hiking

If you’ve ever walked through an aspen forest, consider yourself lucky. These tall, slender trees with white bark and delicate little leaves are only found in certain parts of Colorado, Telluride being one such area. Each year for only about two weeks, their leaves turn from a light green to a magnificent golden yellow. This year, the weather has been slightly askew and, though we are no meteorologists, we foresee that the forests surrounding Telluride will show their fall colors a few weeks early. That means that if you hope to see some gorgeous fall foliage in Telluride, be sure to come out and experience the beauty during the first couple weeks of September! 

Top 5 for Fall Foliage

1.) Gondola The Telluride Free Gondola is the only one of its kind- transporting people from Telluride to Mountain Village every day in just 13 minutes. Not to mention, the ride gives you breathtaking views of town, the Box Canyon, the Wilsons, and the valley beyond. Perfect for an aerial view of the fall colors. 

2.) Hiking There are several trailheads right here in town that will lead you through beautiful aspen groves, perfect for experiencing the wonder of their fall foliage. Take a short walk on the Jud Wiebe trail, or a full day hike on Sneffels Highline and you will not be disappointed. If you head out in the early morning or late afternoon, the light will be especially beautiful against their golden leaves.  

3.) Mountain Biking Bring yourself and your bike up the Free Gondola to any of the many mountain biking trails that begin at the top of St. Sophia Station. One of our favorites is the Prospect Prail, a great 10 mile single track trail that brings you through the ski area and back down into Mountain Village. If you’re experienced and looking for a thrill, check out the Mountain Village Downhill Park, an expert rider’s playground.

Fall Tilt in Telluride - 2011 from UnofficialNetworks.com on Vimeo.

4.) Golf and Disc Golf That’s right, free disk golf! There is a course in Mountain Village that begins just across from the Town Hall Plaza. If you are unfamiliar with this fantastic game, you basically just aim for the targets (metal baskets), with the goal landing the disc in the basket. The winner is the player with the fewest number of throws throughout the course. Simple! Grab a Frisbee and get out there, a perfect activity to do while the aspens are in full golden hue.The course is open from 7am till Sunset. If you aren’t so good with a Frisbee, look into the Telluride Golf Club, a fantastic 18 hole course with the most breathtaking views of the San Juan Mountains. 

5.) Fly Fishing There are a handful of beautiful fishing spots right here in Telluride’s backyard. Get outside and breathe the crisp mountain air this September, you may even catch something! Check out our list of favorite fly fishing spots at nearby rivers and lakes.

Our friend Bebe, from The River Club, hiked one of the prettiest hikes in Southwestern Colorado... maybe even in the entire state. Ice Lake and Island Lake are gorgeous high-alpine mountain lakes located near our neighboring town of Silverton. Here's a description on how to get to the lakes and check out the photos!!  

When heading to Silverton over Red Mountain Pass, before you reach the town, there is a turn off for South Mineral Campground.Take this right and head down the road a little ways and you will see there is a parking lot off to the right, park here and the adventure begins. There is a clearly marked trailhead at this parking lot for Ice Lake. The hike to Ice Lake is a moderately steep climb of 3.2 miles to Ice Lake. Before reaching Ice Lake you will see a large lake to your left that is below tree line, Ice Lake is over the next ridge from this point. When you start climbing to the ridge take a moment to see the waterfall that falls diagonally through the rock face, this will be to the left of you. 

If you feel adventurous and choose to go to Island Lake you continue on the path from Ice Lake that heads right and Island Lake is another 3/4 of a mile off the trail. Ice Lake is so clear and blue that you can see the fish swimming 20 feet below the surface, it really is one of the most magnificent lakes around. Island Lake is darker is color but has a very prominent island right in the center of it. Make sure to be prepared for hiking in this area, thunderstorms happen frequently and you are exposed at the lakes because they are above tree line.