Technically, my first visit to Telluride was when my mom went snowmobiling while pregnant with me. Since then, I’ve been visiting with my family annually. Despite growing from relative obscurity to being one of the most desirable destinations in the U.S. over the past few decades, Telluride’s personality continues to remain the same. 

Telluride’s Unique Personality

Maybe it has to do with the fact that there is scarcely a chain restaurant or shop to be found on the town’s Main Street. Or perhaps it correlates more to Telluride’s relatively out-of-the-way location in the southwestern corner of Colorado. And it probably has quite a bit to do with its position in the cradle of a box canyon, tucked away with only so much valley floor available to further develop. 

Whatever the reason, Telluride feels like a vestige of the past. You can imagine the miners of old carousing in your stead at the historic bar on Main Street, the Last Dollar Saloon (or as the locals call it, the Buck). On the ski slopes, the hype feels just as high as it must have when the town’s first lifts were introduced in the 70’s. 

The residents of Telluride have fought to preserve the soul of this town. My favorite story: In 2007, the town raised $50 million dollars to secure the Valley Floor as public space, swooping in on plans to develop the space with resort-like structures. As you drive into Telluride (on the only road into the town other than the precarious, high-altitude Imogene Pass), you’ll pass alongside the 550+ acres of untouched land, with only herds of elk or the occasional mountain biker in sight.

Small Town, Big Dining Scene

For such a small mountain town, Telluride hits well above its weight in terms of dining. You can’t go wrong starting your day with a donut (or something more substantial) at Baked in Telluride– a beloved establishment in the town since 1977. Even after an infamous fire in 2010 that reduced the red, tin-roofed building to ash, they rebuilt and continue to thrive. 

After a long hike, there’s no better place to carb-load than Brown Dog Pizza. The National is home to the town’s buzziest cocktail scene. Cosmopolitan hosts an epic happy hour menu of sushi and, you guessed it, discounted cosmos. And no Telluride vacation is complete without an indulgent dinner at 221 South Oak, which offers a rotating seasonal menu bursting with creative, local flavors. 

Just be careful what you pack up in your to-go box, as I once found myself caught one night with a bear in my driveway between me and the door to my house… and a box of takeout salmon in my hands. 

Ski Season in Telluride

Telluride is constantly lauded for its ski mountain, and rightfully so. The slopes are extensive, with something for everyone. The Mountain Village side of the mountain features mostly green and blue cruisers, perfect for beginners, while the Telluride side mostly consists of technical black diamonds. To top it all off, the lift lines are short and the snow is notoriously good.

During the winter, the dining options only increase with the opening of the mountainside, apres ski haunts. Nosh on charcuterie and chilled rose at Alpino Vino in a cozy setting with a distinct Swiss Alps atmosphere. And don’t you dare leave the mountain without sampling the pastry-encrusted bowl of mushroom soup at Bon Vivant (alongside a spiked hot chocolate, perhaps). Pro tip: ask to add braised brisket to the soup! 

Telluride Via Ferrata

Adventures in Telluride (Other Than Skiing)

When the snow melts, Telluride’s activities only increase. Plan your trip around one of the many acclaimed festivals, such as the Film Festival or Blues and Brews Festival. 

Hiking, mountain biking or rafting down the San Miguel River are just a few ideas to get you started as you explore the beautiful San Juan Mountains. Challenge yourself by summiting a 14er like Mount Sneffels or cruise up the popular five-mile out and back trail to Bear Creek Falls. Enjoy the therapeutic babble of the river while fly-fishing or enjoy the roar of the rapids while white water rafting.

For the adventure-seekers, there are plenty of thrills to be found in the surrounding mountains. Not for the faint of heart, Telluride’s Via Ferrata will have you clinging to metal staples on the side of a 500-foot cliff. On a Jeep trip up Imogene Pass (the highest mountain pass in the San Juan mountains), you’ll be sweating some of the tight turns and steep drop-offs, but the access to Telluride’s defunct Tomboy Mine and ghost town at the top makes it more than worth it.

By Mary Cate Long, All Roads North Marketing Manager and lifelong Telluride visitor

Sample Colorado Itineraries

Luxury Family Adventure in Colorado

Luxury Winter Road Trip Through the Southwest

The post Tales From Telluride appeared first on All Roads North.

Yosemite and Sequoia in June

Nothing says summer like a trip to the great California national parks of Yosemite and Sequoia, and June is truly the best month to visit. Especially in early June, the waterfalls will still be flowing beautifully from the melted snow. Another huge draw is that most of the high country– closed off during the cold months– opens in June, introducing a whole new section of the parks to explore. Tiago Road, leading to Tuolumne Meadows, will introduce you to a side of Yosemite that you never even knew existed.

In Yosemite, June is the ideal time to hike. The weather is pleasant and the backcountry is open. With over 800 miles of hiking trails, there’s no shortage of scenic view points to trek to: alpine lakes, granite cliff faces and cascading waterfalls. In Sequoia, the regal, namesake trees offer shade from the summer sun. 

Yosemite and Sequoia Weather in June:

Sample itinerary: Stunning Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks

Montana in June

June is an ideal window to visit Montana, as it arrives after the mud season induced by melting snow and before the big crowds that typically arrive in July. Throughout the Montana mountains, wildlife emerges from hibernation. 

In Yellowstone National Park, the land is booming with new life. Wildflowers blossom and newborn bison and elk calves toddle around the valleys. Further north, white water rafting is at its best in Glacier National Park. 

Similarly to Yosemite and Sequoia, June is also a good time to hike or cycle a wider range of Montana trails that are free of snow in the summer.

Montana Weather in June

Sample itinerary: Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip

South Dakota in June

Don’t underestimate the charms of South Dakota! The Black Hills and Badlands, home to Mount Rushmore, would be worth the visit even without the historic national memorial.

Spot buffalo and magnificent rock spires in Custer State Park, visit one of the United States’ largest caves and witness totally unique geologic formations like Devils Tower National Monument (which is actually just across state lines in Wyoming).

Of course, a visit to the American icon Mount Rushmore has to be on your South Dakotan bucket list. But also don’t forget to check out the state’s other notable mountain sculpture – Crazy Horse Memorial. Visit the work-in-progress site of the world’s largest mountain carving and hear the story of the eccentric man who began creating it, rejected all government funding and whose dying wish was that his family complete the project.

South Dakota Weather in June

Colorado in June

Pretty much any month is a great month to visit Colorado, but June is prime time to get in on all of the exciting, summer activities. The mild weather makes outdoor activities a dream, from hiking to fishing. Plus, the bloom of June wildflowers make every view twice as beautiful.

As snow melts from the winter seasons, rafting in Colorado can begin as early as May, but June is the beginning of the reliably peak season for the exciting water sport. Just about all of our favorite mountain towns have access to rafting rivers. Raft the San Miguel river from the homebase of Telluride, the Gunnison from Crested Butte or Roaring Fork River from Aspen.

June is also great for a Colorado road trip because many of its scenic mountain passes are safely open. Independence Pass, located east of Aspen, is a perfect example. Other roads, such as the renowned Million Dollar Highway, may be open all year round but still are definitely at their most safe in June when conditions are more stable. 

Colorado Weather in June

Sample itinerary: Luxury Family Adventure in Colorado

Events in June 2021

June – Pride Month

June 4-6  – Chicago Blues Festival

June 17-20 – U.S. Open Championship

June 18-20 – Country Summer Music Festival

June 20 – Father’s Day

June 20 – Summer Solstice

June 23-27 – Jackson Hole Writers Conference

June 27-30 – Aspen Ideas Festival

June 17-19 – Aspen Food and Wine

Not yet scheduled: Los Angeles Film Festival

Check Out The Other Posts in Our Series Below:

• Best Places to Visit in the USA – Month by Month
• January
• October
• November

The post Best Places in the USA to Visit in June appeared first on All Roads North.

Camp Sarika by Amangiri

For many Amangiri needs no introduction, this modernist marvel in Southern Utah consistently ranks among the top luxury hotels in the world. The picture has been completed by the recently announced launch of Camp Sarika, opening in April 2020. The singular design aesthetic and attention to detail of the main Amangiri resort has been maintained in a series of ten canvas-topped pavilions but with an even greater connection to the dramatic landscapes that surround. Private plunge pools and firepits provide intimate focal points to unplug and soak in the rocky mesas and slot canyons that envelope the camp. Unlike the main Amangiri property, Camp Sarika has several two bedrooms tents, which will be perfect for families. 

Dunton River Camp

Like the fantastic Dunton Hot Springs just up the valley, Dunton has accomplished true understated luxury with their safari-style glamping tents. The eight tents sit in the West Fork of the Dolores River Valley, an idyllic corner of the San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado. Tastefully designed interiors, luxurious beds, and clawfoot tubs will have you momentarily forgetting you’re in a tent, but step outside and mountain trails, alpine meadows, and trout-filled streams await. Chef-prepared meals are served in the central farmhouse, a sauna sits down by the river, and the firepit, underneath the dark night sky, is the perfect place to end each day of your Colorado glamping adventure.

The Resort at Paws Up

If you’re looking for some of the best glamping in the American West, look no further than Paws Up. Part dude ranch, part luxury hideaway, the Resort at Paws Up sits on 37,000 acres in Western Montana, classic ‘Big Sky’ country. To the north lies Glacier National Park and the town of Missoula is a short drive to the west. The resort has multiple private log homes dotted across the ranch but it’s their luxury tented camps that warrant a mention here. With six or so tents per camp, it’s an intimate set up and perfect for a larger group or extended family. The pretty Blackfoot River, of a ‘A River Runs Through It’ fame, runs through the heart of the ranch and our favorite camp locations are those perched above this tumbling waterway. Each has their own chef and dining pavilion, as well as a butler at the ready, so while part of a larger resort, they feel secluded, private and immersed in nature. 

Ranchlands Camps

With their new tented camps, Ranchlands delivers a glamping experience in Colorado that will let you harness your inner cowboy or girl and get an authentic taste for life on the range. Ranchlands operate four working ranches, including Zapata, where conservation and preserving the ranching heritage are the primary goal. Their low-touch tented camps are located on the Chico Basin property, where a large herd of Beefmaster cattle roam Colorado’s eastern prairie. Camps can either be taken privately by a group or you can join a scheduled week, typically hosted by experts in their field; a master horsemen, National Geographic photographers, or an acclaimed Western artist. Your days revolve around the circadian rhythms of ranch life; up early and fitting in with the tasks at hand, whether that’s moving cattle, branding, or leatherwork. End your day with dinner on the open prairie, watching the sun drop behind distant Pikes Peak, before taking the conversation to the campfire.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

Montana’s Ranch at Rock Creek, takes rustic luxury to its extreme and their luxury glamping tents are no exception. Dotted along Rock Creek, which winds through a remote valley near Philipsburg, each unit stretches the limits of a ‘tent’ or indeed ‘camping’, being more of a cabin-tent hybrid; think sumptuous king beds, tasteful western furnishings, full ensuite bathrooms, separate living areas, and a front porch to watch the world go by from. Trapper Cabin, tucked away in its own secluded corner of the ranch, is the perfect romantic bolthole, with heated floors to keep you warm on those long winter nights and a private outdoor soaking tub. 

Custom Wilderness Camps

Perhaps the ultimate glamping experience in the U.S., a custom safari-style camp, constructed just for your group, can provide access to true wilderness and solitude without scrimping on the creature comforts. From remote private land on the California coast to the wilds of Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante, the camp can be located according to your specific priorities and trip goals, and is delivered in accordance with ‘leave no trace’ principles. Levels of luxury can be tailored; from the truly elaborate to something more nimble but expect hot running water, real beds, and gourmet meals prepared by your camp chef. By day you’ll explore your surroundings with your guide team and evenings are spent sitting round the campfire recalling the day’s adventures. This will be a truly memorable wilderness glamping experience!

IMAGE CREDITS: Luxury Frontiers, Aman, Jack Richmond (Dunton), Maddie Jordan (Ranchlands), Ranch at Rock Creek, ASC

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By sheer chance, my visit to Zapata Ranch coincided with branding day. This is really the only time that ranch workers interfere with the cattle – the rest of the time the herds are free to roam and graze on the grasslands and the only job is to move them from pasture to pasture – so I was extremely lucky that my visit should include the most exciting event of the ranching year.

Welcome to Zapata

Zapata Ranch is in southwest Colorado on a vast plain flanked by the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The land is owned by the Nature Conservancy, a high-profile organisation preserving natural wildernesses, and the cattle are raised by Ranchlands, a company that manages several ranches in the American Southwest. It is an interesting model that works on the basis that both parties want the same thing: to maintain the landscape and preserve ranching, not just as a profitable business but also as one of the great American traditions.

The Sangre de Cristos Mountains are never far from view

On the morning I am due on the ranch, I set off from Denver and drive four hours south. It is a beautiful drive with vistas of snow-capped mountains on the horizon that grow bigger, then shift, giving way to yet more mountains. After I arrive and am shown to my room (simple, Western luxury), I walk around the grounds, dazed by the views of mountains in all directions across the plain. At dinner I meet my fellow guests and some of the wranglers. There are around ten guests and they have come from all over the country to experience life on a ranch. So too have the wranglers, chosen from hundreds of applicants for their skills in horsemanship and their stamina. Interestingly they are all female, which the manager Kate tells me is not by design, just default since the men who applied couldn’t quite cut the pace. It is a hard job and she admits that it can be tough balancing high end hospitality with long hours of physical work. Part of the Ranchlands’ holistic managerial approach is to move the staff around, to promote them and give them new opportunities in the growing business rather than allowing anyone to get burnt out by the constant four AM starts.

Girl Power at Zapata Ranch

The next morning, at six, we set out for the corral. My horse is waiting for me. I am a bit apprehensive given that I haven’t ridden since I was fifteen. My worries are not calmed when I find out that my horse’s name is ‘Speedy,’ though I tell myself it is probably ironic. I decide that he looks like a good horse. Big Em, one of the wranglers, gives me a quick lesson in how to ride western style. The only real difference is that you hold the reins in one hand and tap them against the horse’s neck when you want to turn. It doesn’t seem too hard and Speedy seems to know what he is doing. Then we are off, riding out into the grasslands where we split into two groups: those who feel up to it will ride further and faster and those, including me, who want to take it easier will round up the cattle closest by.

One of the Ranch Managers, Kate Matheson, in action

In my group there are three guests and three wranglers and we ride along the fence and split into twos in order to cover maximum ground. I am paired with Kaitlyn, another of the wranglers. We head into the middle of the field, walking in a line parallel with the mountains until we come across a small herd of forty or so cows. We start to push them towards the other side of the field but Kaitlyn shouts over to me that she wasn’t expecting this many cows. ‘You keep going,’ she tells me before galloping off to find some more riders to help. Suddenly I am alone with nobody else in sight. I realise that I am herding the cattle, just me. Whatever I was expecting from my stay on a ranch, I was not expecting this. I thought I would mostly be watching experienced cowboys doing their thing and occasionally being allowed to do some minor and unimportant job so that I would feel like I was part of it. So it was a genuine thrill to find myself left in charge of these cattle and I did my best not to lose any of them, circling back to pick up any strays, until Kaitlyn returned with back up.

Where sand dunes and mountains meet

The next day there are no cattle related jobs so a few of us go on a ride through the Medano pastures with its artesian wells, streams and wild irises to hopefully get a glimpse of the herd of two thousand wild bison that roam there. Like the cattle, they are left alone except for one day in November when they are rounded up and the young are counted and vaccinated and the bison that are used for meat are taken to maintain the number of the herd. We are warned that we might not be lucky enough to see them, but we end up so close to the herd that we have to move back as they cross the stream in front of us. It is quite a sight. And especially, I realise, for the others, being American, who have a difficult and painful history with these creatures so nearly hunted to extinction by settlers.

In the afternoon we are taken on a walk with John, the ranch’s on-call naturalist, to the Great Sand Dunes National Park where giant dunes like you would find in the Sahara have been deposited by the wind at the base of the Sangre de Cristos. John knew everything about every plant and its uses for Native Americans as well as taking us to an archaeological site where forty-five bison were processed for meat by a nomadic tribe who used to come through this vast valley.

Cattle branding is a team sport

The next day is branding day. We have to be up at six again. Everyone rides out to the pastures to bring the cows into the corral. Workers from other ranches managed by Ranchlands have come to help out. There is a festive air. The wranglers are wearing their best shirts and tasselled leather chinks (like chaps but with straps to stop them getting too hot). A wagon has been parked in the middle of the corral and a fire lit to heat the branding irons. Duke, the owner of Ranchlands, and Kate, a manager at Zapata, are on horseback, the rest of us are on foot, our horses tied up at the fence. We are given instructions and roles: wrestling the calves to the ground, ear tagging or vaccinating. Then it begins: Kate and Duke make their way over to the cows at the end of the corral and they each rope a calf in the traditional way with a coil of rope or lasso that they throw round the neck or back feet of the calf. Duke brings in the first one, a small one, but pretty lively, kicking up its feet as it is dragged towards the fire. Two wranglers run out and in a well-orchestrated manoeuvre – one taking the front and another lifting the back leg – they get it on the ground and secure it by kneeling on it and pulling out the back leg. Then, the others run over and tag the ear (right for fellas; left for ladies), vaccinate it, and if it is a male, castrate it quickly using a knife. Meanwhile the Ranchlands’ apprentice doing the branding has come over and presses the end of the iron, shaped like the Ranchlands’ symbol, into the calf’s rump. Then everyone suddenly moves away from the calf and it runs back into the herd. The animal is clearly in some distress throughout the process but the whole thing happens so fast, it’s like Formula 1 pit stop, and the whole thing can’t take more than a minute.

Off with the testicles and on with the Ranchlands brand

I watch this process repeated with a few calves until I feel satisfied that I know the choreography of the wrestling. As with everything at Zapata Ranch, the guests are not palmed off with unimportant or minor jobs – they are out there wrestling the cows, injecting and ear-tagging, though castrating and branding are left to the experts. I move forward with Kaityln and Megan and we wait for Kate to bring a calf in. It is bucking like crazy and it is big enough that a kick looks like it would hurt. When it is close enough we rush forward and Megan and I grab the back leg and lift it as Kaitlyn pulls it down from the front. When the calf is down on the floor Megan shows me how to wedge one foot into its hip whilst pulling back the leg so it can’t move. Then suddenly the team are upon us. It is a male calf so Maddy comes and castrates it and I see a flash of pink as she throws the testicles into the sand. The smell of singed hair gets into my nostrils as the calf is branded. Then someone shouts, ‘Get back,’ and I quickly spring to my feet and watch as the calf runs off, my heart beating fast from the adrenaline.

Plenty of irons in the fire at Zapata

I help with a few more calves and then it is lunchtime. We eat bowls of chilli and rest in the shade of the wagon. Duke offers me something like a meatball and I ask what it is…he tells me with a wry smile that is a barbecued testicle – a Rocky Mountain Oyster. I know I should eat it for the cultural experience, but I’m half way through a delicious piece of carrot cake and really, I just can’t bring myself to do it. I chat to Duke about Ranchlands. It is obvious he is the real deal. And he has a vision for Ranchlands beyond the raising of cattle. The idea behind running ranch holidays for example, is not just for the sake of business diversification, though important, it is also because he believes that in order for ranching to survive as a tradition and way of life, people need to be invited to see how it works, especially young urban people. At the same time, fortunately, there has been a huge rise in interest from this demographic in where their food comes from – these are the same people from New York and L.A who eat out and for whom it is important which bakery makes their bread, which farm grows their vegetables and who care that their meat comes from a supplier with high welfare standards. These are also people who might work in the tech industry and have more time off, more disposable income and an appetite for adventure and a different kind of holiday. It makes a lot of sense.

Racing to round up the cattle at Zapata Ranch as storm clouds gather

We finish branding the calves just as a huge rainstorm moves in and turns the air almost black. The horses push the herd back out into the pasture where presumably the calves will get over their trauma and live out their days grazing alongside their mothers. Everyone is exhausted, but exhilarated as we make our way back to the ranch. The spectacle of branding day played out against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristos is something that I will never forget, a real slice of American culture that will be etched – viscerally so – into my memory forever.

Sample Itinerary: Luxury Family Adventure in Colorado

Laura Kaye is a television producer and author based in London. Her debut novel, English Animals, was published in March 2017.

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