Telluride, located in southwestern Colorado, is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the Western San Juan Mountains. The early settlement followed the first gold mining claim in 1875. It was founded in 1878 under the name of Columbia, but was changed to Telluride in 1887. Its mines provided zinc, lead, copper, silver and other gold ores.
The town of 2,500 sits in a box canyon with steep forested mountains and cliffs surrounding it. Today it contains many historic buildings and homes. So make sure to walk and explore when you are in town.
Telluride is known for its outdoor activities including skiing, hiking, biking, camping and fly fishing. You can also learn about its rich mining history. Going in late September to early October when the Aspen trees are turning yellow is a wonderful time to go.
The Mountain Village, begun in the 1980’s, is the more contemporary part of Telluride above downtown. Here you will find a number of private homes, condominiums, hotels, shops, bars and restaurants. From here is it an easy, free gondola ride to Telluride. From the gondola you can access the bulk of ski terrain in the winter months or hiking and mountain biking in the other months. I enjoyed staying in the Mountain Village and loved the ease of getting downtown on the gondola. But on my second trip, I enjoyed staying downtown and taking the gondola up to the Mountain Village to explore. You might enjoy staying there when skiing during the winter and spring months.
