Wander the West

Telluride, Colorado

	Telluride, Colorado

2006

I previously said that Lake City, Colorado was my favorite destination town. I'm going to have to backtrack on that a bit and say it's more of a three way tie between Lake City, Crested Butte, and Telluride, all in Colorado. All three have their unique qualities and can be appreciated in different ways.

While Lake City is the undiscovered gem of a Rocky Mountain town that is all about peace, quiet, and small town charm, Telluride is exactly the opposite. This rip-roaring resort town in the San Juan Mountains is World renowned for its luxury resort and unparalleled natural beauty. Positioned at the top of a river valley in a towering box canyon, the town is surrounded by steep hills and cliffs on three sides. Majestic waterfalls can be seen from the center of town. Ski lifts and a gondola start on the edge of town and transport visitors to Telluride Mountain Village hundreds of feet above the town. The gondola is the only transportation oriented gondola in North America and transports people for free year round. There are even dog cars on the gondola so you don't have to leave poochy behind.

All types congregate in Telluride and the town is abuzz with activity. This is the place where the ultra-rich come to blow off some steam and rub elbows with hippys down at the local watering hole. Unlike other stuffy resort towns that cater to the money crowd, Telluride remains liberal in it's laws and attitudes. People will have their dogs tied up all over the main street, the good ones stand at attention at the bar door with no leash at all. Even ultra hip Crested Butte doesn't allow peoples dogs to wait on the sidewalk outside a store while their master is doing a bit of shopping.

As great as it is, it does have some drawbacks. Telluride is VERY expensive. Forget buying a house if you don't have at least 7 figures to spend (condos are less but still crazy expensive). Despite a remote location, lack of space, and laws designed to curtail growth, Telluride is getting bigger. I have been visiting Telluride for 13 years and on my latest trip I was surprised to find that it is now almost impossible to park anywhere in town without a permit. I hate to see it change but it's still a fantastic place to visit.

Click here to view the Telluride Colorado photo gallery

- Aaron Walton