OK, I’m hesitant to admit it because I’m afraid to let the cat out of the bag, but Telluride is hands-down one of the most spectacular places to visit in the state of Colorado – and that’s saying something given Colorado’s reputation! Located in the southwest quadrant of the state, even though it has regional jet service right into the area, Telluride is a bit harder to get to than other resort choices since it is about a 6 hours drive from major metropolitan centers like Denver or Colorado Springs. But there-in lies its magic.
Today’s Telluride is really two towns in one, historic Telluride and the relatively new Mountain Village high up on Telluride Ski Resort. And really, these two areas are quite distinct, and offer two very different experiences.
Believe it or not, Telluride is a National Historic Landmark District, with old Victorian style buildings, and today only has about half the population it did at its peak back in the old mining days. It was quite a bustling place! The setting of this town is just hard to describe, and pictures can rarely capture it. It is tucked away in an out-of-the-way box canyon surrounded by mountain peaks reaching upwards of 13,000 feet. The town is only about a mile long, so it is compact and easy to wander around on foot. As you might guess, there’s plenty of great restaurants, and you’ll find some really cool shops with western motifs, as well as some very nice galleries. In winter, the valley is popular with cross-country skiers, and Town Park has an ice skating rink and sledding hill for those who have different ideas than skiing or snow boarding.
The Mountain Village, on the other hand, is a modern reproduction of a European mountain village, and is located up on the side of the Telluride Ski Resort at an astounding 9450’. The San Juan Mountain range is scattered about on all sides, and when you combine the view of these mountains, with the views overlooking the Telluride Valley stretching out below, it’s a scene you simply will not forget. Like it’s name implies, Telluride Village it is a town unto itself, with restaurants, shopping, lodging, and even a full blown conferencing facility, providing one of the most unique locations for meetings and special events you will find anywhere! And of course, Telluride Village provides direct access to all the mountain activities you can imagine. Can you imagine an 18 hole championship golf course, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, photography, sun bathing, swimming – and oh, did I mention skiing and boarding? The Mountain Village is the center for all ski activities, and has lift tickets, equipment rental and ski schools right in the middle of the village. If you are a skier/boarder, just be prepared to stop at regular intervals, with the vistas of Telluride vying for your time as much as the superb ski runs!
You might think you’d be somewhat limited by staying in one town or the other, but the truly remarkable thing is that the two are connected by a FREE 12 minute gondola ride. This connection makes this twin city mountain setting all the more unique and appealing, and makes for very easy access back and forth. For our vote, staying up in the Mountain Village is the easy choice, because you get easy access to town, but get to enjoy the absolutely unbelievable views and ski-in ski-out access from high up on the mountain side. And of course, if you are really fortunate, you get to stay at our award winning boutique sized Inn At Lost Creek, right in the heart of the village.
Telluride has become known as the next “Aspen” since it shares some of the same appeal to Hollywood’s rich and famous, and has multi-million dollar homes and ranches springing up all over the region. In our book, however, Telluride has an edge over Aspen, in that it has a kind of quirky blend of upscale luxury and old town western. It’s a bit hard to describe, but you’ll see what we mean if you visit…
