Telluride: Just a Short Scenic Drive Away from Ouray
Enjoy a Day of Fun in Telluride, Just A 1 Hour Drive from Ouray
Although Ouray and Telluride are less than 10 miles apart as the crow flies, the practical person takes a scenic drive along the San Juan Skyway over the Dallas Divide (second most photographed area in Colorado) and makes it to Telluride in less than one hour.
While in Telluride, take the free gondola ride that connects the two towns: Mountain Village and Telluride. Have a dog with you? Just make sure you get into the car marked as "pet friendly" and let your playful pooch enjoy the mountain air too! Want to take your bicycle? No problem, most cars are equipped with a bicycle transport rack on the outside of the car. And, the gondola ride is still free!
Midway through the ride, at the apex of route, get off and enjoy a nature center and some mountain top hiking trails and bike trails. You can also mountain bike your way to the bottom of the mountain.
Like Ouray, Telluride is a National Historic District and it was founded in the late 1800s with a deep rooted history in hard rock mining, but, unlike Ouray, Telluride has a sister town adjacent to it called Mountain Village. Mountain Village is a very contemporary, relatively new community with many resort amenities like those found in Vail or Breckenridge. The gondola serves as public transportation between the two towns and provides people with many unique experiences.
There are numerous restaurants and stores where you can shop, dine, and hang out. In Mountain Village, there is a jumping swing whereby kids can get clipped into a harness and jump, jump, and jump. There are lovely walking spaces, public art, and beautiful gardens too.
Telluride is home to festivals all summer long and has a very nice historical museum.
