TSRC is located in Telluride, Colorado, in the stunning San Juan Mountains. We encourage you to leave time in your schedule to savor the mountains, bound into outdoor activities, and bask under the Milky Way.
Any of the activities below can be done without a guide. But a topo map, available at Between the Covers Bookstore on Main street, is an essential tool if going into the back country unguided.
However, some activities, especially for the uninitiated, may best be attempted with professional help. If you are planning activities for large groups, this list may be especially useful.
Contact Nana for more information.
TELLURIDE OUTSIDE OUTFITTERS: GUIDED ACTIVITES
Fly Fishing: Telluride is one of the finest fly fishing destinations in the country. Telluride Outside fishes three major rivers in the Telluride area: the San Miguel, Dolores and Uncompahgre, as well as several local lakes and alpine creeks. Their guides are excellent instructors and really enjoy teaching the sport at all levels of the game. Top-quality rental equipment is available for guests who need gear, including Scott and Sage fly rods, Ross reels and Simms breathable waders. They offer both half and full day trips, generally guided on a 1:1 or 2:1 guest-to-guide ratio.
Mountain Biking: Telluride Outside offers half and full day trips for mountain bikers of every ability. Their most popular tour is a 17-mile downhill ride on the Galloping Goose trail. It’s a great ride, beginning at over 10,000 feet, winding around 2 sub-alpine lakes and descending into the beautiful South Fork Valley of the San Miguel River. The Galloping Goose is a beginner-intermediate trail, long enough to entertain advanced riders but easy enough for novice riders.
Rafting: The San Miguel River offers excellent rafting just a few minutes from Telluride. Telluride Outside guides half and full day trips on the San Miguel. Half-day trips cover approximately 9 miles of class II-III whitewater in about 2 hours, and full day trips run through approximately 20 miles of the San Miguel’s Norwood Canyon. They raft every morning and afternoon, with transportation departing from Telluride around 8:00 am and 1:30 pm respectively.
4-WD Tours: Telluride Outside offers both half and full day 4-WD tours in Telluride’s magnificent San Juan Mountains. Their most popular trip is the Imogene Pass/Tomboy tour (half or full day), which climbs to over 13,100 feet and passes through the famous mining ghost town of Tomboy. Their knowledgeable guides do a great job with Telluride’s colorful mining history – guests really enjoy that part of the tour. They drive in beautiful new vehicles converted with special seating canopies for maximum comfort, safety and optimal viewing. The price for a 3 ½ hour half-day tour is $80 per adult and $70 per child 12 or younger.
TSRC GUIDED ACTIVITES
Nature Hike: Led by one of Telluride’s eminently qualified naturalists, this walk is intended to introduce visitors to Telluride’s local flora and fauna. You’ll have a chance to catch a glimpse of a beaver, observe the thriving prairie dog colony, bird watch, and learn about the wildflowers. Nature hikes are not for folks looking for exercise; it will be easy hiking and slowly paced to appreciate Telluride’s striking natural surroundings and critters. This is an excellent activity for families.
Bear Creek Trail: Bear Creek Preserve, a 325-acre mountain canyon, is one of Telluride’s treasures. The trailhead is located on the south side of town near the Wilkinson Public Library and is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. The round-trip walk up to the waterfall and back is 4.5 miles. The terrain is not steep. With a total elevation gain of 1,040 feet, it is excellent hike for people who are coming from sea level and for those who are in moderately good shape. Good hike for families.
Ajax Peak Hike: Ajax is the dominant peak in the Telluride valley. Its summit sits at 12,785 feet, about 4,000 feet above the Town. You will ride in the back of a pick-up truck up a gnarly jeep road to Bridal Veil power plant and begin the hike from there. The elevation gain is about 2,500 ft. It is strenuous and steep, but there is nothing technical about the hike, nor is there any exposure. The hike itself takes about four-five hours round trip. The views are spectacular. An experienced local mountaineer can guide your group. This is not recommended for young children.
Sneffels Highline Hike: This 12-mile loop takes you through gorgeous mountain valleys and over a saddle, which stands at about 12,500 feet. The elevation gain is 3,600 feet. It is strenuous and highly rewarding. Multiple waterfalls, the profusion of wildflowers, and snow-capped mountain peaks will take your mind of being tired. The hike can take from 6-8 hours. An experienced, local mountaineer can guide you your group. This is not recommended for young children.
TSRC ARRANGED - OR - INDEPENDENT ACTIVITES
Mesa Verde National Park Excursion: Located about 2 hours from Telluride near Cortez, Mesa Verde offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Ranger-guided tours are offered seasonally, and provide you with the opportunity to hike into and experience these Ancestral Puebloan sites.
Excursion to the Quaint Town of Ouray: Enjoy a trip to the nearby historic mining town of Ouray Colorado, only 1 hour 15 minutes away. The small intimate community is nestled in some of the most rugged and towering peaks of the Rockies. Ouray is famous for their hot springs. There are several options for soaking in pools where temperatures vary from 96-106. At the public Ouray Hot Springs, you can also cool off in their lap-swim section, and enjoy the diving area, a game of water volleyball, or spiral down their exciting water slides. Ouray is set at the narrow head of a valley and surrounded on three sides with 13,000 feet snowcapped peaks. Remarkably, two-thirds of Ouray's original Victorian structures, both private and commercial, are still occupied, and have been lovingly restored in order to preserve their turn-of-the-century charm.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock. No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Prepare yourself for 2,000 foot tall, narrow canyon walls dropping almost vertically to the Gunnison River. The Black Canyon is known for crumbling rock and dizzying heights. You can take 1-2 mile walks around the rim for easy hikes, or rock climb 2,000' vertical cliffs.
Hovenweep National Monument: As stunning as Mesa Verde, if not more so, Hovenweep National Monument is a powerful site. The park protects six prehistoric, Puebloan-era villages spread over a twenty-mile expanse of mesa tops and canyons along the Utah-Colorado border. Multi-storied towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders, lead visitors to marvel at the skill and motivation of their builders. Hovenweep is noted for its solitude and undeveloped, natural character. Hovenweep is located in Utah and is takes about 3 hours by car (rentals are available in Telluride) to get there.
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: The narrow gauge train that runs between Durango and Silverton is slow chugging and gritty with coal dust in the best of ways. Short of rafting or kayaking through the gnarliest parts of the Animas River, this is the best way to get close to the rapids that pound out the narrow canyons. It is a full day, from dawn til dusk, but well worth it. Each leg is about 3 hours with a stop in Silverton, where little has changed since the Wild West. Today, tourist shops line its two main streets and good eats are plentiful. The railroad can only accept online reservations with at least a week's notice. If you are making a reservation with less than a weeks notice, please call 1-877-TRAIN-07 to make your reservations by telephone. Please visit www.durangotrain.com for more information.
