Telluride CO Amazingly Photogenic Waterfall

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Category: Waterfalls And Swimming Holes

 mystic falls h1a

Dave Webb
October 8, 2024

I enjoy viewing and photographing waterfalls and am willing to travel and hike to see a good one. The one shown here is near Telluride CO and is amazingly photogenic. I enjoyed visiting the area and was able to catch it when fall colors were peaking.

The Ouray and Telluride areas are paradise for those of us who chase waterfalls. There are several great options just a short hike from these towns and plenty more in the backcountry. Bridal Veil Falls, on the edge of Telluride, is the highest free-falling waterfall in Colorado and is an easy hike right from town. It and others are worth seeing.

I am not going to name the waterfall I visited. So far it is little-known and not crowded and I'd like to keep it that way. It is relatively easy to find if you search and study the area.

The Million Dollar Highway, between Ouray and Durango, is one of the great places in the US to see fall colors. The colors came on early this year and have been vibrant. The aspen trees were on fire during the first week of October. The area is popular and traffic was heavy, with slowdowns on the highway, but worth the trip. The backcountry was amazing.

The area also offers a number of nice hot spring resorts along with other, less-developed springs. I stayed at Orvis Hot Springs in Ridgeway and it was very nice. The water there is amazing, naturally hot, no sulfur smell, and is not re-circulated. (I like that because the water stays cleaner and more natural when it flows through, instead of being pumped back to the start for a second run through the pools.) The pools at Orvis are man-made but have a natural feel with clean gravel bottoms and rock terraces along the walls. The pools vary in temperature so it is easy to find a spot that is just right. Orvis is clothing-optional. I found the employees and patrons to be respectful and I enjoyed staying at the campground there. People lodging there and staying at the campground have 24-hour access to the soaking pools, which is very nice after a day of hiking.

I love this area and will be back.