United States

Telluride, CO

A Comprehensive Guide to the Best Places to Run in Telluride

Telluride is a former Colorado mining town that sits in a box canyon along the San Miguel River. The town has a great outdoor scene, and is also known for its wild west history and Hot Air Balloon Festival. Popular for skiing in winter and great for hiking and trail running in summer, there are some great options for running in Telluride. Pro Tip: famous for wildflowers in spring & summer.

The best places to run in Telluride are our tour of downtown, the bike path along Rt. 145, and an easier trail along the San Miguel River. There’s a huge variety of trail running for all abilities. We feature the Village Trail, the Galloping Goose Trail, the Telluride Trail, and the Bear Creek Trail.

Telluride is a small town, so getting around on foot is a good option. (Our downtown tour is just ~6 km, while the Valley Floor Loop is 10 km). It’s also useful to know that the gondola traverses several trails, so runners can ride one-way or make trail connections. A year-round shuttle also runs throughout the valley.

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Telluride features Colorado mountain weather, with warm, sunny summers and cold, snowy winters. In summer, temps are delightful, with daytime highs in the 70s, and lots of sun. Nights get cool — you’ll need a layer! There are thunderstorms in summer. In winter, daytime high temps are in the mid-30s, with cold nights averaging near zero Farenheit (-17C).

 

Telluride is small, so almost anywhere you stay is near the slopes. There are two main villages to be aware of: downtown Telluride to the east, and Mountain Village to the west. You can find accommodations at Telluride.com.

There are a number of outdoor gear stores in Telluride, including several Telluride Sports locations, Jagged Edge Mountain Gear, Paragon Ski & Sport, and a few chains like Patagonia and the North Face.

You can also join up with the Telluride Running Club. Follow them on Instagram for meeting dates and locations.

Telluride has a huge trail racing scene. Popular events include the Telluride Mountain Run, the Telluride Box Canyon Running Series, and the Mount Sneffels Marathon.