The Top 9 Things to Do in Telluride, Colorado (2024)

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Go Skiing

Hands down, the most common reason to visit Telluride is for its amazing ski slopes spread across more than 2,000 acres. Telluride Ski Resort's combo of high snowfall (more than 300 inches on average annually) and sunny weather makes it a popular place to vacation.

The resort has 148 trails for all levels, although this resort is best known for its more advanced slopes. You can ski between November through early April, depending on the weather. (The season varies slightly each year.)

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Take a Hike

Telluride is also a supreme place to go hiking. The San Juan Mountains are stunning year-round, and they hold countless nearby trails that can lead you to a lake, waterfall, creek, and even an old mining area. The San Juan National Forest itself spread out over an impressive 1.8 million acres in southwestern Colorado.

In the Telluride region, check out Bear Creek Trail, which is appropriate for all levels and abilities, even newbies. It’s about two miles long, takes about an hour, and will bring you through the preserve to the Upper Bear Creek Falls. Bear Creek Trail is one of Telluride’s busiest trails.If you want to keep going, you can connect to Bridal Veil Basin or the Wasatch Trail.

Another recommended hiking trail is the Jud Wiebe Trailif you have a little more experience hiking and want more of a challenge. This trail is rated moderate to difficult, but it’s less than three miles roundtrip.

Then there’s the easy Overlook Trail if you’re crunched for time but want to snap some incredible photos. It’s as short as a trail can be (only 0.2 miles), starting at the gondola. Hence the name, follow it for some of the best views overlooking Telluride below.

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Immerse Yourself in History

This old Victorian town has a rich history, and you can experience it in different ways. Simply strolling through the historic downtown is the easiest way. Let yourself be inspired by the architecture and turn-of-the-century homes.

Then visit the Telluride Historical Museum, where you can learn about the town’s colorful roots in mining, gambling, and prostitution. The museum spans 10 different rooms, each with a different theme and offering interactive displays. It's much more than just looking at old photos.

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Hang out in Mountain Village

Mountain Village is the heart of the ski resort, perched at about 9,500 feet altitude. It’s a tiny home-rule municipality founded in 1995.

Take the free, scenic gondola (open almost year-round, with closure dates in fall and spring—check the website for updated operating times) from the town of Telluride up to Mountain Village, and take in the breathtaking views. The journey to Mountain Village is just as great as being there.

Mountain Village is located close to the slopes in the winter, but you can find great shops, restaurants, and more here year-round. It’s also a launching point for all kinds of outdoor adventures, such as biking, a summer concert series, tennis, and fishing.

While Telluride is busy with festivals and music, you can take the gondola up to the village and find some relief from all the excitement.

Continue to 5 of 8 below.

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Hear Live Music

The Sunset Concert Series in Mountain Village is a great way to end a summer day in the Telluride area. Mid-June, you can listen to live music every Wednesday at sunset. Throughout the summer, you can catch nine different shows, all free and open to the public. Grab a local craft beer from a nearby restaurant, which you can drink in a special common area while you listen to the jams.

This is definitely where you want to be on the Fourth of July, when Mountain Village’s Sunset Plaza features a Red, White, and Blues Celebration with various musical guests, jumpy houses for kids, an ice cream social and other family-friendly activities, like face painting.

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Visit Bridal Veil Falls

This is a bucket-list, must-do activity in Colorado. Bridal Veil Falls are the tallest, free-falling waterfalls in the state, plunging a dramatic 365 feet from the mountain. The hike is slightly challenging; it’s rated as moderate, with a 1,650-foot elevation gain. But it’s not too long—just under two miles each way to reach the top. The views are worth all the effort, though.

In the winter, the waterfall freezes over and Bridal Veil Falls is used for ice climbing.That's just as impressive and quite an adrenaline rush, if you know how to ice climb.

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Instantly Improve Your Golf Game

If you’ve never hit a golf ball at more than 9,000 feet altitude, head to the beloved Telluride Golf Club. Golfing at such an altitude feels different than at sea level, and it’s something any golf-lover should experience at least once. There’s less resistance on the ball, which typically means your drives go farther; you’ll feel like a superhero.

Telluride Ski and Golf offers an 18-hole course with mountain views, open from May through mid-October.

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Attend the Bluegrass Festival

Telluride is home to some of Colorado’s biggest and most impressive events, including the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Every June, Telluride attracts music-lovers to hear live bands knock out excellent bluegrass jams and other kinds of folk and roots music.

Over the years, the festival has presented big names, including Mumford & Sons, The Decemberists, Elvis Costello, and Ani DiFranco.

The festival lasts four days and is much more than just live music. Most people camp, and smaller gatherings and music jams break out throughout the day and night.The festival is intentionally held the weekend closest to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer.

Bonus: The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is held in the Town Park campground area, a wonderfully scenic area southwest of Telluride. Town Park has picturesque walking paths, a pond, multiple playgrounds, and sports courts—even an outdoor pool. The campground itself is one of the best places to camp with families, festival or not.