Telluride sits at the closed end of a box canyon, which means the hiking here doesn't ease you in from the parking lot — the walls go up on three sides and the trails go up with them. That's the honest trade: almost everything climbs, and almost everything pays you back within the first mile.

Here are the trails we send guests to most, roughly in order of effort.

The mellow starts

The Valley Floor. Before you climb anything, walk the flat. The Valley Floor trail runs along the San Miguel River west of town through open meadow that the community famously fought to keep undeveloped. It's stroller-friendly, dog-friendly, and in June the wildflowers alone justify the trip.

Bear Creek Falls. The classic first hike. From the south end of Pine Street in town, a wide old wagon road climbs about two miles to a waterfall pouring off the canyon headwall. Roughly 1,000 feet of gain, shaded most of the way, and busy for good reason. Give it two to three hours round trip.

The town classics

Jud Wiebe Trail. A three-mile loop straight off the north side of town, climbing about 1,300 feet through aspen to a bench with the best free view of Telluride there is. Locals run it before work. Visitors should take it slower — the altitude is real, and the view deserves the pause.

Bridal Veil Falls. At the very back of the canyon, Colorado's tallest free-falling waterfall drops 365 feet below the historic powerhouse perched improbably on the cliff edge. You can hike the switchbacking road from the Pandora Mill, about 1.8 miles up. Go early — afternoon light puts the falls in shadow, and summer storms build over the peaks by two o'clock most days.

From Mountain Village

You don't have to start in town. From Mountain Lodge Telluride you can walk out the door to the Village trail network, or ride the gondola to Station St. Sophia and pick up the Ridge Trail along the top — high, open walking with the Wilson Range on one side and the canyon on the other. In fall the aspen below turn the whole hillside gold.

See Forever Trail lives up to its name: from the top of the resort you can pick out the La Sal Mountains in Utah on a clear day. Ride the lift or gondola up and walk down if you'd rather descend than climb.

The big days

Blue Lake and Bridal Veil Basin above the falls, Wasatch Trail connecting Bear Creek to the high country, and Wilson Peak — the fourteener on the Coors can — are all here for hikers with the legs and an early start. These are full days above treeline. Carry layers, watch the sky, and be heading down by noon in monsoon season.

Honest altitude advice

Town sits at 8,750 feet; Mountain Village at 9,545; the trails go well above 12,000. If you've arrived from sea level, give yourself a day on the Valley Floor before pointing uphill, drink more water than feels reasonable, and treat afternoon thunderstorms as a schedule, not a possibility — they arrive most summer afternoons between one and three.

The front desk keeps trail conditions, and the kitchen at Alloy will pack you off with breakfast. The mountains handle the rest.