Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Telluride

Townsite Loop

Townsite LoopPhoto: Sandy Horvath-Dori from Grand Junction, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.7 mi
distance
123 ft
climb
9,837 ft
high point
Easy
difficulty

Is Townsite Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Townsite Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Townsite Loop is a cross-country skiing route in Colorado's Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, about 1.7 miles long with a modest climb of 123 feet. It's an easy outing on Forest Service land, with the high point at 9,837 feet and the start at 9,758 feet, so the whole route stays within a few hundred feet of that level. The route is short and low-key, with the steepest stretch at about 0.7 miles in, where the grade reaches 12 percent. For skiers looking to extend the day, Saratoga and Corkscrew Gulch Road both lie about 0.1 mile away, and Corkscrew Camping Area is about 0.2 mile off. The Million Dollar Highway Free Campsite is about 0.4 mile away. Winter is the natural season for this kind of skiing. Typical averages from the nearby Silverton weather station show January highs around 34°F and lows near -6°F, while July highs reach about 75°F. That station sits roughly 550 feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the loop run a little cooler.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Corkscrew Camping Area

    Campground

    Campground · 0.2 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Colorado Boy Southwest Pub

    Restaurant

    Open after 6
  • If it rains

    Smuggler Union Tramhouse

    Attraction

    On your way back · 6 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Telluride

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Townsite Loop

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / -6°

      9 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / -3°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 6°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      48° / 17°

      9 wet

    5. May

      58° / 25°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 31°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 38°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      72° / 37°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 30°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 20°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      43° / 7°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      34° / -5°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Silverton, CO, 8.8 mi away at 9,285 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

SaratogaPhoto: Sandy Horvath-Dori from Grand Junction, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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BrooklynPhoto: Sandy Horvath-Dori from Grand Junction, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Silverton MountainPhoto: Zach Dischner, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Silver Pick RoadPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Iron FenPhoto: Sandy Horvath-Dori from Grand Junction, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Telluride Ski AreaPhoto: Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~23 min drive

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BoulevardPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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~19 min drive

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors