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Telluride, Colorado

Looking for the best backpacking in Telluride? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Telluride. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Backpacking Spots in and near Telluride

  • Telluride, Colorado

    Blue Lakes Trail

    5.0
    8.81 mi / 2635 ft gain
    Your adventure begins at the Blue Lakes Trailhead, elevation 9400’, in Uncompahgre National Forest. Take CO-62 from Ridgway toward Telluride, turn left onto Ouray County Road 7, and follow it into the national forest to the end of the road. Just past the trailhead, the trail splits; be sure to ...
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  • Ridgway, Colorado

    Running to Grizzly Bear Mine

    Bear Creek Trail, which leads to Grizzly Mine, is located just 2 miles outside of Ouray, Colorado on Highway 550 immediately following the first tunnel. There's two parking lots, a large one and a small one, the trail leads from the small parking lot over the tunnel and highway. There are no bath...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Explore Clear Lake

    5.0
    The road to Clear Lake offers wonderful views of the South Fork Mineral Creek, and the San Juan Mountains. Some people make the 9-mile round-trip hike with 2,600 feet of elevation gain, others drive as far as their vehicle will allow and hike from there, and some make the drive all the way up. It...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Climb Fuller Peak

    3.0
    Begin by hiking the Ice Lakes Trail for 3.5 miles, which will take you to Ice Lake. From here, you can identify the obvious, delta-shaped mountain to climber's left, known as Fuller Peak (13,761ft). Hike cross country, directly toward the base of the North Ridge (right skyline), walking past Full...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Backpack to Island Lake

    5.0
    8 mi / 3000 ft gain
    From the Ice Lakes basin Trailhead, this 8 mile round trip trail with 3000 feet of elevation gain will bring you to the Ice Lakes Basin with an abundance of beautiful lakes, especially Island Lake and Ice Lake. We camped on a little shelf above Island Lake, but you can camp anywhere you find a ni...
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  • Ouray, Colorado

    Backpack to Dragon's Back via Horsethief Trail

    5.0
    16 mi / 3520 ft gain
    The Uncompahgre Wilderness stretches out through the mountains and forests of southwestern Colorado, with worn trails lingering beside abandoned 19th-century mines and crossing old alpine sheep pastures. Dragon's Back is the unofficial name for Point 12,968', a small but beautiful summit at the b...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Camp at Little Molas Lake

    5.0
    1 mi / 40 ft gain
    Little Molas Lake Campground is about 1 mile off of US Highway 550 on Molas Pass just North of and on the other side of the highway from the Molas Overlook. Pro-tip: there is also another campground nearby called Molas Lake Park & Campground, so it's important to distinguish which you are hea...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Hike the Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek

    5.0
    10 mi / 755 ft gain
    To hike this section of the Colorado Trail, you'll begin from the Little Molas Lake Campground at around 10,895-ft. Little Molas Lake Campground is about 1 mile off of US Highway 550 on Molas Pass just North of and on the other side of the highway from the Molas Overlook, which is just South of S...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Crater Lake via Crater Lake Trail

    5.0
    11.73 mi / 2077 ft gain
    Reaching this trailhead actually begins off of Andrews Lake - you will see signs for Andrews Lake off HWY 550. I will provide directions from both Durango and Silverton at the end.  The trailhead is extremely well marked the entire way. The mileage from Andrews lake to Crater lake one way is 5.5...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Backpack to Wetterhorn Basin

    13 mi / 3000 ft gain
    This trip is for the lover of solitude and the appreciator of the unscathed backcountry. Wetterhorn Basin is in the heart of the beautiful San Juan Mountain range in Southwestern Colorado.With a 4WD high clearance vehicle start at the West Cimarron Trailhead at 10,750 feet (38.1117N -107.5533W),...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Backpack into Chicago Basin from Purgatory Flats

    5.0
    26 mi / 6000 ft gain
    This hike begins at the Purgatory Flats Trailhead across from the purgatory resort. The register is about a hundred yards from the Trailhead and is located next to a trail map. From here you will begin your descent down into the flats, which is roughly a 600-700 foot descent over the course of ju...
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  • Durango, Colorado

    Summit 3 Peaks in the Chicago Basin

    5.0
    I tell people all the time that if they only do one hike in Colorado, this is it. You get a little taste of everything: Colorado history, wildlife, beautiful campsite views, 14ers, and the largest wilderness in the state.This itinerary assumes you’re hitching a ride on the train from Silverton. ...
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