This Colorado town is one of the best places to hike this summer

Telluride, Colorado is more than just a popular ski town. Tucked into a box canyon in the San Juan Mountains, it’s also one of the country’s best summer hiking destinations, with trails that wind past spectacular mountain views, high alpine meadows alive with wildflowers, misty waterfalls, and relics from the area’s mining history.

“Telluride feels like a national park without being a national park,” says Sophie Fabrizio, director of Telluride Mountain Club, an organization that works to expand access to outdoor recreation and stewards’ trails on U.S. Forest Service land. 

The best part is that most trails are easily accessible from town or via the free gondola that runs between Telluride and its ski area, Mountain Village. Here are the best hikes in Telluride for every skill level, from easy to strenuous.  

Bear Creek

Distance: 4.7 miles out and back

Difficulty: Moderate

Bear Creek is one of Telluride’s easiest and most convenient hikes. The trailhead is located in town at the end of South Pine Street and continues over two miles through dense forest. After a gentle (for Telluride) incline, it ends at the base of Bear Creek Falls. The trail’s steady, gradual climb makes it especially ideal for beginners and families, offering plenty of clearings to stop and rest. “It’s always nice to have a hike with a water feature because it provides distraction and endless entertainment,” says Willi Glanznig, co-owner of Telluride Mountain Guides. 

Bridal Veil Falls

Distance: 2.1 miles out and back

Difficulty: Moderate

This trail’s low effort and high reward make it a great option for most hikers. About 45 minutes in, hikers reach Colorado’s tallest free-falling waterfall cascading from a sheer cliff face under the old Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Plant—be prepared to get wet from the falls’ far-reaching mist. 

The trailhead is located in town and follows the Telluride San Miguel River Trail that runs along the riverbank up to the 20th-century Pandora Mill. You also have the option to extend your hike past the falls to the glacial Blue Lake or 12,000-foot summit of Ajax Peak. 

Blue Lake

Distance: 10 miles out and back

Difficulty: Challenging

The hike to Blue Lake is one of the most picturesque in Telluride. It follows a creek up 1,800 feet to this hidden alpine lake surrounded by sloping meadows teeming with wildflowers between mid-July and early August. Snow can linger on the trail into mid-summer, so hiking boots with good traction are a must. Start at the Bridal Veil Falls trailhead, and once you’ve reached the base of the falls, hike the gravel road up a few switchbacks from there to reach the top of the cliff and the trail on to Blue Lake.

Jud Wiebe

Distance: 3.5-mile loop

Difficulty: Challenging

Often called “The Wiebe,” this local favorite begins at the end of Aspen Street and snakes along a series of steep switchbacks up a red hillside on the north end of the box canyon, each giving hikers a better panorama of town. Toward the end, the trail cuts through a meadow and weaves back through the forest to Tomboy Road, an old mining road between Telluride and the town of Ouray.

See Forever Trail

Distance: 5.3 miles out and back

Difficulty: Challenging

Take the free gondola from either the town of Telluride or Mountain Village to the San Sophia station at the top that separates the two, where you’ll find ski runs that become hikes in the summer. As its name suggests, the See Forever Trail, a blue ski run in the winter, offers unobstructed views from the start. On one side are sweeping vistas of the Wilson Massif, and on the other clear sightlines of the canyon surrounding Telluride. For a longer loop, continue on to Wasatch Connection and take Bear Creek back to town. 

Valley Floor Trail

Distance: 3.5 miles one way

Difficulty: Easy

The Valley Floor Trail, a walking path rather than a hiking trail, is one of the best places in town to spot elk. From town, follow the Telluride River Trail west until it becomes the Valley Floor Trail, a gently undulating path that runs parallel to the river all the way to Lawson Hill. From there, it’s an easy walk back along the paved Telluride Bike Path or the free shuttle that runs regularly between Telluride and Lawson Hill. 

Keystone Gorge

Distance: 2.3-mile loop

Difficulty: Moderate

For a less-crowded, serene nature hike that doesn’t push physical limits, head to Lawson Hill and follow the Galloping Goose trail through the forest. Signs for Keystone Gorge direct hikers to a dirt loop through the woods along the river. The route passes mining structures from the Keystone Placer mine that operated in the late 19th-century, and continues down to a suspension bridge over the rapids, where hikers are treated to dramatic views of the gorge. Note: Some parts of the dirt trail can be slippery. 

Deep Creek Trail

Distance: 14.7 miles out and back

Difficulty: Hard

Deep Creek Trail offers some of the most dramatic high-alpine terrain outside of summiting a 14,000-foot peak (a “fourteener”). The route takes trekkers through aspen groves to the waterfall at Mill Creek Basin, offering a whole new perspective of the Telluride Ski Resort and the San Juans beyond. Deep Creek intersects with lots of other trails that loop back to town, for anyone not up for the full hike.

Sheridan Crosscut to Liberty Bell

Distance: 6.1-mile loop

Difficulty: Hard

Experienced hikers looking may want to try Sheridan Crosscut to Liberty Bell. “It’s steep and it’s hard,” says Fabrizio. “You feel like you’re in an alpine environment, but you’re really only two-and-a-half miles from town.” It starts on Tomboy Road, at the end of North Oak Street, and runs counterclockwise. The trail passes beneath Little Mendota and Ajax peaks, with great views of Mount Emma and Greenback Mountain. The descent is tough on the knees, so take it slow. 

How to hike responsibly in Telluride 

Telluride is home to a community of avid outdoor adventurers who are passionate about stewarding the environment. “I love the community that spends time outside here...Everybody just shares this similar vibe of 'we're so happy to be here,” says Fabrizio. 

To be a responsible visitor, follow basic etiquette and safety precautions when traversing rugged, high-alpine environments. 

Get trail maps and information at the Telluride Visitors Center, and be aware that thunderstorms are common in summer afternoons, so plan hikes for the morning when you can and get down below the tree line if a storm is rolling in. Avoid disturbing wildlife and make sure to carry plenty of water and sun protection. 

(How to stay safe around wild animals)

If you’re coming from lower elevation, give yourself time to adjust—Telluride sits at 8,750 feet. “Start on something flat, and once you see how that feels, work your way up,” says Fabrizio.  Some hiking conditions in Telluride are more challenging than you might anticipate. “The trails around here don’t seem far in distance, but a lot of them are steep and the actual mileage becomes irrelevant,” Glanznig explains.

For extremely challenging hikes—like summiting fourteeners Mount Sneffels or Mount Wilson—it’s best to engage the services of a local tour operator familiar with the terrain and conditions, like Telluride Mountain Guides or Mountain Trip.