Bridal Veil Falls Hike - Telluride Colorado
Bridal Veil Falls are the tallest free falling falls in Colorado. At 365 feet in height, these falls entice visitors and adventurers from all over the world to hike, bike, four-wheel drive, and explore the surrounding wilderness. A privately owned, historic power plant sits atop the falls.
Bridal Veil Falls // Telluride Colorado Dayhike
Our recent trip to Southwest Colorado started in one of the most beautiful mountains towns, Telluride. The Bridal Veil Falls Trail is located at the end of the box canyon surrounding Telluride. The trail follows a 4x4 road that switchbacks up to the falls. This road ends for vehicles just before the falls by a gate and only hikers/bikers are allowed further. Bridal Veil is the tallest freefalling water fall in Colorado and drops 365 feet. We clocked this hike at 6.1 miles and took us about 3 hours (with a very slow pace taking many pictures).
This is a great doable hike for most skill levels and comes with a great sense of accomplishment at the top of the falls. Get there early to avoid sun and crowds, especially if you're driving up since it gets more sketchy to park when more vehicles are on the trail.
Bridal Veil Falls - Telluride Colorado - Phantom 4 Pro
The 435' Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride Colorado is the tallest waterfall in the state. Learn more about the falls and its history with this video shot with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro.
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Check out the MavMount v3.0 for DJI Spark, Mavic Pro, Mavic Air
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Tall Tales of a Waterfall: Bridal Veil Falls Ice Climb in Telluride, Colorado
Ben Clark and friends ascend the tallest frozen waterfall in the state of Colorado. Bridal Veil Falls was just opened to ice climbers in 2009. Shot by Kathryn Barrows, Jim Hurst, and Justin Weihs. Edited by Justin Weihs
Via Ferrata Telluride, Colorado // Tackling Telluride's Rocky Traverse
Love exposure, amazing views, and climbing rocks? Then you’ll love Telluride Via Ferrata. Via Ferrata literally means the iron way and basically means hiking combined with ladders and exposed ledges. The in Telluride is one of the only Via Ferratas open to the public int he United States making it an especially unique adventure in the US and Colorado.
This epic adventure takes along the sheer cliffside near Bridalveil falls, the apex of Telluride valley. While some parts are on ladders on overhanging cliffs, many parts are just a walk along a flat ledge. This may seem scary, but there’s nothing to fear. Via Ferratas are done using gear to protect you from falling.
For more details on the Telluride Via Ferrata and other adventures in this mountain town, check out our blog:
Looking up along Bridal Veil Falls trail at the Power House in Telluride Colorado USA in HD!
Looking up from along Bridal Veil Falls trail at the Power House in Telluride Colorado USA in HD
Aerial of Trout Lake outside Telluride, Colorado
Aerial of Trout Lake located just south of Telluride Colorado. The lake is at the base of San Miguel Peak a 13,752 foot mountain that is southeast of Lizard Head Pass in the San Juan mountain range.
Bridal Veil Falls TELLURIDE Colorado
BEAUTIFUL
Chasing Waterfalls In Colorado At Seven Falls
I went on a waterfall mission on this trip and found some of the best waterfalls in the state of Colorado, starting off with Seven Falls just outside of Colorado Springs. Known for its well kept commercial grounds and 7 waterfalls in succession this stop was well worth the price of admission with a short bus ride from free parking all the way to the gate and great hiking and vantage points of so many natural wonders.
For more information on places to stop in Colorado or more adventures:
Bridal Veil Falls (Telluride, CO) from the Idarado Complex
360 degree sweep from the 2wd parking area showing some of the Idarado mining infrastructure as well as the Bridal Veil Falls and the switchbacks leading up to its top .
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Find out more about this waterfall at:
Bridal Veil Falls - Highlands
Waterfall in the Mountains of North Carolina
Google Map of Bridal Veil Falls, NC
(Click link here and scroll down on the Menu at the left of map)
Via Ferrata - Telluride, Colorado
Hiking Via Ferrata - Telluride, Colorado
Another one that has been on my radar for a while now. I was still stinging from defeat at Maroon Bells when Tina suggested we should check out Via Ferrata. Italian for Iron Way, a Via Ferrata is an assisted climbing route. In a nutshell, that means you have safety lines you are attached to and sometimes man made steps or handholds on the hardest parts. You just need a helmet, harness and special lanyard (with two carabiners) and knowledge to use them....but you don't need technical climbing skills.
I guess you need to NOT have a fear of heights.
Yes, there's more to it than that. Hiking boots/shoes are recommended (instead of climbing shoes) and you need to be in appropriate physical shape to handle the course. Bring the right clothing (you start in the shade but spend a good amount of time in the sun if you start early like we did.)
Since it was a last second decision, we didn't have the gear with us, so we contracted with a local guiding service (we used San Juan Mountain Guides and they were great. Gear and a guide for two around $200 per person). We met our guide (Tyler - great kid) at the base of a rough switchback road just outside Telluride. Luckily, we both had 4WD, so we were able to shuttle a vehicle to the end of the trail, then drive to the top....which is great, because hiking a road is my second least favorite thing to do, right behind hiking a switchback road. On the way up, we passed Bridal Veil Falls and stopped for a couple photos.
At the top, its a very short climb and you're on the shelf that the trail follows. Now a couple things about Via Ferrata. Yeah, it has cables and steps/handholds. But there is still risk. There are a lot of spots where a 10~12 trail is all you have to walk on. To your right the cliffs continue up and to your left, it's a sheer drop off for hundreds of feet. No cable. Just...well, don't veer left. You can see it in the video. At no time did I feel uncomfortable, but if you have issues with heights and/or exposure, the first couple dozen feet of the trail will be where you should decide if you have made a wise decision or not.
From there, it's just nonstop fun for the adrenaline junky. Exposure, cool gear and incredible views of Telluride and Bridal Veil Falls. It'll seem way too soon until you hit Via Ferrata's 'main event'; a section where the ledge disappears and it's just you, a cable and some iron steps glued into the rock face. It may end too soon or not soon enough, depending on your level of tolerance for these types of things, and then you're back to cable/no cable routine. Going in, I thought it might be gimmicky or underwhelming, but I can say that when we finally hit the flat, solid earth of the short trail back to the car, my only disappointment was that it was over. And I can't remember the last time I've done something like this and been sad to see my car so soon. I think the overall trip was around 4 hours, moving relatively fast and using a shuttle system instead of hiking that evil road.
If you aren't a technical rock climber, but you like a bigger adventure, I can't recommend Via Ferrata in Telluride enough. If it says anything, I learned that the term Via Ferrata isn't specific to this one trail, and before we were off the mountain, I was already researching other Via Ferratas....It's that cool.
If this sounds (and looks) interesting, plan it. Plan it now. It's relatively empty, but it's getting more and more popular every day. We only saw one other group. But for views and an experience like this, I can see the place getting really popular, really quickly.
Spring Hiking in Telluride
GoPro footage from hiking Cornet Creek Falls and Jud Wiebe Trail during the Spring snowmelt in Telluride, Colorado.
Music: 'Mighty River' by Railroad Earth
Via Ferrata - Telluride
Breathtaking POV footage of the main event of Telluride's Via ferrata.
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My friend and I headed down to Telluride, Colorado to traverse a cliff band high above town on one of the few Via Ferrata routes in the United States. The beginning is in honor of Chuck Kroger who died shortly after creating the route due to pancreatic cancer. The fleeting images of my friend are to remind us to reflect on Chuck's contribution to the community. I hope you enjoy this overview of Telluride's Via ferrata. It was a lot of fun to traverse, and I hope I captured a sliver of what the experience is really like. As always, thanks for watching. I'm excited to hear what you think. :) - Chris
Bridal Veil Falls, Telluride, CO
A quick shot of the Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride, CO on an overcast day
Bridal Veil Falls Telluride, CO
cliffs are scary.
Bridal Veil Falls: Telluride, CO
...from a distance!
The Famous Off-Road Trail Black Bear Pass - Telluride, Colorado
For the full trail guide please visit:
Black Bear Pass Off-Road Trail in Colorado was originally constructed in the late 1800's to service the Black Bear Mine and subsequently re-opened for recreational travel in 1959. Few trails in the United States have attained the legendary status that Black Bear Pass has. The ascent from US 550 begins near the summit of Red Mountain Pass, historically known as the Million Dollar Highway. The initial climb is easy and scenic, with beautiful wildflowers carpeting the high mountain meadows. Waterfalls cascade from alpine snow melt as you climb to the 12,840 foot summit. The descent into Telluride is vastly different, with narrow shelf roads and steep drop-offs. The descent into Telluride is highlighted by the stunning 365 foot Bridal Veil Falls topped by the Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Power Plant, better known as the Bridal Veil Powerhouse. The trail descends adjacent to Bridal Veil Falls, with some of the tightest switchbacks a vehicle can travel through. Black Bear Pass' infamy has even been penned into a bluegrass song, written and performed by C.W. McCall:
Mary Elizabeth drawed a picture of the road; it looked like a whole bunch a' Zs and Ws all strung together. And RJ took one look at it and said that the only way that Jeep car is goin' down that road is over her dead body. Then a rock slipped out from under the wheel and the U-Drive-'Em Army Jeep car went right over the edge of the cliff. Yahoo-oo-oo-oo!
C.W. McCall - Black Bear Road 1975
Make this trail part of your summer overland trip!
Music/Artist/Source:
1. March to Victory by Silent Partner
2. Impact Allegretto by Kevin MacLeod
Impact Allegretto by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
Source:
Artist:
3. Cosmos by Silent Partner
Get the trail details and download a GPS route today at:
trip to moab & telluride june 2018
4 days in moab, ut: urban camping, arches national park, canyonlands national park - island in the sky & needles, deadhorse point state park
3 days in telluride, co: downtown airbnb, mountain village, bridal veil falls, paddle boarding at alta lakes
song: this could all be yours - guster