The town of Telluride in Colorado has managed to keep that small town feel despite being a popular resort destination in both the summer and winter seasons. In order to allow the town to keep is historic feel, the resorts are purposely located in the Mountain Village with a free gondola providing transportation between the village and the actual town of Telluride. There are some smaller condominiums and homes for rent within the town itself, making a great alternative to the larger resorts that are located on the side of the mountain.

Walking the streets of Telluride, you will find beautiful Victorian homes, small shops, and a handful of unique restaurants. The town sits in a valley surrounded by rocky peaks and steep hillsides, which serve as ski runs during the winter and hiking trails during the summer. We enjoyed going on a couple of hikes during our stay in Telluride, first on the popular Bear Creek Trail and then taking in the views from the Owl Gulch Trail. For those looking for something more adventurous, renting a mountain bike and zooming down the winding mountain bike paths will certainly get your heart racing.

We stayed in a condominium right on the river that winds through the town of Telluride. We enjoyed walking along the trail that follows the river from one end of town to the other. It is a great way to get into nature without having to leave the town. Walking and hiking certainly helped us gain a healthy appetite to try the wonderful food that the restaurants serve as well as have a cold beer to cool off from the warm weather. We live at an elevation of 6,500 feet ( meters), so the 8,750 foot ( meters) elevation of Telluride didn’t impact us too much, but if you live at sea level, you will want to be prepared for the effects of the thinner air.

Located about 7 hours from Colorado Springs and about 8 hours from Denver, heading to Telluride is certainly a destination away from the typical resorts located on the I-70 corridor. In many ways, Telluride reminded us of Aspen due to the way the town has kept its historic feel without feeling like a tourist destination. We also find the mountains of the San Miguel Range, where Telluride is located, to be even more dramatic and they have often been compared to the mountains of Switzerland and Austria.