Breathtaking Views on Telluride Gondola to Mountain Village

It's no secret that the popular ski town of Telluride, Colorado has many redeeming qualities. It's an adorable, picturesque little town with absolutely stunning views of mother nature to offer as well.

Telluride is full of great food and drink options, is a haven for the outdoors type, and is even home to numerous homes owned by celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey, and Tom Cruise.

While its main attraction is skiing, Telluride is just as nice to visit in the summertime, and even when there isn't snow on the ground you can ride the gondola all the way up to Mountain Village for free.

Taking the Gondola from Telluride Colorado to Mountain Village

The famous gondola on Telluride's ski mountain first opened in December of 1996 and is the first and only of its kind in the country that is free of charge.

The gondola is open in the off-season from May to October with free rides from 6:30 a.m. to midnight every day of the week. However, between June 16th and September 16th, 2023, the gondola operates until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The ride from Telluride to Mountain Village takes about 13 minutes with a pit stop at San Sofia. The trip from Telluride to San Sofia sees a 1,750-foot rise in elevation, while the trip from San Sofia to Mountain Village rises another 960 feet.

As long as you're not afraid of heights, the ride is quite relaxing and only reaches speeds of around 11 miles per hour.

Keep scrolling to take a virtual ride on the gondola from Telluride to Mountain Village: