The Telluride Via Ferrata: Know Before You Go
Colorado is the ultimate playground for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers — and the Telluride Via Ferrata is one of the most thrilling experiences you can do.
Italian for “iron way,” a via ferrata is a daring route that combines hiking and climbing, leading you along sheer cliff faces while clipped into a series of cables and iron rungs. The Telluride Via Ferrata takes this to new heights, literally, guiding you across a rocky ledge with a jaw-dropping 600-foot drop below.
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know before taking on the Telluride Via Ferrata, from how to book a guide, what to expect, and a review of my own personal experience.
Note: This is not a guide on how to climb the via ferrata on your own. It’s not a normal “hike” and should not be attempted without the appropriate gear and existing knowledge of how to safely traverse a via ferrata.
How You Can Have This Same Experience
Book a guide at Mountain Trip, a Telluride based outdoor adventure company, where certified guides will lead you across one of the coolest via ferratas in Colorado.
Make an online reservation in advance. I booked our trip one week out.
You have the option to choose to either hire a private guide or join one of their group sessions.
We joined the 8:00 a.m. group session, which consisted of 8 people total and two guides.
For a guided trip, you don’t need any previous climbing experience and all gear is provided at no additional cost.
Your guide will reach out to you the day before the trip to confirm the meeting time and location. We started our hike from the Bridal Veil Falls trailhead parking lot.
Know This Before You Go
Distance: About 5 miles from start to finish. That includes the hike up to the cliffs edge, the traverse along the cliff, and the hike back down.
Elevation gain: 859 ft
Time: It took our group of 8 people about 4.5 hours to complete (including breaks)
This hike is not for the faint of heart. In case you couldn’t tell from the pictures, you are quite literally hanging off the edge of a cliff
Although you don’t need any rock climbing experience, you do need to feel comfortable with moderate hiking on trails that are very exposed.
You are clipped in during most of the route, there are some sections where you are not clipped in on the cliff’s edge.
Your guides are skilled and will provide you with all the safety information you need to know to complete this hike, just be aware that there is risk involved and instructions should be taken seriously.
The climb is weather dependent and your guide will contact you if the weather conditions will make the trip unsafe.
Make sure you bring layers, since it is cool in the morning, as well as a rain jacket in case it rains, which is always a possibility in the mountains.
There is hiking involved in this trip so make sure you wear appropriate footwear, like hiking boots or trail runners, that are comfortable and have good traction. I chose to wear my Hoka trail running shoes, which worked well.
Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, snacks or a small lunch, since you will likely be hiking through lunch time.
If you’re bringing a backpack to hold your belongings, make sure it clips across your chest or waist so it won’t fall off.
A water bladder will make it easier to stay hydrated since your hands won’t be free throughout the duration of this trip.
Gratuity is not included, so make sure you bring cash or have Venmo available to tip your guide.
My Review of the Via Ferrata
I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to anyone traveling through Telluride (as long as you’re not afraid of heights).
The guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and prioritized the safety of everyone.
I felt safe throughout the duration of the trip, but there are some sections of the trail that are very exposed and you are not clipped in, which could make some people nervous.
It was a bit longer that I anticipated, we started hiking at 9:00 a.m. and didn’t get done until around 2:00 p.m., so just be prepared to be on your feet for a while.
The views of the mountains during the hike up and the views from the cliffside were unbelievable.
We timed out trip with peak fall foliage in southwest Colorado and did our trip during the second to last weekend in September.
Seeing the bright yellow trees from above were beautiful.
Hiking past Bridal Veil Falls — the tallest free falling waterfall in Colorado — was an added bonus.
This was such an awesome trip and I can’t wait to do more via ferratas in Colorado!
