Ron Bexel
Dog Friendly Vacations Colorado – We were able to fit in one more ride for the year before we needed to winterize our van. We planned to go to the ski resort of Telluride in the state of COVID this summer, but canceled the trip to comply with the state’s COVID travel restrictions. We finally went at the end of September and it was perfect because we could see the leaves changing.
A little more about the gondola, but first let’s talk about where we live. There are a few RV options in the town of Telluride: there are no private campgrounds in town, and the Town Park campground is reservation only and was not available for our dates. You can find one 30-60 minutes outside the city, relatively close but on a slow road, or further but down the highway, but finding a campsite (free or paid) is a real challenge near Telluride with a usable cellular data signal. . In the coming years, we would like to come back with a reservation and explore more of the city on foot from the city park for a few days.
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I had work to do on Friday so we decided to go to the “prime area” at the east end of Million Dollar Road since it had reliable cell signal. There were lots of other campers too!
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Although the main campsite was a little crowded, it was a good place for two nights. We made many trips straight from the van and experienced the leaves turning.
With work done on Friday, we were ready to explore Telluride on Saturday. We got an early start and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise on Million Dollar Road before driving 30 minutes into town.
You should check where you can park in Telluride before you arrive. The signs are not good, it is better if you know where you are going. The city does not allow RV parking at night, street parking is generally metered, and parking for large vehicles is very limited. Tommi says don’t try to drive the trailer into town; it’s impossible but not fun. Here’s what we did:
A park in Carhenge in the south-west corner of the town. It’s free, the largest parking lot in town, and everything is within walking distance.
A Dog-friendly Visit To Telluride, Colorado
From the parking lot, we went to the beautiful river trail, which is a gravel road along the river. There are many places for dogs to enter the river. It is about 1.1 miles from the Bear Creek Falls trailhead.
Bear Creek Falls is one of the most popular hikes in town and is 8 miles out and back. Be prepared for a gradual ascent until you fall. Just a few minutes after the trip, we were greeted with such a sight!
Since we started early, we didn’t see many other hikers on the way up. About 50% of the people we passed were wearing masks and the path is very narrow at times. We always wore masks when we passed other people.
Remember that we visited in September which meant that the falls were not as spectacular as at other times of the year.
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We sat and watched the falls for about 30 minutes while eating our lunch. All 3 dogs cooled off in the pool under the waterfall and got some rest.
On the way back to the city, the view of the valley is amazing! Plus, it’s nice to be completely downhill after the climb.
After the tour, we let the dogs cool off in the river and then walked around town for lunch.
We ordered a pizza from Brown Dog Pizza (I mean, how could we not!?) and while we waited for our order, we went to PET Telluride for dogs. We felt very safe (regarding COVID) in both places. Brown Dog had an employee outside to take and deliver orders so you never had to go inside, and PET Telluride only let a handful of customers into the store at time (masks required).
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We would have known more about the town, but it was busy and there were more people, and the dogs were already a bit tired. It was…GONDOLE TIME.
This gondola connects the town of Telluride and Mountain Village with one stop at the San Sophia station. It’s completely free and dog friendly! Due to Covid-19 they have limited each car to one group (which is really nice as you have your own private gondola!) You have to wear a mask the entire ride.
When we first passed the gondola around 8 in the morning on our way to Bear Creek Falls, there was no line. For lunch, the line stretched over a block. At 8,750 feet the sun was strong so I went and got in while Tommi and the dogs hung out on the shady lawn by the gondola and Lily took a much needed cuddle . It took about 25 minutes before I got the entrance, then Tommi and the dogs joined me.
This was the first time the dogs rode a gondola. Lily, our smart mother dog, did well. The other two of us were not thrilled with the experience. However, this is difficult to use! You ask your dog to go to the litter box in a tall building. The gondola does not stop (except in an emergency), the cars slow down only in the arrival area. There is no time to make the dogs comfortable as you only have seconds to board. We let Lily and Tommy go first – Lily boarded without hesitation – and then Mushy and Delta reluctantly followed. If you have a small or medium-sized dog, it may be best to pick them up when you board.
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When you get on board, the doors close automatically, and when the gondola car leaves the building, it moves a little. Dog didn’t like this part, but once they are out of the building it is quiet which was very nice. Lily was happy to join Tommi on the bench and enjoy the view.
Once you get to the gondola, you have two options for your destination. Since we had already had a long day, we decided to leave at the first stop, which is San Sophia and an 8-minute ride from where you picked up. You can walk on the ridge and get a good view of the city below. We decided to take the gondola back to Telluride, but your other option is to go down! The wide path curves down the mountain and is about a mile long. We saw several people on this trail with their dogs and Lily loved watching them from the gondola.
After a long day of adventure, we loaded our 3 tired dogs into the van and started heading home. We chose to spend an extra night on the highway in one of several small posts between the highway and the river. These places can be quite noisy during the day, but when the freeway dies down at night, they are great for a night out. There is no normal cellular signal in this area, but the dogs have good access to the river.
To get here, we passed a line of people parking opposite the bump. We don’t know why none of them took the place! The river is just behind the trees on the left, and the highway can be seen on the right.
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Telluride is a ski town and can be a completely different experience during the winter tourist season. If you’re visiting between November and April, do your homework as they may have more dog rules during busy times, for example. The gondola also closes for maintenance in the spring and fall (we went a few weeks before it closed in the fall), so choose your travel dates accordingly.
Visit Hovenweep National Monument with the dogs After a long winter, it was finally time for our first van ride of the season! After weighing our options, we decided it would be best to leave Hovenweep National Monument off the list based on the weather! We live in the Four Corners area and have been lucky enough to see it
Our top tips for new RVers with dogs who are new to RVing? We were once too! Like, VERY new. We once went from an RV to a full-time Class A with two dogs. First photo as motorhome owners in 2016! Going from scratch to full-time can be scary, but don’t let that stop you. We have compiled a list
Visiting Chaco Canyon with Dogs What is Chaco Canyon? Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico was the center of Native American cultures from about 800 to 1100. It is now protected by the Chaco Culture National Historic Park as a World Heritage Site. There are several ruins of very different architectural styles and they may have been served. You are here: Home / Blog / City Dog / City Dog Goes to the Rockies: A Pet-Friendly Colorado Vacation
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Happy 2017 Peeps!
