Gold Season Treading lightly while enjoying the foliage

GLORIOUS GOLD SEASON

Enjoy the area’s fabulous fall foliage while treading lightly

Fall in Telluride is fleeting, but fabulous, as groves of aspens set the box canyon aglow with stunning gold foliage that contrasts beautifully with the green of neighboring firs. Everywhere you turn, a stunning scene beckons and all the while Telluride and Mountain Village are themselves more mellow and intimate, making for a wonderful and memorable experience. Protecting and preserving this natural splendor, then, is pretty important. With that in mind, here are a trio of low-impact ways to enjoy the San Juan Mountains’ glorious gold season.

LEAVE NO TRACE

The area’s trails network provides endless opportunities for hikers and bikers to leaf peep, as well as benefit from physical activity, fresh air and sunshine. The key here is to exercise good trail etiquette, including leaving no trace; staying on the trail and never cutting switchbacks; bikers yielding to hikers and downhill recreators yielding to uphill activity; avoiding muddy trails to prevent rutting and widening; refraining from performing unauthorized trail work and remembering to be cognizant and considerate of others. Keeping these simple guidelines in mind will keep local trails as beautiful and unspoiled as those splendid autumn panoramas.

DESTINATION MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

Telluride’s high-altitude twin offers multiple options for outdoor adventures and stunning views in settings designed to work in tandem with the natural environment. For two-wheeled fun, head to the Telluride Ski Resort’s Bike Park to enjoy over 30 miles of interconnected, lift-accessed trails, 13 in total. Or go high at the resort’s new Canopy Adventure, which takes thrill-seekers through a course of ziplines, aerial bridges and rappels that reach a maximum height of 140 feet, resulting in a heady mixture of adrenaline and amazing vistas.

USE A LOCAL GUIDE

Local outfitters offer guided 4x4 trips into the basins above Telluride, combining an exciting journey into the high country with an outdoor history lesson that takes in the ghost towns, ruins and relics from the area’s days as a mining hub. In the fall, there is the added bonus of stunning gold season landscapes that evolve with every switchback and elevation gain. The best part? Our local guides are expert at balancing exploration and adventure with good backcountry etiquette for a low-impact outing you won’t soon forget.

THE BEST TIME TO CATCH THE REGION’S FALL FOLIAGE AT ITS PEAK IS GENERALLY THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF SEPTEMBER AND THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER.

THE MOST COLORADO PLACE ON EARTH / telluride.com / 855.748.9621