Active Pursuits

In addition to skiing at Telluride Ski Resort, there are plenty of other opportunities for cold-weather adventures in the Telluride area. Much of it takes place at Town Park, at the east end of town (tel. 970/728-3071; www.town.telluride.co.us), where there are groomed cross-country trails, daytime sledding and tubing at Firecracker Hill, and free ice skating. There's also free ice skating at the outdoor rink in the Mountain Village. Skate rentals are available at local sporting-goods stores. The River Corridor Trail follows the San Miguel River from Town Park to the valley floor. Popular with bikers and hikers in warm weather, it's perfect for cross-country skiing and skate-skiing after the snow falls. The Mountain Village at Telluride Ski Resort has 19 miles of Nordic trails, which connect with 12 miles of groomed trails at Town Park and River Corridor Trail, giving cross-country skiers a total of 31 miles.

Guided snowmobile tours ranging from 2 hours to all day, with rates starting at about $150 for one rider on one machine, are offered by several local companies including Dave's Mountain Tours (tel. 970/728-9749; www.telluridetours.com). Those who want to (and can afford to) take a helicopter to some of the best powder skiing available should contact Telluride Helitrax (tel. 866/435-4754 or 970/728-8377; www.helitrax.net), with rates for a 5- or 6-run day of about $950 per person.

Warm-Weather & Year-Round Activities

Telluride isn't just a ski town -- there's a wide variety of year-round outdoor activities. Town Park is home to the community's various festivals. It also has a public outdoor pool, open in summer, plus tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, a small outdoor basketball court, a skateboarding ramp, playing fields, picnic area, and fishing pond. A campground for tent and car campers, open from May 15 to October 15, has 34 sites, showers ($2) but no RV hookups, and costs $15 to $20 per night.

There are a number of outfitting companies in the Telluride area, including Telluride Outside, 121 W. Colorado Ave. (tel. 800/831-6230 or 970/728-3895; www.tellurideoutside.com), which offers a wide range of guided adventures. Equipment rentals are available throughout Telluride and Mountain Village. You'll find mountain bikes, fishing gear, camping equipment, and inflatable kayaks at a number of locations operated by Telluride Sports (tel. 800/828-7547 or 970/728-4477; www.telluridesports.com).

Fishing -- There's excellent fishing in the San Miguel River through Telluride, but it's even better in nearby alpine lakes, including Silver Lake, reached by foot in Bridal Veil Basin, and Trout and Priest lakes, about 12 miles south via Colo. 145. At Town Park there's the Kids Fishin' Pond for children 12 and under, which is stocked Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Four-Wheeling -- To see old ghost towns, mining camps, and spectacular mountain scenery from the relative comfort of a bouncing four-wheel-drive vehicle, join Telluride Outside or Dave's Mountain Tours. A variety of trips are offered, including rides over the 13,000-foot Imogene Pass jeep road, with prices for full-day trips about $115 for adults and $95 for children 12 and younger. Half-day trips are about $75 and $55, respectively.

Golf -- The 18-hole par-71 Telluride Golf Course is located at Telluride Mountain Village (tel. 970/728-6366 or 970/728-6157). Greens fees with the required cart are $160 from July through Labor Day, lower at other times.

Hiking & Mountaineering -- The mountains around Telluride offer innumerable opportunities for hiking, mountaineering, and backpacking. Sporting-goods stores and the visitor center have maps of trails in the Telluride area. Especially popular are the easy 4-mile (round-trip) Bear Creek Canyon Trail, which starts at the end of South Pine Street and leads to a picturesque waterfall; the Jud Wiebe Trail that begins at the north end of Aspen Street and does a 2.7-mile loop above the town, offering views of Bridal Veil Falls, the town, and ski area; and the 1.8-mile (one-way) hike to the top of Bridal Veil Falls, which starts at the east end of Telluride Canyon.

Horseback Riding -- One of the best ways to see this spectacular country is by horse. Telluride Horseback Adventures (tel. 970/728-9611; www.ridewithroudy.com) has "gentle horses for gentle people and fast horses for fast people, and for people who don't like to ride, horses that don't like to be rode." Another good company is Many Ponies Outfit (tel. 970/728-6278; www.manyponiesoutfit.com). Rates are about $80 for a 2-hour ride, $130 for a half-day ride, and $190 for a full day in the saddle.

Mountain Biking -- Telluride is a major mountain-biking center. The San Juan Hut System links Telluride with Moab, Utah, via a 206-mile-long network of backcountry dirt roads. Every 35 miles is a primitive cabin, with bunks, a wood stove, propane cooking stove, and cooking gear. The route, open to mountain bikers from June through September, is appropriate for intermediate level riders in good physical condition, and an advanced technical single track is found near the huts for more experienced cyclists. Cost for riders who plan to make the whole trip is about $550, which includes use of the six huts, three meals daily, sleeping bags at each hut, and maps and trail descriptions. Shorter trips, guide services, and vehicle shuttles are also available. For information contact San Juan Hut System, P.O. Box 773, Ridgeway, CO 81432 (tel. 970/626-3033; www.sanjuanhuts.com).