9 Epic Road Trip Stops from Colorado Springs to Telluride 2024 (Best Routes & Tips)

Epic Road Trip Stops from Colorado Springs to Telluride

Best Routes 

• Colorado Springs

• Fairplay

• Salida (Monarch Mountain, Riverside Park)

• Gunnison (Curecanti National Recreation Area, Blue Mesa Reservoir, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park)

• Ouray (Box Canyon Waterfall & Park, Yankee Boy Basin, Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour)

• Telluride
  

  
  

The drive from Denver to Telluride is about 296 miles and will take about 5.5 hours, depending on your exact starting location, which route you take, and what traffic is like. I would recommend allocating more time than that to this drive — there are so many great stops, and if you rush through them you won’t get the same experience! Plan on taking at least two days to do this drive, stopping for a night in Salida.

If you’re not from Colorado and are coming from far away, you might need to rent a car before starting this trip. We suggest browsing RentalCars.com as it aggregates all the major car hire companies helping you find the best deal available.

Alternatively, you can also rent a motorhome or RV from Outdoorsy which has a huge selection of options available.

Renting a car on RentalCars.com, and don't forget to sign up at Extrabux (What is Extrabux?) , then you can get up to 6% super cashback from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get $20 welcome bonus!

Best Stop 1: Fairplay

Surrounded by Kenosha Pass to the North, Wilkerson Pass to the East, Trout Creek Pass to the South and Weston Pass to the West sits the quiet valley of South Park in the Central Colorado Rockies. In the heart of this valley lays Fairplay, one of the many wild mining towns from the time of gold and silver.

Fairplay has a recreation center, a variety of local shops and restaurants, and a Forest Service office.  It’s half an hour from the Breckenridge ski area with easy access to several fourteeners, trout fishing, hunting, and four-wheeling.  Fairplay’s elevation is 9,953.

Now somewhat famous as the suspected model for the South Park series, Fairplay is most known for the open air museum its center boasts. In 1959, 100 years after gold was found and the town sprang to life, South Park City was rebuilt within Fairplay and stands today as a living monument to days gone by. South Park City Museum took a slice of the original town, added additional historically important buildings and opened the restored 1880’s mining town to the public.  Each of the 40 building is crammed full of history, historic tools, furnishings, stories and mementos of every-day life.  The museum is open May to October.  Panning for gold is still a main attraction as well, for those with the fever still in their blood.

As with most of Colorado’s mountain towns, there’s never a lack of things to do here. Hike the fourteeners in the Mosquito Range or take a mountain bike up trails that offer stunning views of the South Park valley. Explore old mining towns along trails via ATV or 4-wheel-drive vehicles near up Mosquito Pass, Weston Pass or Boreas Pass. Camp and fish at the Jefferson Lake Recreation area, a 920-acre lake at 10,700 feet. Come winter, of course, the snow offers up a winter wonderland in which to lose the cares of everyday life.

Best Stop 2: Salida

Salida is known for its splendid art, excellent cooking and endless adventure. There is a ton to see and do around this town, located about 1 hour southwest of Fairplay.

Along with delicious restaurants, Salida is known for world class recreation. A top notch ziplining course calls Salida home, as do a lot of biking and nature trails that are recognized for their outstanding beauty.

The charm of Salida is that of a very quiet, peaceful mountain town where people can go to unwind. Low stress activities, such as golf and hot springs, make it pretty easy to relax. If you are looking for an affordable place to go that offers all the luxuries of a decadent resort, try Salida.

Salida Tours from $34. Book tours at Tripadvisor.com through Extrabux, then you can get up to 9% super cash back.

Top Things to Do in Salida

1. Monarch Mountain

• ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 350 in / 889 cm

• BASE ELEVATION: 10,790 ft / 3,289 m

• SUMMIT ELEVATION: 11,952 ft / 3,643 m

• HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday - Sunday: 9:00 am-4:00 pm

• SKIABLE AREA:  800 acres / 324 hectares

• SNOWMAKING: 0 acres / 0 hectares

• BOWL SKIING: Yes

• CAT SKIING: Yes

• TERRAIN PARKS: 2

Monarch Mountain, located in South Central Colorado, is what you expect from a real Colorado ski area. Abundant natural snow (350+ inches) and friendly people are two of their strongest attributes. Monarch is very affordable and easily accessible from the Front Range via Highways 285 and 50. At Monarch you park right at the base of the mountain and walk to the lifts, making it very convenient for families with little ones. Monarch's two strongest attributes are friendly people and abundant natural snowfall (350"). This season give Monarch Mountain a try. You'll be glad you did.

Best Known For: 

Located in South Central Colorado, Monarch Mountain’s abundant natural snow and friendly people make for a real Rocky Mountain ski experience. Enjoy convenient, free parking, reasonable prices and runs that flow naturally back to a single base area. Monarch’s variety of terrain offers something for skiers and riders of any level.

Head into the trees – Monarch’s are untouched about 90 percent of the time. Monarch Cat Skiing operates on an adjacent 1000+ acres of steep trees, chutes, and bowls. Not for the faint of heart.

Cat Skiing

Conditions on the Continental Divide at 12,000 ft. are always an adventure. You may get unbelievable powder or challenging, variable snow. You may experience a blizzard with no visibility, or spectacular views on a windless, bluebird day. Monarch Cat Skiing has it all, with 1,635 acres of expert terrain featuring wide open bowls, steep chutes, beautiful glades, and a few friendly drops. So, tune up those fat skis or long board and be ready for anything. They ski up to five hours per day and usually get an average of around 8,000 to 10,000 total vertical feet.

Summer is flying by up here and projects are moving along. Temperatures have been relatively cool and they’ve been getting daily thunderstorms on the mountain. The wetland areas are a lush, vibrant green and most of the snow on the high peaks has melted away.

2. Riverside Park 

Riverside Park is located at the corner of F Street and Sackett avenue. Historic beauty defines Riverside Park. The park includes a swimming pool, playground, tennis courts, ice rink, and a community room which is also the warming house in the winter. The outdoor hockey rink doubles as a multi-purpose asphalted roller blade rink. There are a half dozen landscape beds throughout the park and the Greenway Bike Path runs along the Red River. Stroll through the park on one of the paths, attend a performance at the bandshell, hold a wedding reception, climb on the bouldering wall, or sit down near the river at one of the picnic tables and hold a family picnic. 

Riverside Park is one of the most popular parks to rent in Salida; accordingly, numerous public and private events are held each year at this park.

Parking is available on the streets surrounding and adjacent to the Scout Hut (be aware of two hour time parking limits in downtown Salida) and by the F Street cul de Sac.

Top Hot Springs in Salida

• Cottonwood Hot Springs

• Joyful Journey Hot Springs 

• Mount Princeton Hot Springs 

• Salida Hot Springs & Aquatic Center

• Valley View Hot Springs 

Best Stop 3: Gunnison

Gunnison offers a vibrant cultural scene, ranching heritage and bountiful natural resources. It’s truly a unique destination for outdoor, culinary and art enthusiasts. Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in Colorado, a perfect spot for world-class fishing. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is nearby, with scenic overlooks and diverse hiking trails. The annual Cattlemen’s Days, featuring rodeo competitions, carnival and live music, is Colorado’s oldest rodeo.

Top Thing to Do in Gunnison

1. Curecanti National Recreation Area

Curecanti National Recreation Area – The largest lake in the state, Blue Mesa Reservoir, begins shortly west of town. When full, it’s 20 miles long. The park then continues north of Highway 92 along the Black Canyon’s North Rim. The boating, camping, fishing and hiking are tremendous.

• Camping

Gunnison National Forest is is located both east and west Highway 50 with multiple roads that allow primitive camping. The road out to Waunita Hot Springs has camping along the road, before and after the ranch. The road then continues over an old mountain pass to Pitkin. Camping can also be found further east on Highway 50 along the Monarch Pass.

To the west on Highway 50 is the Curecanti National Recreation Area. It houses the Blue Mesa Reservoir and numerous modern campgrounds, all along the highway.

• Fishing

Gunnison River runs by town, offering a variety of of spots to fish it. There’s a whitewater park that has a trail along the river and picnic areas.

2. Blue Mesa Reservoir

From Gunnison, get on the US-50 West and drive for around 25 minutes to the Blue Mesa Reservoir, located in the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The Blue Mesa Reservoir is the state’s largest body of water at 29 miles long, and the perfect place to enjoy some water sports or simply relax on the shore in the Colorado sun.

Fishing, sailing, paddle boarding, water skiing, and windsurfing are all popular activity options at the reservoir and equipment for almost any water sport your heart desires can be rented at the Elk Creek Marina. Consider renting a pontoon boat or a kayak for a few hours to explore the beautiful reservoir before heading on to the next stop!

3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

It’s just been since 1999 that the dramatic landscape of Black Canyon of the Gunnison has held national park status, but the Gunnison River’s carving of the canyon began millions of years ago. The Black Canyon, so named because the walls are often shrouded in shadows making them appear black, has some of the world’s oldest exposed rock — Precambrian or “basement” rock that is nearly 2 billion years old.

Things to See & Do

This is the perfect spot for scenic drives where can you peer 2,000 feet below the often guardrail-less edge to see the Gunnison River that descends in elevation at one of the fastest rates of any North American river. Experienced rock climbers find a playground here, but the majority of visitors enjoy hikes, nature trails, drives, Gold Medal fishing and generally admiring natural wonders while in the park.

If you're looking for accessible features and facilities in the park, you'll find numerous scenic overlooks, restrooms, the visitor center and campsites at the popular South Rim campground. 

Pack a picnic and lunch at Gunnison Point to refuel for your afternoon adventures. Spot the fastest bird in the world, the Peregrine falcon, as it jets across the canyon exceeding speeds of 200 miles per hour, all while a mule deer mother and her fawn munch on wildflowers. And visitors that won’t be making an appearance? Venomous snakes — the canyon’s night temps are too cold for them.

• Camping

There are three campsites at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. South Rim Campground has impressive views of the 2,250-foot Painted Wall, the highest cliff in Colorado (it’s 1,000-feet taller than the Empire State Building!). Meanwhile, North Rim Campground offers smaller, shady spots and great glimpses of the canyon, while East Portal Campground is located adjacent to the national park in beautiful Curecanti National Recreation Area.

• Hiking

For stellar sights of the Gunnison River, the canyon’s sheer walls and a variety of plant life, check out the 1-mile Rim Rock Nature Trail, which follows a relatively.

Best Stop 4: Ouray

Surrounded on all sides by snow-capped peaks and set at the narrow head of a deep valley, Ouray touts itself as the "Switzerland of America." With no nearby ski area to attract the tourism of other alpine Colorado towns, Ouray has kept much of its authentic turn-of-the-century charm. The whole town is registered as a Historic District and includes many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Its free Ice Park attracts amateur and pro ice climbers from around the world.

Top Thing to Do in Ouray

1. Box Canyon Waterfall & Park

Box Canyon Falls Park is a developed waterfall attraction situated in the “Switzerland of America”, Ouray. It showcases an 85 foot cascade of water down Canyon Creek.

The waterfall is the climax of Canyon Creek, which spills thousands of gallons a water each minute over the falls. You can witness this breathtaking attraction both above and below the waterfall. It thunders down into a quartzite canyon narrowly surrounded by 100 foot walls.

In addition to the easily-accessed waterfall, there are hiking trails, picnic areas and a visitor center. The visitor center features interpretive exhibits, describing the local ecosystem and history. The park and trails are open year round, however the visitor center closes for the winter in November. Normally it opens at 8am each day. Dogs are not permitted in the park.

The largest swifts that migrate North America, Black Swifts, make sure of the park each summer season. Arriving from Brazil in early June, the birds stay through September. The National Audobon Society declared Box Canyon Falls an important bird area.

Hiking Trails

• There are three main trails in the park:

• Falls Trail – easy 500 foot walk into the canyon, mostly flat.

• High Bridge Trail – a half mile loop that gains 200 feet in elevation. You’ll see stunning views of the Amphitheater Cirque peaks and an aerial view of town.

• Native Plant Loop – quick stroll through nature with plant markers for the local flora. This is only trail without steps.

2. Yankee Boy Basin

Surrounded by several mountain peaks (Potosi Peak, Teakettle Mountain, Cirque Mountain, Stony Mountain, and Gilpin Mountain), Yankee Boy Basin is a popular scenic area visited by hikers, photographers, four-wheelers and nature lovers.

3. Bachelor Syracuse Mine Tour

Strike up your Adventure! The Bachelor-Syracuse Mine Tour walks you 1,500 feet horizontally into Gold Hill, rich in gold, silver, and other precious metals. Guests are at all times accompanied by a thoroughly trained guide who has first-hand experience working the mine. The guides are prepared to answer questions and eager to share the legend and lore of the mine. 

Last Stop: Telluride

Nestled in the towering San Juans, Telluride offers visitors abundant trout fishing and hiking opportunities in summer, plus downhill and cross country skiing in winter. One of the world's most beautiful ski resorts, this former gold rush town has been popular with skiers since the '70s. Walk, catch free shuttles or soar to 9500 feet on the Mountain Village gondola. Appreciate the area's history and beauty at Telluride Historical Museum and Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado's longest free falling falls.

Top Thing to Do in Telluride

1. Telluride Mountain Village Gondola

One of the most unique forms of public transportation connects Mountain Village to Telluride offering stunning 360-degree views of the San Juan Mountains that extend as far away as Utah. The gondola, the first and only free public transportation of its kind in the United States opened in 1996 and was initially built to help improve air quality while expanding the ski area. It is entirely free to commuters and sightseers. Since then, it has become a popular attraction for residents and visitors alike, giving them a stunning ride that caps out at 10,540 feet above sea level. Approximately 3 million passenger rides annually – and safely – and more than 50 million passenger trips have been provided since opening day. The gondola operates roughly 287 days each year with routine maintenance scheduled during their shoulder season months. It takes about 12 minutes to get from the Town of Telluride to Mountain Village Village. It takes 3 minutes from Mountain Village Center to Market Plaza.

2. Trout lake a couple of miles ahead of Mountain Village and around 15 miles away from downtown Telluride on highway 145 is a nice, quaint place for a picnic, to read a book, kayak or swimming. The lake is surrounded by beautiful houses, condos that you could also rent for the weekend.

3. Cornet falls on Aspen Dr, takes around 20 minutes of a walk to get here.  You park on the side of the drive and walk uphill till the road ends and you see dirt surface. That’s where the trail starts. These falls are surrounded by Red rocks which makes it stand out from the other falls around the area.

4. Drive to the Mountain Village or take a free gondola ride up here. A European style village, it is located at almost 10,000 feet of elevation from the sea level. It looked even more beautiful in the summer, with the spruce covered mountains and colorful trees encompassing swanky houses everywhere. Summer is perfect for biking or hiking up here. You will find a lot of restaurants, bars, boutiques and souvenir shops as well.

5. Bear Creek falls is around 2 miles roundtrip of a hike. Located in the narrow bear creek canyon amidst the cliffs, these falls are beautiful and visible from across the meadows.

Where to Stay in Telluride?

We highly recommend the Mountain Lodge at Telluride. 

Nestled on Telluride Mountain and surrounded by the San Juan Mountains, this elegant property offers spacious apartments, ski-in/ski-out access, and upscale amenities in Telluride, Colorado.

Mountain Lodge features studio and 2-bedroom apartments that offer all the privacy and comforts of home. Each flat includes comfortable living areas with 2-way gas fireplaces. The gourmet kitchens or kitchenettes boast refrigerators, stainless-steel gas range stoves, microwaves and dishwashers.

Take a swim in the heated outdoor pool or soak in the hot tub. Work out in the exercise room, then relax in the steam room. Mountain Lodge Telluride also offers ski services such as ski lockers and storage and a seasonal restaurant is available on site.

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