Ultimate Denver to Telluride Road Trip with 2 Route Options
Takeing a Denver to Telluride road trip? While Denver is the most populated city of Colorado, a few hours drive can get you to what feels like another world. Well, maybe not another world, but definitely a beautiful, special mountain town of Colorado. Going from Denver to Telluride is a journey in and of itself. And there are plenty of great places to see along the way.
Let’s Jet, Kids! uses affiliate links. As an Amazon (and other networks) Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It is no extra cost to you. See full disclosure policy for more info.
While Telluride is the destination, there is a lot to see on the drive from Denver to Telluride. So once your plane lands in Denver or you live there and decide to leave town, check out these sample driving routes whether you are looking for the quickest route or the scenic route that’s perfect for families.
We’ll start in Denver, hit a few mountain towns, and make our way down to Telluride. Stop and enjoy ample time at all of these suggestions, pick one or two, or just make a pit stop! Mix and match what will fit into your schedule.
So pack up and come along on this Denver to Telluride road trip.
Table of Contents
Distance from Denver to Telluride
How far is Telluride from Denver? It depends which route you take! I’ll share a couple routes on this post, so here are their distances:
- Quickest Route in time: 360 miles
- Shortest Route in miles: 330 miles
Drive Time
Again, it depends. Here are the route times:
- Quickest Route: 6 hours
- Shortest Route: 6 hours 10 minutes
Transportation options
Fly to Telluride
The quickest way to get from Denver to Telluride is to fly. Telluride (TEX) has a small airport nearby that only takes about an hour to fly to from Denver. The flights are run by Key Lime air.
You can also fly into Montrose’s regional airport (MTJ) which is a little bigger, and thus, typically a little more affordable than flying into Telluride. This will leave you 67 miles away from Telluride.
Airlines that fly into Montrose include United, Southwest, and American.
Can You Take the Bus?
There use to be a Bustang bus option that required transfers and a long ride that could get you to Telluride; however, that route has discontinued.
Drive
Driving is the best, easiest way to get from Denver to Telluride (or Telluride to Denver). You can get exactly from point A to point B without having to transfer or get a rental car and keep driving. By the time you get through the airport on a flight, you’re not saving that much more time.
Plus, if you drive from Denver to Telluride, you can make a trip out of the journey itself!
Driving from Denver to Telluride: Quickest Route
Here’s how to get from Denver to Telluride driving.
For the quickest route, take I-70 west. You’ll get just about to Grand Junction and head south at exit 37 in Clifton. You’ll head south through Montrose (where the road becomes highway 550) and then Ridgway. In Ridgway you’ll turn right onto CO-62 and take that to the end, Then turn left on CO-145 and continue on into Telluride.
For this, you’ll take the same route as noted right above, but we’re going to add in some stops to explore a little!
Starting in Denver:
1. Denver
Check out 16th Street Mall and the Museum of Illusions. Then try many of the fun, free things to do in town like a tour of the State Capitol or Denver Mint. Other great city attractions include:
- Elitches (amusement park)
- Downtown Aquarium
- Children’s Museum
- Denver Museum of Nature and Science
- Denver Zoo
- Botanic Gardens
If you have a few days, you really could make a great family vacation in Denver.
🏠 Stay the Night at the Embassy Suites near the Convention Center
2. Breckenridge– Mountain Town
Denver to Breckenridge: 80 miles, 1-1/2 hours.
Breckenridge is a classic Colorado mountain town great for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. It’s just a short detour off I-70, making it worth the stop.
While in Breckenridge you can:
- Take the short hike to see Isak Heartstone the woodland Troll
- Ride the gondola up the mountain
- See one of the beautiful waterfalls in the area
- Grab lunch at Downstairs and Eric’s (food and games!)
- Have all day? Do a family scavenger hunt to really get a feel for this town!
- Visiting in winter? Go snowshoeing around the trails or in Frisco next-door.
🏠 Stay the Night at the Exceptional Ranahan
3. Vail- Bavarian Style Mountain Town
Breckenridge to Vail: 35 miles, 45 minutes
Vail not only has incredible skiing, but summertime brings foliage and mountain activities in the warm sun. Vail is often known for its Bavarian style architecture, alluring visitors from all over to feel as if they’ve gone thousands of miles away.
Here are a few things to do on your stop in Vail:
- Roam the streets of Vail Village to take in the Bavarian style and let the kids cool off in the fountains
- Visit the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens (and make sure the kids get to the Children’s Garden)
- Walk the Village Streamline Trail, an easy and short trail right in town
- Bicycle down Vail Pass– an easy, popular ride on a paved path from one resort to another
🏠 Stay the night at Manor Vail Lodge, right in Vail Village
4. Glenwood Springs- Hot Spring Central!
Vail to Glenwood Springs: 60 miles, 1 hour
Glenwood Springs is a beautiful town right off I-70. No detour required! It’s best known for its ahhhhmazing hot springs that are incredibly family-friendly. It’s the largest hot springs pool in the world. But if you don’t want to just soak, you can go on the gentle water ride (seasonal).
Here’s all the fun waiting in Glenwood Springs:
- Glenwood Hot Springs (so very worth it!)
- Hike to Hanging Lake
- Play at Glenwood Adventure Park for thrill rides (swing off a mountain 😱) or more gentle-rides
- Tour Glenwood Caverns
- Float the Colorado River on this gentle ride
🏠 Stay the Night at Holiday Inn IHG (pool and breakfast included!)
5. Grand Junction
Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction: 87 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes
While nearby Palisade gets all the attention for being Colorado’s wine country, take the kids to Grand Junction instead!
Here’s what you can enjoy:
- Colorado National Monument
- Dinosaur Journey Museum to see thousands of fossils
- Zipline over the Colorado River
- Visit Cross Orchards Historic Site to show the kids a working farm and time in an apple orchard
If you’re just there for a quick stop or just for a day, the national monument will take up all that time. It’s definitely worth a drive through to see all the geological sites.
🏠 Stay the Night at Holiday Inn IHG (free pool and breakfast)
Final Stop: Telluride
Grand Junction to Telluride: 126 miles, 2 hours 26 minutes
Telluride is full of fun for the family. Now that you’ve driven from Denver to Telluride, you’re probably ready to settle in and really dig in to some fun. Here are just some of the fun things to do in Telluride in the summer:
- Ride the Free gondola up to Mountain Village to explore
- Picnic at Town Park
- Eat some local pizza
- Hike to Bridal Veil Falls, the tallest waterfall in Colorado
- Raft on the San Miguel River
(Going in winter? That’s a fun time too.)
🏠 Settle and get comfy in a rental in Telluride
Denver to Telluride: Shortest (alternate) route
Although the shortest route saves 30 miles, it takes just 10 minutes longer. But this route gives a completely different path to follow, with different cities and stops. If you have time and really want to road trip through Colorado, you could do one route going to Telluride and one route going from Telluride to Denver.
To take this route, you’ll take I-25 south and take exit 140 to 115 south. Next, head west onto US-50 when you get to Penrose. This will take you all the way to Montrose where you’ll get onto 550 south and continue with the directions from Montrose in the above section.
Here are the top places to stop on this alternate route from Denver to Telluride:
1. Colorado Springs- City and Outdoor
Denver to Colorado Springs: 70 miles, about 1 hour 10 minutes
I always tell people who come to Colorado that if they are looking for both city attractions AND outdoor adventure, head to Colorado Springs. Home of the Air Force Academy and Olympic Training Center, this town also has plenty of parks and hiking areas.
Here are a few of the many activities in Colorado Springs:
- Visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Tour the Olympic Training Center and Museum
- Do a self-guided tour through Air Force Academy
- Hike through Garden of the Gods
- See Helen Hunt Falls at North Cheyenne Cañon Park
That just scratches the surface. Even if you are visiting in winter or for spring break, Colorado Springs is a great year-round city that’s worth a stop.
2. Cañon City- Home of the Royal Gorge
Colorado Springs to Cañon City: 45 miles, 54 minutes
Cañon City is home to the Royal Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of Colorado. The bridge over the gorge is the highest suspension bridge in the US, standing 956 feet above the Arkansas River. It’s a sight in and of itself that’s worth a stop.
While you are in Cañon City, here are a few things you can do:
- Visit Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
- Ride the scenic Royal Gorge Train
- Paddle down Bighorn Sheep Canyon
🏠 Stay the Night at Holiday Inn IHG (breakfast and pool included!)
3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Cañon City to Black Canyon of the Gunnison: 183 miles, 3-1/2 hours
This last stop before Telluride isn’t so much a city with a variety of activities, but it is Colorado’s most overlooked national park!
Colorado has 4 national parks and Black Canyon seems to be ignored the most. Yes, it’s a bit out of the way than other parks may be. While Rocky Mountain National Park may be a quicker drive from Denver, Black Canyon has views that make the drive totally worth it.
Enter the park just before you get to Montrose for the easiest access.
From there, there are plenty of places to pull over and take a little hike (more of a short walk) down to numerous viewpoints.
The canyon rim sits at over 2,500 feet above the Gunnison River. The walls of the canyon are a dark, charcoal color, with the Painted Wall (pictured) being the tallest cliff in Colorado.
4. Finish in Telluride
Black Canyon to Telluride: 75 miles, 1-1/2 hours
To repeat what I listed above, a few fun things in Tellurde include:
- Ride the Free gondola up to Mountain Village to explore
- Picnic at Town Park
- Eat some local pizza
- Hike to Bridal Veil Falls, (pictured) the tallest waterfall in Colorado
- Raft on the San Miguel River
If your schedule happens to be taking you to Telluride in June, check out the Hot Air Balloon Festival. It’s a colorful launch from Town Park in the morning and a glow at night down main street!
I’ll also note that while you stay in Telluride, it is definitely worth driving over to Ouray. This town is the “Switzerland of America” and full of hot springs, waterfalls, hiking, and more family-friendly fun.
- Get your guide from Denver to Ouray!
- Or see the drive from Telluride to Ouray.
Denver to Telluride: Wrap Up
As you can see, there is plenty to make a Denver to Telluride Road Trip full and fun! Whether you take the route west first through Breckenridge, Vail, Glenwood Springs, Vail, and Grand Junction or head south first to see Colorado Springs, Cañon City, and Black Canyon, either route is filled with incredible Colorado stops.
Don’t have time for all the stops? No problem! Just pick the ones that sound most interesting.
Don’t have time to stay the night on the way? Pick one or two places to get out and stretch your legs. Besides Breckenridge, all the stops are right along the way. Pick a quick activity or just pull over, stretch, and gas up in one of these opportune towns.
👉🏼Are you making this Denver to Telluride Road Trip? Tag @letsjetkids to show me the fun!
👉🏼 And Join the Colorado Family Travel Facebook group to share your experience with others.
You’ll also enjoy:
