Bear Creek – it’s difficult to name a crown jewel of Telluride, given the vast amount of beautiful and awe inspiring terrain and scenery; however, Bear Creek would certainly rank up there on this list. Located to the south of town and immediately to the east of the ski area’s boundary, the Bear Creek drainage is accessible by a trailhead located at the very south end of Pine Street. The Bear Creek Trail is one of the more well traveled trails in the area due to it’s proximity to town, moderate difficulty level, and incredible scenery which includes a large waterfall at the end of Bear Creek Trail (proper).
Coronet Creek – is a drainage located directly to the north of town. There is a short trails which leads to Coronet Falls, approximately a 15 minute hike from the trailhead located at the very northern end of Aspen Street in town. The trail itself is both short and moderate in difficulty, and is located in a narrow canyon which terminates at the dramatic presence of the Coronet Falls. In the spring, you can often still see the remnants of the previous winter’s ice formations.
Deep Creek / Whipple Mountain – the trailhead is accessible by driving toward the airport and veering right on Last Dollar Road (T60) just as you can see the airport terminal (about 1/4 mile). Then continue about another 3/4 miles to arrive at the trailhead on the right. The Deep Creek trail heads east back toward town and connects with the trail system which ultimately brings you directly into town via the Jud Weibe.
Jud Weibe Trail – another popular trail which can be accessed directly from town either via the northern end of Aspen Street (to go clockwise), or the northern end of Oak Street via Tomboy Road then left at the gate about 1/4 mile (counter clockwise). “The Weibe” is a bit more strenuous than Bear Creek, but is still a moderate hike overall – offering an excellent overlook of the town, Bear Creek, and most of the valley.
Mill Creek – can be accessed by driving west out of town and making a right immediately after Brown Homestead (across the street from the gas station nearest town) and taking this jeep road – while not all that difficult, it does requires high clearance for a couple small sections. You can also park at the Eider Creek trailhead; however, Mill Creek trail starts near the base of the water treatment plant. Mill Creek is great in its own right, but also offers a lot of options with respect to connecting to other nearby trails (Sneffles Highline, Eider Creek, Deep Creek).
Sneffles Highline Trail – runs at a higher elevation and can be accessed in a number of ways, including the Aspen street side of the Jud Weibe, Eider Creek, or Mill Creek trail heads.