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Bridal Veil Falls | Telluride


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Landmark: Bridal Veil Falls
City: Telluride
Country: USA Colorado
Continent: North America

Bridal Veil Falls, Telluride, USA Colorado, North America

Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride Colorado stands as an iconic natural spectacle revered pretty much statewide if not way beyond state lines.

Colorado's tallest free-falling waterfall stands 365 feet high at edge of Telluride box canyon plunging from cliffside into vast alpine wilderness.

Waterfall lies at far eastern edge of Telluride amidst origins of San Miguel River.

Location feels curiously archaic surrounded by jagged rocky outcrops alpine meadows and relics of long abandoned mining operations.

Sheer drop and roaring water create mist that lends it a rather elemental almost otherworldly presence down there surprisingly.

Surrounding hillsides burgeon vibrantly with wildflowers and snowmelt runoff in spring and early summer feeding falls at maximum capacity.

A prominent structure appears to teeter ridiculously on cliff's edge high above Bridal Veil Falls obscuring some scenery down below surprisingly.

Smuggler-Union Powerhouse built in 1907 supplied electricity pretty steadily down at nearby Smuggler-Union Mine being quite historic.

Power station remains remarkably operational still privately owned and it produces renewable electricity feeding a portion of town's grid.

Its original Westinghouse AC generator remains in operation making it among oldest functioning hydroelectric plants still working somewhere in United States.

Power plants aren't typically accessible and can be seen clearly from below or somewhat haphazardly during hikes up steep terrain.

Reaching Bridal Veil Falls involves navigating two primary routes largely under dense foliage and winding rather steeply uphill sometimes.

Hiking Base or Top entails traversing roughly 1.2 miles one way beneath partially shaded terrain to base of extremely picturesque falls.

Elevation gain is fairly substantial gaining roughly 1,200 feet overall depending on route taken quite steeply in some places.

Gravel road known as Bridal Veil Road or FSR 648 has steep switchbacks and some pretty rocky slippery spots ahead.

Panoramic views of Telluride valley and surrounding peaks unfold constantly alongside Ingram Falls a smaller waterfall down along way.

Summer sunshine makes trail a hotspot for hikers and photographers snapping pics amidst lush greenery and trail runners pounding pavement furiously.

Peak season brings throngs to trail and early mornings or dusky evenings become preferable times for snapping serene photos in solitude.

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You can drive up 4WD road in high-clearance vehicle but it's narrow and steep and foot traffic abounds so care and constant attention are required.

Vehicle access gets restricted often during harsh winters or torrential rains due to snow ice or thick gloopy mud.

Bridal Veil Falls morphs into an imposing icy monolith during winter becoming superlative legendary ice climbing route in North America quite notoriously.

Climbers must obtain permission from landowners and it is deemed extremely technical and perilous suitable only for superlative alpinists.

Avalanche risk in canyon terrain coupled with wildly unpredictable weather makes ice route treacherous at extreme height.

Falls remained closed for years owing largely to liability worries but reopened under evolving access pacts negotiated quite recently.

Bridal Veil Falls is visible from practically anywhere in Telluride particularly near Pandora Mill and at end of East Colorado Avenue.

Snowmelt runoff makes it particularly dramatic in spring.

Autumn unfurls a breathtaking panorama of gilded aspen trees beneath an ethereal sky and winter births a frozen wintry landscape.

Multiple pull-offs and lookout points dot road leading to falls offering gawkers various vantage points from wildly different elevations and perspectives.

Drones are strongly discouraged around here owing largely to concerns regarding wildlife disturbance and infringement on personal privacy.

Bridal Veil Falls is surrounded by an area deeply saturated with rich mining history.

Telluride's late 1800s boom was driven largely by gold and silver mining and falls powered that wild economic surge fervently.

Pandora Mill stands adjacent to crumbling ruins narrating story of industry that yielded rather quietly to modern tourism and skiing pursuits.

Waterfall vistas often signify an uneasy harmony between steely human ingenuity embodied in powerhouse structures and unbridled wild gorgeousness.

It has appeared in myriad postcards films and artworks remaining remarkably favorite subject matter for numerous artists writers and creatives alike worldwide apparently.

Visitors often fare best swooping in during late spring or lingering pretty late into fairly balmy early fall periods generally.

Good sturdy hiking boots are most definitely a must on such trails which get really slippery pretty frequently.

Roadside parking spaces are scarce near Pandora area.

Get there ridiculously early under most circumstances preferably before others arrive.

Mountain weather morphs rapidly so pack gear for abrupt downpours or drastic temperature plunges at surprisingly short notice.

Pets are allowed on leash but be mighty cautious traversing ridiculously steep terrain with precarious footing and jagged rocky outcroppings nearby.

Bridal Veil Falls embodies intensely natural splendor historic ingenuity and fervent Colorado high-country essence quite beyond mere scenic appeal.

Falls possess an inexplicable allure that reverberates deeply with visitors who hike its summit or gaze at it languidly from town squares.

Raw power of nature shares a precariously narrow ledge with legacy of remarkably dogged human perseverance in such uncommon locales.



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