If you haven't made it out to Colorado state you really should plan something within your lifetime to see the beauty that lies within the Rocky Mountain terrains; whether it's with someone special, a group of friends, or a family trip. If this picture doesn't strike a "I wanna go tomorrow" or "plan an upcoming trip" then maybe some of the other photos I incorporate into this post prompt some "adventure" feelings.
By the way, all the images in this post and on my social media regarding this post are my photos I personally took during my adventures in the state.
The first time I was in Colorado it was for a family trip during the spring time (if I remember correctly) that involved my parents and sister, then there was a second family trip that involved a caravan of three vehicles when it was filled with snow covered lands and mountain tops. Both trips involved the Aspen and Colorado Springs areas. So it was an eye opening journey and truly an adventure of an experience when I traveled to Colorado without any family in 2017.
The drive alone through Colorado is breathtaking so obviously that's an experience of its own, but driving through the high peak areas or more specifically local country roads that are used for locals day to day traveling (instead of your typical highways) now that's one hell of a memorable view and moment. I wouldn't have even known about some of the places I will be mentioning if it wasn't at someone else's suggestion to go to the sites and locations I did. I will say that there's nothing wrong with adventuring alone but I think it best to at least go with someone who has been on the terrain and visited the sites first hand, makes things easier to navigate for sure.
A city to explore, visit, and enjoy is Telluride; a city in which looks to be the pit of an area surrounded my mountains. Such a quaint city with everything you need and so many things to enjoy and experience-mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, skiing (when it's the snowy winter season), canoeing, fishing, beautiful walking trails, flavors of hole in the wall restaurants, bakeries, off roading routes, and some cute little churches. This image below was walking alongside the riverbank that flows through Telluride.
It's a city that a car not what you'll need the entire time BUT, I suggest and feel that to truly enjoy the town you need to stay in the Telluride Mountain Village, that's where I stayed. It's a place at the top of the mountain ridge with its own town entry (like that of Telluride-see the entrance sign in my pic below). It's the equivalent of Frisco to Plano, or Highland Park to Dallas, or Woodlands to Houston, or Newark to Manhattan.
The best part of this town is how it connects to Telluride. When you drive into the city you don't realize or notice where Telluride actually is. You'll see the various gondola's in transit throughout the air as you travel to either your rental home or hotel (that you've made reservations at) and just a very peaceful town. At the main entry to the "Village" is the fire department and police station, along with the main grocery store or market. The part I loved the most is that you didn't need a car at all to travel around unless you were traveling to one of the sites near to Telluride. Where we stayed at was not just a form of a ski resort, but an independent stay/company that had a few floors of the "hotel" for residential rentals and the remainder floors or "rooms" as part of the hotel accommodations. I'll have to write another post on the stay there because it's worth not only staying at but for any occasion you may have throughout the year out there. Valeting the vehicle, it wasn't taken out again until adventures to the near by sites occurred which was a blessing in disguise (especially if its your first time there) because you can literally just walk everywhere in this village and easily take the village gondola transportation to other areas of the village; example being, if you're needing to get something from their market/grocery store there's no need to take your vehicle, just board the gondola and easily bring back any groceries that you've purchased. The hotel though I think was in such a prime location because you felt a little secluded from the main traffic of the town natives and travelers, yet had a great distance from the main plaza where of course my handy Starbucks was located. However, in that altitude and in that state there's no way that Starbucks does any coffee or hot chocolate justice, you have to try the local stuff or find yourself a quaint little coffee shop (actually now that I think about it while I write, the hotel coffee was delicious and great during the morning breakfast).
When you walked from the hotel to the plaza, you pass a few restaurants but there's one specific Thai spot I absolutely fell in love with! As you enter the main plaza or court area you see this quaint architectural design of walkways and structures, with some more local restaurants and pubs, dessert and other food shops in addition to your shopping boutiques or clothing stores. The plaza area also leads to the other side of the village where the actual ski resorts and golf course are located; again, beautiful walk and just a calming path to venture on but there's also some rental residences and "hotels" within the plaza. Towards the outskirt of the plaza is one of the main gondola stations. I say one of the main ones because there are a total of four; they are all four connected on the main track so the plaza station is the second to last stop coming from Telluride, with the market being the last stop (again coming from Telluride) then the primary station is located in Telluride at the bottom of the base of the mountains. The middle station is at the top of the mountain ridge where you have the choice to either get off for some beautiful trails or visit the mountain side restaurant otherwise you stay on and head down the mountain ridge to finally make your way to the city of Telluride, where you can immerse yourself in the town.
In case you're wondering, some of the nearby cities (and I'll be writing some other posts on them) for some of the fun, historical, and adventurous sites are via a main highway or the locals country road pass; you have both Silverton and Durango.
Sincerely,
A Distinct Woman
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