Camping for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Held every year on the weekend closest to the summer solstice, the iconic Bluegrass Festival takes over the town of Telluride Colorado. We’re talking about 4 days of music in one of most breathtaking mountain towns.
Every June Festivarians and musicians from around the world make their annual pilgrimage to the historic mountain town of Telluride in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. It’s an unforgettable 4 days of music, mountains, and magic in the breathtaking box canyon at 8,750′.
The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Telluride, Colorado. It features a variety of bluegrass and roots music acts, as well as workshops, instrument contests, and other activities. The festival typically takes place in June and has been held annually since 1974. Some notable acts that have performed at the festival in the past include: Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
There are 3 options for camping near the Telluride area. The first is camping through the festival which is the closest.
This will offer shuttle access to town and easy to get back to your tent after a long day in the sun. Camping is available for festival-goers at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. There are several options for camping, including:
- Town Park Campground: This is the main campground for the festival, located just a short walk from the festival grounds. It offers both RV and tent camping, with amenities such as bathrooms and showers.
- Offsite Campgrounds: There are several other campgrounds located in the surrounding area that offer RV and tent camping, but they are not as close as Town Park Campground.
It’s important to note that camping spots at the festival sell out quickly, so it’s recommended to plan ahead and book early. Additionally, festival-goers are encouraged to be prepared for the elements, as the weather can be unpredictable in the mountains.
The second camping option is camping on Forest Service areas which surround the box canyon. These areas are further out of town but offer a more authentic camping experience.
Some of the cons are that these areas are getting busy and are first come first serve, so you can’t reserve spots (unless designated camping areas) ahead of time.
There are several national forest lands located in the vicinity of Telluride, Colorado that are managed by the U.S. Forest Service. These lands offer a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities such as camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and skiing. Some popular national forest lands near Telluride include:
- Uncompahgre National Forest: This national forest is located to the west of Telluride and offers a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.
- San Juan National Forest: This national forest is located to the south of Telluride and offers a diverse range of recreational opportunities, from hiking and camping to off-roading and skiing.
- Rico-West Dolores District: This Forest Service land is located to the east of Telluride and offers hiking, camping and backpacking opportunities, and access to the Dolores River.
- Lizard Head Wilderness: This wilderness area is located just to the south of Telluride and features rugged mountains, alpine lakes, and numerous hiking trails.
It’s important to check with the local Ranger District office for any specific rules and regulations regarding permits and usage before you plan your trip, as they may vary depending on the time of year and the specific land you plan to visit.
The third option is to camp on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands located in the vicinity of Telluride, Colorado. BLM land is a little further of a drive out side of the area but offer a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.
Such as camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. Some popular BLM lands near Telluride include:
- Lizard Head Wilderness: This wilderness area is located just to the south of Telluride and features rugged mountains, alpine lakes, and numerous hiking trails.
- Uncompahgre National Forest: This national forest is located to the west of Telluride and offers a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.
- Dolores River Canyon: This BLM land is located to the east of Telluride and offers opportunities for river rafting, fishing, and camping along the Dolores River.
- San Miguel River Canyon: This BLM land is located to the north of Telluride, it offers rafting and kayaking opportunities along the San Miguel River, as well as hiking and camping in the surrounding canyons.
Again, it’s important to note that some of the area may require a permit please check with the BLM office in the area for more information and to verify the rules and regulations for the specific land you plan to visit.
If you can’t make the festival, here are some way to support locals without being able to attend.
Supporting Music Partners.
Support your local radio
We don’t live in Telluride but you can support your local and even their local radio stations. While we were camping in Telluride we could stream the concert from back in our camper. In Salt lake we listen to the bluegrass express on KRCL. Consider making a donation to support music.
https://www.koto.org/
https://krcl.org/
Nugs.net
We’ve become huge fans of the live (and not live shows this year) concerts that Nugs.net provides. Lately we’ve been watching Dead & Co’s one more saturday night streams on our apple tv.
https://www.nugs.net/
Planet Bluegrass
This isn’t Ticketmaster, Planet bluegrass isn’t greedy. Have you thought about just donating your tickets back to planet Bluegrass? They keep supporting artists & the communities for our generations to come.
https://bluegrass.com/telluride/sustainable-festivation/what-we-do
Your Favorite Artist & Bands
Support your favorite artists by directly buying music or merch from them.
Can’t grab a poster from this years festival? Consider buying the book Forty Years of Festivation.
https://www.amazon.com/Telluride-Bluegrass-Festival-Forty-Festivation/dp/1495112543
Alison Krauss
Mandolinorange
Yonder Mountain String Band
Infamous Stringdusters
Bela Fleck
Leftover Salmon
Billy Strings – has some DOPE merch.
Shop Local:
Help keep your favorite shops and restaurants in Telluride alive. Buy a gift card, leave a tip or make donations. Reach out to them through their website or give them instagram. Heres just a few of our favorite places.
Baked in Telluride
They just reopened last week for take out.
https://bakedintel.com/
@bakedintelluride
Coffee Cowboy
download the cloosiv app & place an order. If you don’t live in Telluride you can leave a fat tip & pay with apple pay.
https://www.thecoffeecowboy.com/
@thecoffeecowboy
High Alpine Coffee (inside bookstore)
download the cloosiv app & place an order. If you don’t live in Telluride you can leave a fat tip & pay with apple pay.
Between the Covers Bookstore
shop online or buy an audiobook from them!
https://www.between-the-covers.com/
Telluride Brewing Co.
You might not be able to ship beer online but you can sure buy a shirt to show your support.
https://www.telluridebrewingco.com/
@telluridebrewing
Telluride Library
Ever had to print your tickets at the library? Consider making a donation to help pay it forward.
https://www.telluridelibrary.org/
Telluride Gallery
Having a 20% off sale to support artists until June 5th
https://shop.telluridegallery.com/