Things to do in Telluride

Aside from fly fishing, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO DO! Here are just a few things we enjoy in the Telluride area.

  1. Telluride is a dog friendly town! We have a Newfoundland that has become notorious around town. Her name is Hippie. We will start off with one of her favorite things to do. RIDE THE GONDOLA! The gondola is one of a kind, free, public transportation. The gondola first opened in 1996 and has been transporting people, skiers, and hikers from Mountain Village to the top of Saint Sophia station and into the town of Telluride ever since. The ride takes approximately 13 minutes with unbelievable views of the breathtaking mountains, the quaint town, beautiful flora, and even wildlife! Ride it during the day for stunning views and ride it at night for the beautiful twinkling lights of town. The gondola isopen daily and will close for off-season October 18, 2020. The gondola runs from 6:30 in the morning till midnight daily. Can’t say enough good things about the Gondola! for sure it is a must do… Just ask Hippie the Dog

 

  1. While we enjoy Summers most here in Telluride, we do live in a world renowned ski town! Telluride Ski Resort boasts over 2,000 skiable acres for all ability levels and a vertical drop of 3,790 feet. Along with those impressive stats, Telluride provides one of the most versatile ski schools in the country. Whether you have never been skiing before or you would like to give heli skiing a go, Telski can provide instruction for you! USA Today has ranked Telluride Ski Resort as the #1 ski resort in North America.

 

  1. FOOD!! It’s hard to get a fishing guide to dress up, so we tend to not go to the fanciest restaurants in town although on occasion we make an appearance and they are wonderful! We are a foodie town with the most restaurants per person per capita…(at least that’s what it feels like) These are the restaurants that we frequent! In no specific order we love them all! It is of course just our personal opinions…

 

  • Burgers at the Floradora. It is a historic saloon in downtown Telluride. I love to add the sweet potato chips with aioli to my order!
  • Ghost town, my go to place for a cup of coffee, a tea, and the best avocado toast ever!! This is an organic foodie place that has an eclectic vibe and a wonderful patio to sit on in the summertime!
  • Breakfast! Butcher and the Baker is our favorite place to enjoy a lazy breakfast, great breakfast sandwiches and amazing gluten-free pancakes! (if you weren’t told they were GF, you would never know)
  • Rooftop bars- The Last Dollar Saloon, known by the locals as the “Buck,” has a recently added rooftop bar. The historic Sheraton Bar also has a rooftop bar that serves appetizers as well. Both are a great place to grab a drink in the evenings and watch the Alpenglow.
  • Bars- there are a lot of local bars in town. After a long day of skiing, our favorite is Tracks in Mountain Village! When we find ourselves in town after a long day of fishing, we frequent High Pies Both have friendly bartenders, great drinks, and a laid-back atmosphere.
  • Mexican cuisine with an emphasis on organic and being environmentally friendly- La Cocina De Luz might be my favorite restaurant in town! You can’t beat organic delicious food. Locally owned and operated. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and ice cream bar with margaritas served all day… you can’t beat that!

 

  1. 4 Wheel Drive tours with Telluride Off-Road Adventures. Telluride is a historic mining community and with that comes so much history to explore! Telluride has many old mining roads hanging off the side of the mountain. These roads provide breathtaking views as well as amazing adventure to ghost towns. We prefer to leave the driving of these cliff roads to the professionals. Some of the tours go to Imogene Pass, Ophir Pass, Black Bear, and Alta ghost town. With your driver comes a world of knowledge of the miners and their families and the history behind the tiny town we call home. These drivers love to share their knowledge and tell stories of the past. We highly recommend Telluride Off-Road Adventures, which is locally owned and operated.

 

  1. Telluride Historical Museum- our tiny town is bursting with history! It is awe inspiring to think of the miners and their families that lived here in the 1800s and their trials and tribulations! (Check out the book Tomboy Bride) The Telluride Museum is a great place for the whole family to enjoy. The history of the ski mountain, Native Americans, and the town can all be found here. The kids can enjoy a reconstructed mine and even pan for gold and gems in the museums courtyard.

 

Hope these give you a few more ideas of things to add to your Telluride bucket list!

 

 

Blue Lake Telluride

Blue Lake is a gorgeous, iconic hike of Telluride. Expect to see beautiful wildflowers such as the Colorado state flower, the Blue Columbine. Blue Lake is located above the tree line and is a glacial lake. The elevation is 12,400 feet.  There will be seasonal stream crossings and you will see historic old mining cabins as well as mining equipment. Please look and do not touch, these are historic rem­­­­­­ains that we would love to preserve.  Leashed dogs are welcome on the trail. This can be a challenging hike; however, the views along the way are spectacular! Blue Lake is crystal clear and stunning with seasonal waterfalls flowing into it.

From the east end of the town of Telluride, you can drive or hike up Bridal Veil Falls; it is about 2 miles. Four-wheel-drive, high clearance vehicles are highly recommended. This part of the journey is an adventure in its self. Bridal Veil Falls, with its water plummeting an impressive 365 feet, is the tallest, freefalling waterfall in Colorado!

At the top of Bridal Veil Falls, there is a road, follow this narrow road behind the power plant, alongside Bridal Veil Falls Creek. There will be a split in the trail about an hour or so into the hike. The trail will turn from trail number 507 to 506, which leads to Blue Lake. See https://trails.colorado.gov/trails/blue-lake-12005 for a topographical map of the area and trails. Stay left and follow the switchbacks, towards the basin, until you arrive at Blue Lake. Make sure you are well prepared with food, water, and a trail map.  

Be aware of the steep switchbacks, sometimes unstable rocks, as well as the altitude. The hike will take a couple of hours one-way. It’s about 3 to 6 miles depending on if you drove up Bridal Veil Falls.

Local’s note: in the summertime we often get thunderstorms in the afternoon. So this hike is recommended as an earlier morning hike to be finished by the early afternoon. During the winter, this trail is closed.

Happy hiking!