Telluride

A Victorian mining town in a box canyon in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, with world-class skiing, a free gondola and Bridal Veil Falls.

Telluride lies in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, a Victorian mining town on the floor of a box canyon at about 2,670 m, ringed on three sides by 4,000-meter peaks, with Bridal Veil Falls — the tallest in the state — at the head of the canyon. The town boomed with gold and silver mining in 1878; today the entire town is a National Historic Landmark District, linked by a free gondola to Mountain Village, the modern ski village on the other side of the ridge. Seasons: December–March is ski season, and the mountain is known for steep terrain, long runs and short lift lines; June–September is for hiking, 4x4 off-roading, via ferrata climbing and festivals, with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June and the Telluride Film Festival in early September drawing visitors from around the world; late September to early October, when the aspens turn gold, is the most beautiful time of year. April–May and mid-October to late November are the off-season, when the gondola stops running and some shops close. Where to go: the main street and historic buildings of the old town are easily explored on foot; ride the gondola to Mountain Village and the San Sophia overlook station; Bridal Veil Falls and Bear Creek Falls at the east end are classic hikes; off-road enthusiasts can tackle Imogene Pass and Black Bear Pass; heading south on Highway 145 are Alta Lakes, Trout Lake and Lizard Head Pass, lined with golden aspens in fall. Getting there: Telluride Regional Airport has limited flights, so most people fly into Montrose (about 1.5 hours' drive) or Durango (about 3 hours), with shuttle buses in winter; in town, the free buses and gondola cover everything, so you don't need a car. How long: 2–3 days in summer, 4–6 days for skiing; it can be combined with Ouray, Mesa Verde and Durango on a San Juan Skyway loop. Tips: at this altitude, watch for altitude sickness on arrival, stay hydrated and wear sunscreen; summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms, so start hikes early and get back early; lodging prices soar during festivals, so book months ahead.

Top sights

• Telluride Ski Resort – One of North America's top ski resorts, with runs dropping from the town into the canyon. Over 2,000 acres of terrain offers high alpine st…
• Telluride Gondola – The only free public transit gondola in North America, linking town and mountain village. It crosses the ridge in 13 minutes with panoramic…
• Bridal Veil Falls – Colorado's tallest free-falling waterfall, at about 111 meters, at the far end of the box canyon. A century-old hydroelectric plant sits at…
• Telluride Historic District – A Victorian mining town designated as a National Historic Landmark District. Colorful wooden houses, old saloons and galleries line Colorad…
• Mountain Village – A European-style ski village at about 2,900 metres on the far side of the ridge, with ski-in/ski-out hotels, a pedestrian plaza and a golf…
• Telluride Historical Museum – A small museum in a former miners' hospital built in 1896, covering mining, the bank robber Butch Cassidy and the town's transformation.
• Sheridan Opera House – A small-town opera house built in 1913, with red velvet seats and hand-painted curtains, still hosting concerts, plays and film festival sc…
• Bear Creek Trail & Falls – A classic hike from the south end of town: about 8 km round trip through aspen groves to Bear Creek Falls, with moderate difficulty and stu…
• Telluride Via Ferrata – A cliffside via ferrata route on the east end of the Box Canyon, traversing about 1.5 miles of sheer rock with hundreds of meters of open a…
• Telluride Town Park – A park at the east end of town beside the San Miguel River, home to the main stages of summer festivals such as the Bluegrass Festival, wit…
• Imogene Pass – A high-altitude 4WD pass at 3,976 meters, passing the Tomboy ghost town on the way over to Ouray; the classic off-road route in the San Jua…
• Black Bear Pass – One of the most treacherous 4WD mountain roads in the US: a one-way descent from a 3,900-meter pass down to Telluride, with famous switchba…
• Alta Lakes & Alta Ghost Town – Several emerald alpine lakes in the high mountains south of town, with picnic and camping spots by the shore, and along the way the preserv…
• Trout Lake – A high alpine lake below Lizard Head Pass, reflecting snowy peaks and an old railway trestle; aspens ring the lake in autumn, making it a c…
• Lizard Head Pass – A pass at 3,109 meters on the San Juan Skyway, with views of a rock spire shaped like a lizard’s head and meadows of wildflowers; the start…

Where to eat

• Brown Dog Pizza – A popular pizzeria on Colorado Avenue, the main street. Its head chef won an international pizza contest with Detroit-s…
• 221 South Oak – A contemporary American bistro in a Victorian house, run by Top Chef contestant Eliza Gavin and known especially for it…
• Siam Thai – A family-run Thai restaurant opened in 2006, cooked by a Thailand-born chef and named one of Colorado's best Thai resta…

Itineraries

• Colorado's Four National Parks: 13-Day Grand Loop – A clockwise grand loop from Denver, linking Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Rocky Mount…
• San Juan Skyway & Mesa Verde – In and out of Durango: experience the narrow-gauge railroad, the Million Dollar Highway, historic mining towns, and cli…