In The Gold

Mountain Village is the perfect base for autumn

BY ELLEN METRICK

The greatest biodiversity is found in the liminal spaces where two ecosystems meet. Ecologists call this transition the ecotone. The same is true about time; the most diversity is found in the changing of the seasons. This is especially true in Mountain Village during gold season. Here, trees don their seasonal celebration of golds, oranges and reds, and the hamlet downshifts just a bit. There’s still plenty happening in Telluride’s high-alpine twin, though, including many low-impact, memorable ways to enjoy autumn.

FEET

Finding the diversity in the outdoors this time of year is fun to do on foot. There are still flowers blooming by the trails, mushrooms add muted and sometimes bright colors, berries and rose hips are plump and the aspens aglow, while the trails are a little quieter. Beginner, intermediate and expert trails accessible from Mountain Village range from a half-mile to 10 miles. Practicing Leave No Trace trail ethics helps keep the area enjoyable for all. Afterwards, put tired feet up at the fire ring in Heritage Plaza and enjoy a warming drink while people watching. Also in Heritage Plaza, the Market on the Plaza offers an abundance of harvest color and flavor, local artists, music and food vendors every Wednesday through mid-September.

WHEELS

Renting a jeep or getting on a bike to explore the trails are wheeled ways to access stunning views and more remote locations. Outfitters, guides and rentals are available in the area for both bike and jeep. The Telluride Bike Park, a lift-served system of trails on the Telluride Ski Resort, is expected to remain open daily through Sept. 17, and on weekends from Sept. 23 to Oct. 28. The park connects to a wider network of Mountain Village trails to make two-wheeled leaf peeping a fun cinch. And, the Autumn Classic, formerly the Cars and Colors Festival, parks itself in Mountain Village, as well as elsewhere, Sept. 22-24 to showcase high-end restorations and vintage and exotic vehicles of the Concours level.

TREES & SKY

Of course, this time of year the trees are the focus, with the last two weeks of September and the first week of October typically marking the peak of autumnal color in the San Juans. One easy way to leaf peep is to ride the Gondola between Telluride and Mountain Village, which is open through Oct. 15. Looking just past the trees, the stunning San Juan sky holds as much gold at night as the trees do in the day. Find a dark area, like San Sophia Overlook, beside San Sophia mid-station on the Gondola, to take it all in. This year, there’s a lot happening in the skies. The full harvest moon this Sept. 29 will be the fourth, and final, supermoon of 2023, and viewing moonrise from San Sophia Overlook is a not-to-miss experience. From Oct. 6-10, the Draconid meteor shower is best seen in the early evenings. The Orionid meteor showers are on Oct. 21 and 22, and a lunar eclipse closes out the month, rivalling the riot of colors that stripe the slopes in providing a stunning visual show this autumn in Mountain Village.

For more on Mountain Village activities and events, visit telluride.com/mountainvillage.