far to the progressive left as John Wayne’s was to the right, but I greatly admire his great talents and those of the others who contributed so much to the novel and film, from Charles Portis and Henry Hathaway to Kim Darby/Deborah Zerby and Elmer “Bernstein West” Bernstein, among others. I am a science journalist now striving, despite some severe health and other setbacks, to finish a doctoral program researching the history of TV space coverage. But for many years I have been “gathering string” on “True Grit,” and expect to write at length on that subject someday soon, as it has been an ongoing major interest of mine. But I learned so much from this wonderful documentary! I have seen the 1969 film way easily more than 40 times and still pick up interesting new bits on each viewing–but this documentary will open yet additional insights. I can tell that a great deal of work and care went into it.

    For those wondering about the dugout/creek valley scenes in 1969’s “True Grit”: most of the exteriors at least were shot on location not in Colorado–or in Oklahoma or Arkansas for that matter–but in southern California in the area of Hot Creek near Mammoth Lakes, aptly enough near Convict Lake, with glimpses of Mount Morrison and/or Laurel Mountain in the distance. I did the proverbial double-take when I had deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra puts it, in watching on AMC cable TV recently the remote-Alaska mining-cabin establishing shots/high views in the 1960 film “North to Alaska.” That film also starred John Wayne, of course, and was also directed by Henry Hathaway (who directed much of his portions of 1962’s “How the West Was Won” film in SW Colorado). Directors and actors do indeed often find favorite locations and return, sometimes many years later and/or again and again (a la director John Ford to Monument Valley–where John Wayne even shot a TV commercial circa late 1976/early 1977). I have only seen “North to Alaska” two or three times, but confirmed with multiple sources the CA location shooting of the dugout/creek valley outdoor scenes. (Some film interiors were shot in the L.A. area on sound stages, but most of “TG” was shot on location.)

    I really like the fact that John Wayne stood up and vouched for adaptation screenwriter Marguerite Roberts–who had been a McCarthyism victim, partly because of her husband’s supposed albeit slight Communist inclinations. She did a fine job with the script for the most part, making some key improvements, though I regret some of the abbreviations. And I much prefer the 1969 film ending to the book’s (I understand that Mr. Portis wrote the Ross family plot final scene). Of course, I also prefer former journalist Charles Dickens’s re-write of the ending to his novel “Great Expectations” (which, like “True Grit,” debuted in serialized form before becoming the respective books). Ironically, Mr. Portis in the early 1960s had the job once held by Karl Marx–London Bureau Chief of a now-gone great New York City newspaper.

    Even though I am a pacifist, vegan, anti-death-penalty, anti-guns person, I love the original literary and cinematic versions of “True Grit.” Of course, being a feminist does make me appreciate especially the Mattie Ross character, so ably translated to the big screen by Ms. Darby. I have copies of the July 1968 shooting script (and that of the 1978 made-for-TV film/series pilot “TG: A Further Adventure,” among many other items. But this online docu adds a rich new trove to my knowledge of and appreciation of the subject. Thank you so much!

  39. AR Hogan  March 17, 2011

    P.S.: Just to clarify my inartful phrasing, done without my glasses and a well-rested brain– please forgive me, the dugout/creek valley outdoor scenes in 1960’s “North to Alaska” and 1969’s classic original “True Grit” were both shot in the same remote place in southern California. A few “TG” scenes, mostly if not all interiors–possibly including the Chen Lee store and back room interior– were shot on sound stages back in the Los Angeles area (presumably at the historic Paramount studios lot in Hollywood, but I am not certain of that point, as studios occasionally then and now “borrow”/”swap”/”rent” shooting rights at each other’s lots and sound stages).
    –AR Hogan (arhogan1610@yahoo.com)

  40. Richard Harreiter - UK  April 28, 2011

    I am currently overnighting in Durango ready for tomorrow’s drive to Ouray and Ridgeway to see the scenery of my favourite film. The choice of staying in the UK to watch the Royal Wedding or doing this trip – no contest! Thank you so much for your detailed explanation which I will follow to the letter. I always wanted to know where the cabin scene was filmed – I bypassed Mamoth Lakes last year on my tour of California – oh well – just have to do that bit again!

  41. Richard Harreiter - UK  April 28, 2011

    PS
    BA had the new True Grit showing as one of the films on the way to Phoenix – sorry but no way as good as the original.

  42. admin  April 28, 2011

    YAY! You will have a great time! Let me know if you were able to find everything! The Ridgway Chamber of Commerce is good about providing info as well, about the sites.

  43. Randy  May 23, 2011

    Just got through seeing the movie again celebrating the birthday of John Wayne. I’ve lived in Ridgway for 25 years. I’m a mountain man first. I fly for USAIRWAYS, my job takes me to alot of wonderful places. In the end, I always want to end up in Ouray county, and the mountains I fell in love with. I’m close to retirement, can’t wait to be home full time.

  44. admin  May 24, 2011

    Lucky you! Would love to live there! Enjoy your retirement in the amazing San Juans and thanks for writing!

  45. Dan  June 20, 2011

    Hi, I have enjoyed watching your Youtube video many times but this is the first time I have gone to you site that gives directions to the locations. Thank you so very much for doing so. I was last in Ridway in September 2005. I was stationed at Ft. Carson in 1969 and drove to Ridway to see some of the locations. I saw the town of course and was given directions to Dallas Divide. I did not know of the other locations then or in 2005 so if I am able to journey to Ridway I will be able to visit the areas again with the directions you have provided. I would like to inquire where you got the soundtrack for your video. Did you edit it from the movie? I had always hoped that there would be an album containing more music from the movie,I of course got the lp many years ago,wore it out and had to get another,then got a cassette and now the cd. Actually there are not too many tracks from the film on the cd,just different arrangements. If you have any thoughts on where I can get music from the soundtrack I would appreciate it if you would send them along. Thank you again for your videos and location information.

  46. Linda Lysaght  July 21, 2011

    Hey Marion, so good to see your new (to me) website. Just got a copy of the brochure from Karen and it is marvelous; something I have wanted to do for years myself only you probably did it better! Hope to meet up with you when you are back in the area.
    Linda, formerly of the Ridgway Chamber. Write me if you can! Note new email address.

  47. admin  July 22, 2011

    Well hi Linda!! Great to hear from you! Glad you liked the brochure, KAren did a great job. Karen is asking when I plan on coming back and I’ve been so busy I haven’t been able to make it down there but I need to figure out a weekend and just come on down so I can meet everyone!! Thanks for your new email addy, too. Have a lovely weekend in Ouray County (I’m so jealous).

  48. Bill  August 5, 2011

    WhooHoo I’ll be in this area next week…can’t wait to check out all these locations. Thank you for making this info available. I’ll be jeeping some trails also ( Alpine Loop, and others) etc.

  49. admin  August 5, 2011

    I know you will have a great time! The wildflowers are at their peak right now. Have fun!

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