gondola - Living The Q Life Travel Adventures

If you visit Telluride, Colorado, it is likely that you will stay in one of the resorts in the Mountain Village. It is truly a self-sufficient resort community with plenty of restaurants and shops located amongst the many different ski runs on the mountainside. Much like one of our favorite getaways, Beaver Creek, the Mountain Village has a European feel that is part of its deliberate design.

Center of the Village with the Ice Skating Rink Covered for Summer

Taking the Gondola into the Mountain Village

Because all of the large condominium resorts are located in the Mountain Village, you will likely find it busier than the town of Telluride itself. There is a free gondola that will take you to and from the town of Telluride and there is also another free gondola that carries people back and forth between the Mountain Village and the shops and grocery store at the Market Plaza.

The Mountain Village is almost a 1,000 feet (about 300 meters) higher than Telluride and sits at 9,540 feet (about 2,900 meters) above sea level, so be sure to give yourself time to acclimate to the altitude. If you purchase a pass, you can also take one of the ski lifts with a mountain bike to the top of the mountain in order to ride your bike down one of the many trails. There are also several hiking trails leading from the Mountain Village.

Outdoor Seating to Enjoy the Mountain Sunshine

We did not stay in the Mountain Village on this trip to Telluride, but we did stay there several years ago and you can enjoy an entire week without ever going into the actual town of Telluride, but we’d highly recommend that you go into town at least once to enjoy the historic architecture and friendly restaurants. The town of Telluride and the Mountain Village are truly different experiences, each with their own charm and ambiance.

Whether staying in downtown Telluride or staying in the Mountain Village, you will want to take advantage of the free gondola that can shuttle you between the two. Depending on the time of day, there can be long lines to get on the gondola, but it moves pretty quickly. There is also a stop at the summit that is 10,540 feet high (3,212 meters) with hiking trails and a really nice restaurant called Allred’s with incredible views.

The gondola operates 290 days per year, with scheduled downtime during the non-peak seasons, and runs between 6:30 am and midnight daily (and until 2:00 am on Friday/Saturday). The ride between Telluride and the Mountain Village takes a little less than 13 minutes as the gondola travels at 11 miles per hour during the journey. Most of the cabins are fitted with bike racks in order to carry mountain bikes up to the top of the mountain.

Heading Down Towards the Mountain Village

Although the gondola serves as transportation between the Mountain Village and the town of Telluride, it is really about the incredible views of the mountains that make it worthwhile even if you don’t have a reason to travel from one location to the other. It was hot during our stay in Telluride, so it was also nice to get a little higher in altitude where the temperatures were slightly cooler.

Isobar Expeditions

Tag: gondola

The Mountain Village in Telluride, Colorado

Riding the Gondola in Telluride, Colorado