Early in November we took a road trip exploring the San Juan Mountain sand went to one of our favorite small-town destinations. This time of the year it's so special, you never know what to expect. Will it be a warm day, a snow day, sleet, or hail? This is loving the life of adventure and the unknown at its best.

Late Fall Morning in Telluride Village

We stayed at a perfect condominium rental on the Village side of Telluride, which allowed us to work remotely and enjoy the quietness of the area. The Village has restaurants, and shopping, and is a great place to stay if you are looking for a resort, laid-back feel. 

Downtown Telluride on a very nice Fall evening

The town of Telluride is awesome, filled with historic Victorian architecture, boutiques, restaurants, breweries, and night-life. Both sides are accessible by a gondola most of the year, but in the offseason, you have to drive, take a bus, or use your resort shuttle. We have stayed on the village side and the town side, we enjoyed both.

Looking at the old Trout Lake Trestle Bridge

After our first night, we put on our snow boots and headed to Trout Lake Trestle, an old mining area with a historic railroad that runs over a creek. We walked through several inches of snow and played around admiring the beauty of the old scenery around us. We had followed winter, loving the crunch sound under our boots after the aspen trees had lost their leaves, looking just as pretty with light snow on their branches. Just a few inches makes all the difference.

One of the many homes around Telluride Colorado 

Getting to Telluride is an adventure in itself, driving from Denver, it’s a good 6-hour drive, around 330 miles. There is a small airport but flights are limited depending on the season. The next closest the airport is Montrose, CO, with a two-hour drive it’s very scenic along the way. Be aware of the elevation in this small town at 8,750 feet as altitude sickness can for sure set in, but after a night or two of acclimating enjoy some happy hour time at the local pubs on the main drag, West Colorado Avenue.

View from Highway 62 between Ridgway, CO to Telluride, CO

This destination may be remote, but is well worth it, any time of the year. Soon, it will be time to start skiing!