Before moving back to Arkansas, Alex and I seriously considered being Coloradans. We even met with a realtor and went back and forth on homes in and outside of Denver. By now, you obviously know where we decided to call home in the end, but Colorado will forever be high on my list of places to live one day.

Getting There

The more I travel through the U.S., the more I fall in love with this country and its diverse landscapes. The moment we crossed the Colorado border from Arizona, streams and rivers appeared and the red sand desert melted away. Telluride, a former mining town, is located in the southwestern corner of Colorado with limitless outdoor possibilities. If you’re flying in, Montrose Regional Airport is a scenic hour-drive from Telluride. A number of shuttle and other ground transportation services are available alongside rental cars.

Stay

My first hotel experience in the pandemic was at the Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection. I felt so comfortable here, not to mention it’s the perfect place to base yourself when in Telluride (and really great for kids). My favorite spaces were Black Iron Kitchen + Bar, the pool with an unreal mountain view, and extremely close access to the gondola. It’s about a 10-15 minute ride to the cutest downtown you’ll ever lay eyes on!

Summertime in Telluride

I skied this mountain over a snowy New Year’s Eve about a decade ago (wow), and this was my second visit during summer. That’s what I love about Colorado. It’s very much in season 365 days of the year!

Weather

A quick note about the weather in Colorado during summertime. It’s all about the layers, and don’t forget your rain jacket at home! Afternoon storms are short but prevalent which is why hikers get started earlier rather than later in the day. When the sun is shining, it’s warm but that cool mountain air is never far away!

Hikes

Blue Lake – This 6 mile trail with about 2,000 ft of elevation gain took us to the top of Bridal Veil Falls to a stunning blue lake. We didn’t get very lucky with weather, but you can’t always get that blue bird day. It was muddy and wet, but we made it work with the right gear. Wildflowers were out alongside gushing waterfalls. If you hike above the first blue lake in order to get to the second, the view above lower blue lake is STUNNING.

Wilson Peak – You know those extremely excruciating hikes that need to become a memory in order for you to look back on and think fondly of because in the moment…it’s hell on earth? Yeah, this was THAT lol. Hiking my first 14er was a humbling experience. We started at 4:30am with headlamps on at extreme altitude and sucking in all the oxygen I could get. We also got caught in a hail storm without any form of shelter…but I’m still here to tell the story! Now, two years later, I can say it was one of the best hikes of my life 🙂

Wishlist for next time:

Via Ferrata

Jud Wiebe Trail

Imogene Pass

Bear Creek Falls Trail

Ice Lakes (Silverton)

Eats

Brown Dog Pizza – came highly recommended from y’all on IG!

221 South Oak – a historic home and seasonal destination for diverse New American fare, a vegetarian menu & a broad wine list

Cosmo – yummy sushi and close to the gondola for easy access

Baked – adore that the sign reads “bagels, coffee, sandwiches, donuts, pizza, pasta, beer, wine, tacos.” Yep, pretty much sums it up 🙂

There – was born from a notion that every moment should be passionately experienced and lived. Here, dinner is not a moment in time each day. Hope to see you there…

Siam – thai plates & cocktails in a warmly decorated space

Next up: Aspen!