The 9 Best Things to Do in Telluride + 1 Hidden Gem (Updated 2026)

A free gondola, a 365 foot waterfall, a 4×4 road from a Coen Brothers movie, and pizza that won world championships.

After two visits and six nights, these are my best things to do in Telluride, ranked by how much they stayed with me after the trip. Some of them are on every list you’ll find online. Others, like the tiny town with the smallest post office you’ve ever seen or the gravel road where True Grit was filmed, are the ones nobody told us about and the ones I remember most.

A few of these need a 4×4, and I’ll tell you which ones. Most of them are free. All of them are better in the morning.

Let’s get into it.

The 9 Best Things to Do in Telluride

1. Take the Free Gondola to Mountain Village

The only free public gondola in North America, and it’s not a gimmick. A 13 minute ride from town to Mountain Village at 10,535 feet, floating above the box canyon with golden aspens below and 13,000 foot peaks around you. In fall the views are unreal. Ride it in the morning when the fog is still sitting in the canyon and the first sunlight is hitting the peaks. Then ride it back down and do it again.

Tip: The gondola runs year round. Check seasonal hours on the Telluride website. No reservation, no ticket, just walk on.

2. See Bridal Veil Falls at the End of the Canyon

At 365 feet, Bridal Veil Falls is the tallest free falling waterfall in Colorado, and it drops right at the back of the box canyon with the entire golden valley framing it. You can see it from town, but getting closer means driving up the unpaved road past the end of Colorado Avenue. The closer you get, the more impressive it becomes.

3. Drive into the Box Canyon

The approach to Telluride is an experience in itself. The road leads into a box canyon surrounded by peaks on three sides, and in fall the walls of the canyon are solid gold. It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen photos before. Nothing prepares you for the scale of it when you drive in for the first time and the canyon closes around you.

4. Eat at Brown Dog Pizza (Before 5:30)

Two levels with a gallery, no reservations, first come first served. Detroit style pizza with thick airy crust and edges caramelized from the cheese. Brown Dog has won titles at the Pizza World Championships in Italy, and after eating there twice I understand why. I’ve rarely had pizza this good anywhere.

Our first visit we waited 45 minutes. Our second time we showed up at 5:15 and walked right in. After 6:00 it bursts at the seams. Be early.

 

5. Drive Last Dollar Road

This is the drive that separates Telluride from every other mountain town. Last Dollar Road is a 4×4 gravel road that connects Telluride to the Dallas Divide over a high mountain pass with views of the Sneffels Range. No guardrails, no asphalt, and in places barely enough room for two cars. The True Grit ranch from the Coen Brothers film is along this road, and when the aspens are turning the whole corridor burns gold.

Tip: 4×4 with high clearance required. Not negotiable. The road closes with the first serious snow. Drive it in the morning for the best light on the Sneffels peaks.

6. Walk Colorado Avenue

Telluride’s main street, lined with Victorian buildings from the 1880s gold rush era. Restaurants with open terraces, wine bars, galleries, outdoor shops. In fall the terraces are still open and the canyon walls behind the rooftops are gold. It’s eight blocks of mountain town charm that feels nothing like a ski resort between seasons. Walk it in the late afternoon when the light drops low into the canyon.

7. Visit Trout Lake

About 20 minutes south of Telluride on the road to Ophir, Trout Lake sits in a valley surrounded by aspens and peaks. In fall the reflection in the water is postcard perfect. It’s small, quiet, and rarely crowded. Stop on the way to or from Ophir and give it fifteen minutes. You’ll want to give it more.

8. Park for Free and Walk Along the San Miguel River

At the eastern end of town there’s a free parking lot. From there a beautiful path along the San Miguel River leads into town and to the gondola station. The path is lined with aspens in fall and the river runs alongside you the whole way. It’s one of the nicest walks to a parking spot you’ll ever take, and it saves you the paid garage parking that most central hotels charge.

9. Drive the Start of Ophir Pass and Find the Famous Dancing Aspens

South of Telluride, the tiny town of Ophir sits at the base of Ophir Pass: a handful of cabins, a community center, and one of the smallest post offices you’ve ever seen. The aspens around Ophir are something else entirely. Locals call them the Dancing Aspens because the trunks bend and twist in every direction, creating shapes that look alive. In fall, with the gold leaves and the twisted white trunks, it looks like a forest from a fairy tale.

From Ophir, the pass road climbs through some of the most beautiful fall forest we saw anywhere in Colorado. We didn’t drive the full crossing to Silverton, the full route requires serious off road confidence, but the first few miles are worth the drive even as an out and back. Combine it with Trout Lake on the way for a perfect half day loop south of Telluride.

 

Tip: 4×4 with high clearance for Ophir Pass. The town itself are reachable in any car.

1 Hidden Gem in Telluride That Most Visitors Miss

Hidden Gem: The Telluride Autumn Classic

If you time your visit for the last week of September, you might walk into a free three day automotive festival on Colorado Avenue. The Telluride Autumn Classic brings vintage cars, exotics, and beautifully restored classics into the box canyon, parked along the main street with the golden aspens behind them. The Friday evening Cool Cars on Colorado parade is free and open to everyone. In 2026 it runs September 24 to 27. 

What You Can Honestly Skip in Telluride

Mountain Village restaurants in fall. Limited selection between seasons. Eat in town instead.

The full Ophir Pass crossing without experience. The first few miles are beautiful and worth it, but the full crossing to Silverton requires serious 4×4 skill and confidence. Know your limits.

Trying to do everything in one day from Ouray or Silverton. Telluride deserves at least two nights. Day tripping from another town means you miss the morning light in the canyon and the evening on Colorado Avenue, which are the two best parts.

Which Activities Need a 4×4?

You can have an incredible three days in Telluride without a 4×4. But if you want Last Dollar Road and Ophir Pass, book one. The difference between a sedan and a 4×4 rental is usually $30 to $50 a day, and for those two drives it’s worth every dollar.

► Read our full guide on where to stay in Telluride

Get Ready for Your Trip to Colorado

Book Your Accommodation

For Telluride I use Booking.com*. I also cross check on Hotels.com* and Expedia*. For cabins, check Vrbo*. Compare rates on Kayak*. I also check Agoda*.

Book Your Flights and Rental Car

For flights and rental cars I compare on Kayak*. Fly into Montrose (MTJ, 65 miles) or Telluride Regional (TEX). Book a 4×4 if you want Last Dollar Road and Ophir Pass.

Book Tours and Activities

For guided hikes, via ferrata, and fall tours, GetYourGuide* is where I look first.

*Advertising: affiliate links. No extra cost to you.

Best Things to Do in Telluride: Frequently Asked Questions

⛰ What is the number one thing to do in Telluride?

Take the free gondola. It’s a 13 minute ride from town to Mountain Village at 10,535 feet, floating above the golden box canyon. Free, year round, and genuinely one of the best experiences in Colorado. In fall, ride it in the morning when the fog is still in the canyon.

🚗 Do I need a 4×4 in Telluride?

For the town, the gondola, Bridal Veil Falls viewpoint, and Trout Lake, no. For Last Dollar Road and Ophir Pass, yes. Both are unpaved mountain roads that require 4×4 with high clearance. You can have a great trip without them, but they’re the drives that make Telluride special.

🍕 Where should I eat in Telluride?

Brown Dog Pizza on Colorado Avenue. Detroit style, world championship titles, and no reservations. Be there by 5:15 or expect a 45 minute wait. We went twice and would go again.

📅 How many days do you need in Telluride?

Three days and two nights is the sweet spot. Day 1 for the gondola, Mountain Village and Bridal Veil Falls. Day 2 for Last Dollar Road. Day 3 for Ophir, the Dancing Aspens, and Trout Lake. Add a night if you want to explore the town more slowly.

🍂 When is the best time for fall colors in Telluride?

Late September through early October. The last week of September typically lines up with the Telluride Autumn Classic car festival, peak foliage, and open 4×4 roads. I wrote a full month by month guide here.

Final Thoughts on the Best Things to Do in Telluride

The famous stuff in Telluride is famous for a reason. The gondola is genuinely incredible. Bridal Veil Falls is genuinely dramatic. Colorado Avenue is genuinely charming. But the things I remember most are the ones that aren’t on the standard lists: the twisted Dancing Aspens in Ophir, the True Grit ranch on Last Dollar Road, and the 45 minute wait at Brown Dog that turned into the best pizza of my life. The best version of Telluride is the one where you go looking for the things that aren’t in the brochure.

Check availability in Telluride here* and book early for fall. Happy travels.

*Advertising: affiliate links. No extra cost to you

Check Out My Other Telluride and Colorado Travel Guides

Best Time to Visit Telluride: And When I’d Go Again
Where to Stay in Telluride: Town vs Mountain Village and My Honest Pick
Is Telluride Worth Visiting: My Honest Review
How I Spent 3 Days in Telluride: My Perfect Fall Itinerary 
Crested Butte and Kebler Pass in Fall: The Largest Aspen Forest in North America
Colorado Travel Guide: Best Road Trips and Mountain Towns