Hiking in Telluride, CO: The Galloping Goose Trail

I really love hiking (maybe y’all have picked up on that…I don’t know…). I love long and challenging hikes that have awesome views as a payoff for the hard work you put into it. However, sometimes I like a shorter, chill hike that’s level with no real incline – especially since I started hiking with my daughter in her carrier! If you can also appreciate these kinds of hiking trails, and you happen to be going to Telluride, CO, then I have just the hike for you – and you don’t even have to sacrifice amazing views!

The Galloping Goose trail is a trail my mom and I found while checking out one of the many National Forest Access Roads off HWY-145. It follows a river, has nice views of the San Juans, and includes some historic railroad relics from years gone by. We really enjoyed the trail because it was easy enough for my daughter to keep up with us, it wasn’t long, and it didn’t have any real incline to contend with. It was also pretty close to town, which I consider an added bonus. (I like to be close to food when I’m done with a hike!).

(Note, this post is only covering a section of this trail. The portion I hiked had railroad ruins, was level, and followed the river almost the entire way. The full trail actually starts at Lizard Head Pass. If you are going to hike or mountain bike the full trail please refer to this website.)

I think this section of the trail will be nice for many of you to fit into your busy Telluride Itineraries, so enjoy the pics and here are the specs of this hike:

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(Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that when you click on the link below to buy a certain product, I will receive a small commission off the sale. It doesn’t affect the price that you pay, and the commission I receive doesn’t have any bearing on my recommendation! Regardless, I hope that you like the products and give them a try whether you use my links or not, cause I truly suggest only what I use and love!)

What You Need to Know:

Directions: When driving out of Telluride on HWY-145, take the first sign for National Forest Access on the left. You will know you are on the right road if you pass the Sheriff’s Office and a gravel company. You will also pass access for a campground on your left prior to the trailhead. After a short distance, you will see a sign for trailhead parking on your right. Turn right, and the gravel parking lot is on the left, and it will be labeled for Galloping Goose. The trail goes to the left and right of this parking lot.

Restrooms: None

Distance: The full version of this trail goes for about 17.5 miles, according to multiple sources. We didn’t do nearly that. I would estimate we hiked around 2 miles, but that is an estimate only.

Difficulty: Easy

Pets OK? Pets are not allowed. There are many signs posted about this.

Crowds: Low to moderate.

Camping allowed: No, but there are designated campgrounds nearby. You will actually pass one on the way to the parking lot.

Fees/Permits: None

Tips:

Once again, I want to make it perfectly clear that this post is only covering a portion of the entire trail! We enjoyed the scenery, hiking next to the river, and seeing the railroad ruins….not to mention the lack of an incline.
Be aware of wildlife! You are in their territory, so keep an eye out and don’t let children stray too far or out of sight.
This trail makes a great spot for mountain biking if you are interested!
Drink plenty of water and bring protection from the sun! The sunlight is very direct out here!
Be aware that a small portion of this hike goes near private property, so be aware of your surroundings so you don’t accidentally try to access people’s private property.

What You Need to Bring:

If you want to see ALL the gear I recommend, check out my Resources & Store page!)

Camera – As always and forever, I LOVE Nikon cameras. I use the one below, and if you buy it through that link you get TWO lenses, which really, who can say no??
Tripod – I recommend just a tripod for your phone on this hike. The views are great, but nothing you need to set up your big guns for
Baby Carrier for infants- for those of you hiking with littles!
Osprey Poco AG Child Carrier – This is for those of you who are hiking with toddlers! It distributes the weight much better than a front-facing carrier and is rated up to 48 lbs with child, gear, and carrier combined.
High Ponytail Hat – seriously THE BEST THING EVER INVENTED
Water Bottle
Bear Safety Gear – Honestly, this is a real concern in the mountains. I shudder to think what I would do if I came across a bear while hiking with my daughter! Take a look at the products from the link and find something you feel comfortable protecting yourself with!
First Aid Kit – I really love this first aid kit from REI. It should cover all your needs on a simple day hike.

Where to Stay:

Hotel chains are few and far between in this area. I recommend using VRBO. They have a ton of really nice rentals in Telluride, and staying in town cuts out the problem with finding parking!

We parked at the first parking area off to the right for this trail. From this parking lot, you can follow the trail either right or left. We didn’t cross the road but rather followed the trail along the river right next to the parking lot.

There weren’t a ton of people on this trail, which made it even nicer!

Once we hit this bridge, we turned around and went back to the parking lot.

Beautiful views along the way!

The epic snowfall Colorado received this year made for some very full and swiftly moving rivers!

Lots of great spots to come off the road and explore! My daughter had a particularly good time picking up rocks and sticks in the above meadow.

Once you get back to the parking area, cross the gravel road and begin on the footpath through the meadow in the above picture. The sign points to the left, but the footpath is actually a little to the right of the fence.

So beautiful!

The footpath will merge with larger paths to take you to the railroad ruins. Just keep following straight and take note of the paths you come from when they merge together!

More river views? Yes, please!

In what will feel like no time at all, you’ll start to see the ruins come into view!

We enjoyed poking around the ruins and reading the historical sign. As always, be careful around such old and worn structures.

This structure used to load materials onto the railroad cars. It’s actually in pretty good condition considering how old it is!

For some scope on the size of this thing, check out my mom in the left corner of the above picture!

We hung around for a little bit before starting back to our car. It’s hard to believe this entire trail goes all the way up to Lizard Head Pass! I definitely think I’d start at the top and work my way down!

This section of the Galloping Goose Trail was a nice hike for my mom, my daughter and I, and I highly recommend it for those of you who like places with historical significance and who are looking for an easy trail!

Well, that about wraps up this post! Don’t forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

(As we all know, sometimes things change in the travel world! If you find that things in my post are no longer accurate, please shoot me a comment or message and let me know so I can change it! Thanks 🙂 )

Until next time!

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