Telluride was founded in 1878, twenty years after gold was first discovered in the Marshal Basin of the San Juan Mountains. The mining of gold, silver, zinc, copper and hard rock was the town's main industry until 1972, when the first ski lift was opened. By 1978, the last mine had closed and Telluride was on its way to becoming a resort community and center for outdoor recreation. Over the past decades, the landscape has been transformed into an Alpine retreat of unspoiled beauty with a Victorian mining town atmosphere. Today, Telluride is one of the nation's premiere destinations for skiing and other alpine sports, hiking, biking, sightseeing and summer festivals.

Telluride, orginally named for the element tellurium, was listed as a National Historic Landmark District in 1966. Hundreds of historic buildings, most constructed during the district's "boom-period" of the 1890's following the arrival of the railroad, still survive. This designation, along with the actions of local preservationists, have enabled Telluride to avoid the excessive development and commercialization typical of other ski resorts.

Telluride and Mountain Village, a small town at the base of the ski area, offer magnificent views of the surrounding San Juan Mountain Range, considered one of the most beautiful ranges in the world. The area enjoys nearly 300 days of sunshine annually and receives more than 300 inches of snow, making it an ideal ski destination and four season resort community. Come springtime, a wide variety of activities greet visitors from around the world. Many of the nearby lakes, rivers and streams provide excellent fly fishing, wildlife watching, kayaking and whitewater rafting opportunities.