COME TO LIFE / San Juan Splendor: Montrose, Ouray, Ridgway & Telluride 4 5 6 views are just the beginning of what this outdoors and culture hot spot has to offer. Millennia after the Ute Indians settled in the craggy San Juan Mountains, prospectors struck gold and silver in what is present-day Telluride. By 1896, the town had 10,000 residents and its very own hospital — now the beautifully renovated Telluride Historical Museum . Start here for an overview of Telluride’s evo-lution from gritty mining town to 1970s hippie haven to ski mecca. Then choose from the museum’s five walking guides and mosey the tree-shaded streets to vintage Victorians and brownstones. Twelve blocks along the town’s main street, Colorado Avenue, comprise a National Historic Landmark District and include highlights such as the Old Town Jail, the Rio Grande Southern Railway Depot and the site where notorious outlaw Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank in 1889. Telluride can truly celebrate its uniqueness, where all shops, restaurants and hotels are inde-pendently owned and Colorado minded — something that surely contributes to its Certified Colora-do Creative District designation. Heading east, pick up the serene River Trail , which turns into the Idarado Legacy Trail at the town park. In the summer, the park bustles with music and cultural festivals. From here, take the easy 2.5-mile path, lined with placards about the gold under your feet, until you reach the base of Bridal Veil Falls (7) — Colorado’s high-est free-falling waterfall. Intrepid hikers can climb the switchbacks to the top of the 365-foot falls for access to additional trails in the Bridal Veil Creek Basin. gondola (4) , which leaves from downtown. The free, 13-minute journey carries you over the San Sophia Ridge to Mountain Village . This newer, separate town is a jumping-off point for more hikes, mountain-bike trails and rock climbing. You’ll also find the new Telluride Adventure Center, with activities for kids that include a ropes course, Water Walkers Course, bungee trampoline and more. Back in historic Telluride, find out why it’s one of the state’s top creative districts at the Sheridan Opera House , the perfect place to take in a rock concert or ski film. Built during the Gold Rush heyday, the small, ornate theater was designed to be colorful and airy — a welcome change for men who spent their days underground. Still have steam left? Go gallery to gallery on the Telluride Art Walk (5) . Local art shops stay open late and offer free refreshments on the first Thurs-day of every month except May, November and December. 7 148 / COLORADO.COM Or get a bird’s-eye view of the densely forested San Miguel River Valley during a ride on the CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: TELLURIDE GONDOLA, KENNAN HARVEY; OPUS HUT, KENNAN HARVEY; BRIDAL VEIL FALLS, KENNAN HARVEY; TELLURIDE ARTS DISTRICT.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 148
